East Palestine, Ohio Train Derailment

March 2026 Update: Trump EPA Takes Action After Uncovering Government Subcontractor Analysts Altering Measurements

On March 2, EPA sent a notice to Tetra Tech Inc. detailing the failure of its subcontractor—ALS Houston—to meet data quality standards in groundwater sampling conducted at the East Palestine train derailment site in the fall of 2025. EPA immediately launched an investigation into the data discrepancies. Thanks to the agency’s quick action, none of the falsified data was used to make any health, safety, cleanup, or enforcement decisions at the site. Rigorous and ongoing validating analysis continues to confirm there is no ongoing exposure to toxic chemicals from the derailment endangering public health or the environment in East Palestine. 

EPA has taken the following actions to remedy this situation: 

• Opened an investigation into sampling discrepancies and expanded its own rigorous quality assurance and control process.
• Rejected data submitted by the subcontractor, ALS Houston.
• Referred the data quality issues to EPA’s Office of Inspector General.
• Issued a Cure Notice to the prime contractor along with a review of all active contracts with the subcontractor with an eye towards sample testing and lab analysis.
• Reviewed internal contracting processes to identify institutional controls for the agency’s contract team to ensure this situation does not happen again.
• Updated—and will continue to update—its East Palestine website to ensure that the public has access to the most up-to-date information.
   

Background

At about 8:55 PM ET on February 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, about a quarter-mile west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania state line.

Twenty of the affected cars contained hazardous materials, including vinyl chloride, ethylene glycol, ethylhexyl acrylate, butyl acrylate and isobutylene.

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