Ohio Train Derailment Waste Water to Go to Back River WTTP

Clean Harbors of Baltimore, Inc. (Clean Harbors) announced in a letter that it has been selected to “treat and discharge the wastewater collected from rainwater, collected water, and stream water above and below the cleanup site of the Norfolk Southern Railroad derailment in East Palestine, OH that occurred February 3, 2023.”

That announcement has caused some controversy in the area as the post treatment of that water from the southern Baltimore City based Clean Harbors would eventually go to the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Baltimore City and Baltimore County released a joint statement about this news.

“The Baltimore City Department of Public Works was notified by Clean Harbors Environmental Services that the company has contracted with Norfolk Southern Railroad to accept, treat, and discharge the wastewater collected from rainwater, collected water, and stream water above and below the cleanup site of the Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, OH that occurred on February 3, 2023. The facility is one of a number of facilities in locations around the country selected to process this material,” said the statement.

“Both the City and the County teams have been in touch with the Governor’s office as well as with the EPA. State and federal officials have assured us they are confident in the facility’s ability to process this material. However, we have tasked our teams to do their due diligence to be certain that there is no risk to the health and safety or our residents and our environment.

“Additionally, we are seeking a legal opinion from the Attorney General’s Office regarding the City’s requirement to discharge the waste from the Norfolk Southern Railroad derailment. We continue to learn more information and will share more information as updates become available.”

Other elected leaders have weighed in and most have objected to this plan.

Del. Kathy Szeliga said that the Back River WTTP has had too many issues to deal with this new request of treating at least 675,000 gallons of toxic water.

“This is wrong. The Back River Wastewater Treatment plant should NOT allow this. I am contacting the Maryland Department of the Environment , as well as the EPA, County Executive Olszewski and Mayor Scott urging them to deny this request,” Szeliga wrote.

“This waste water treatment plant does not have a good track record. We do not want this water in our rivers or the Chesapeake Bay.”

Some of the track record includes a fire taking place at the site last week.

Szeliga and fellow Del. Ryan Nawrocki has started an online petition.

The Back River Restoration Committee, Inc. (BRRC) also released a statement in opposition of the announcement. BRRC has been very critical of the Back River WTTP since raw sewage was reported in local waterways over two years ago.

“The Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant should not be receiving stormwater and/or any other potentially contaminated water from East Palestine, Ohio,” said BRRC.

“The plant is still out of compliance with MDE and most recently had an explosion at the pelletizing building. This already stressed plant, cannot take on MORE contamination.”

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