DUNNELLON, Fla. — The Florida Department of Environmental protection has approved a plan to clean up a hazardous railroad tie fire in Dunnellon.
It outlines each step in the clean-up process and a two-month timeline to remediate the site following a massive fire involving railroad ties treated with creosote, a chemical preservative.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the chemical takes years to break down if it enters the groundwater. Toxicologist say the chemical is potentially cancer causing and when burned, can lead to respiratory illness.
On Tuesday, Channel 9 obtained the 13-page cleanup plan submitted by the property owner CSX Rail to the Florida Department of Environment Protection (FDEP).
The plan includes removing the remaining ties owned by Track Line Rail, excavating contaminated soil, and monitoring the air and environment for toxic chemicals.
According to the document, the excavation phase will target an area more than 1,000 feet long, 95 feet wide and at least two feet deep.
Crews will ultimately transport the excavated soil to a state-licensed landfill before collecting additional soil samples to confirm that all hazards are removed.
Craig Camuso, regional vice president for CSX said the company is taking precautions during the soil removal. “We also have put up four air monitoring stations to be installed outside of the excavation area to ensure that while that process is taking place, things don’t get kicked up,” Camuso said.
CSX plans to have the site completely cleaned within two months after which a report will be submitted to FDEP with analytical results and recommendations for next steps.
On Tuesday, the company stated that environmental monitoring and early air quality testing so far has not identified any immediate threats to the area.
However, thousands of rail road ties remain at the site where the fire broke out along the rail road track.
During a code enforcement hearing Tuesday, a magistrate judge in Dunnellon ordered CSX to remove thousands of hazardous rail ties within three days or face a $250 daily fine.
During the hearing, an attorney representing CSX argued that the city of Dunnellon did not have the legal authority to fine the company because of federal law. However, the magistrate judge did not grant weight to that argument and upheld the daily penalty.
Residents who attended the meeting told Channel 9 that the fine didn’t go far enough, “For a company like that, 250 dollars? Thats nothing. Thats a drop in the bucket,” one Dunnellon resident said.
CSX representatives stated Tuesday they had already shipped out 12 loaded cars of rail ties as part of their initial response.
The company reported that more than 17,000 rail ties have been removed from the site and to expedite the remaining work, 57 additional rail cars are en route to the property.
Separately, the Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA) who provides potable water to the City of Dunnellon and some surrounding areas has committed to testing water samples from the public well sites.
FDOH will also be conducting free testing of 13 private wells in the area and has made contact with several of the property owners and sent letters to others. More information can be found here.
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