EPA Inspector General Probes East Palestine Derailment Response
The EPA Office of Inspector General is investigating whether the agency had sufficient data to assure East Palestine residents that the community was safe after a 2023 derailment.
The Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General announced an audit and evaluation on October 27, 2026, into the agency's response to the February 2023 Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The investigation follows requests from Vice President JD Vance, who pressed for the review in August 2026, and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, alongside complaints from whistleblowers and local residents reporting lingering health issues.
Investigators will determine if the EPA fulfilled its statutory responsibilities and whether the agency possessed "sufficient data to support the agency’s public communications" regarding the safety of air and water. This probe follows a National Transportation Safety Board determination that the emergency "vent and burn" of vinyl chloride conducted during the crisis was unnecessary.
While the investigation proceeds, Norfolk Southern Railway continues to face legal challenges over a $600 million class action settlement, with funds currently tied up in court. The company is also seeking an $85 billion merger with Union Pacific, a proposal currently under extensive review by the Surface Transportation Board.
