Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with further clarification from the Environmental Protection Agency.
An industrial wastewater treatment plant in Baltimore is under contract with Norfolk Southern to process liquid wastewater from the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment.
Then the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant in Baltimore County is expected to process a "significant" number of gallons of the pre-treated liquid wastewater, officials said Friday afternoon during a hastily-called joint news conference on the steps of the historic courthouse in Towson.
Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski said they learned about the plan late Thursday night through a letter.
Contractor Clean Harbors of Baltimore Environmental Services Inc., described itself as the "optimal wastewater treatment site 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," according to a copy of the letter shared with WYPR.
A representative of Clean Harbors wrote that it expects to begin receiving this wastewater "immediately once approval is granted," the letter continued.
There is already 675,000 gallons of wastewater loaded on railcars as the initial water volume to process, according to the company's letter.
"The proposed treatment scheme will be carbon adsorption using 4x12 mesh reagglomerated carbon followed by inorganic metals removal as needed," according to the letter. "The primary constituent of concern is vinyl chloride."
Data provided by the railroad giant showed there was some vinyl chloride in the water up to 62 parts per billion. So-called forever chemicals PFOA and PFOS were also present, according to third party data in slight excess of the EPA's proposed drinking water standard.
"Clean Harbors will treat the wastewater by filtering through the reagglomerated carbon to produce an effluent below 4 ppt PFOA and PFOS," according to the letter. "We look forward to your response and to helping our country with the proper management of this wastewater."
The response was swift.
"Both the county executive and I have grave concerns about the waste from this derailment coming into our facilities and being discharged into our system," Scott said.
Olszewski echoed those concerns.
"We want to make sure that our residents have every confidence that if this is going to happen it's done safely and so our teams will be joining with the mayor's team to ensure that we are asking as many questions as we can," he said.
There were more than 8.4 million tons of contaminated soil shipped out of Ohio to surrounding states, such as Texas, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
More than 7 million gallons of liquid wastewater has been shipped out of Ohio as well as of March 20, according to the EPA.
The initial estimate would be between 600,000 and 800,000 gallons, according to the Baltimore City Department of Public Works.
The water would be pre-treated by the contractor Clean Harbors then dumped into the city-controlled wastewater system then cleaned with the city's Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant in Dundalk. Clean Harbors was hired by Norfolk Southern but is overseen by the EPA.
The EPA itself does not select the wastewater treatment plant sites, the railroad company does, but compliance is overseen by the environmental agency.
"EPA will ensure that all waste is disposed of in a safe and lawful manner at EPA-certified facilities to prevent further release of hazardous substances and impacts to communities," according to a statement from the EPA.
During the press conference, Scott he wants extra testing before the water is discharged to the water system.
"Both the City and the County teams have been in touch with the Governor’s office as well as with the EPA," the release continued. "State and federal officials have assured us they are confident in the facility’s ability to process this material."
Beyond that, officials said they have reached out to the Attorney General's office for a legal opinion about whether the city would be required to treat and discharge pre-treated waste from the Ohio derailment site at Back River.
The early February Norfolk Southern train derailment affected 50 cars in the middle of the night while residents were evacuated during a controlled burn of the spilled chemicals and environmental remediation efforts have continued for months, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
About 20 of the rail cars were carrying various hazardous materials such as vinyl chloride and butyl acrylate, according to the EPA.
Vinyl chloride is an odorless gas that burns easily and is used in the process to engineer polyvinyl chloride, otherwise known as PVC, which is often used for pipes and construction materials.
"It's going to be a significant amount [of liquid wastewater] we're going to be one of multiple places around the country that's going to be taking it," Scott said.
The Back River plant has been under scrutiny for the past year and controlled by the state after lack of maintenance and compliance. About a week ago, there was a fire at the site where the waste solids are dried using high heat. But officials say it did not damage the wastewater treatment part of the plant.
Officials didn't have any further information regarding a timeline or process.
"We were notified of this late, we received a letter late yesterday," Scott said. "We have a lot of concerns and we know that our residents will have a lot of concerns and we understand. They chose Back River because it's actually operating in good standing and can handle this."
U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen said his office is asking questions too.
"No plan should be finalized until we get satisfactory answers," Van Hollen said in a statement late Friday.
The other liquid wastewater disposal plant sites under contract by the railroad with industrial facilities include communities in Ohio, Indiana, Texas and Oklahoma, according to the EPA.
Environmental advocates are wary about the decision.
"We are gravely concerned about how this wastewater will be transported from Ohio to Baltimore, and local residents need assurances that none of this toxic wastewater will spill into our precious streams, rivers, or communities, and regulatory agencies must provide detailed plans about how this will be accomplished safely, given the nature of the Norfolk Southern Railroad derailment that caused the spill, fire, and water contamination in the first place," according to a statement from nonprofit Blue Water Baltimore.
Advocates say they want to know exactly what may be in the water before it's sent to the industrial waste site.
