It was a standing room crowd Tuesday morning during a ceremony that marked the dedication of the new East Palestine Health Research Team’s office in the Way Station as well as the third anniversary of the 2023 Train Derailment. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)

EAST PALESTINE — The year 2026 continues to be a mission of rebirth for the village, as area media and dignitaries gathered Tuesday morning to mark the grand opening of its new Train Derailment Health Research Team’s office inside the Way Station building.

The invitation-only event included representatives from the National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIH); the Ohio Department of Health; the University of Kentucky; the University of Pittsburgh and Yale University; and mayors and municipal administrators from neighboring communities like New Waterford and Columbiana.

Misti Allison, of the East Palestine Train Derailment Health Research Program, emceed Tuesday’s festivities that included a few words from the participating organizers and community partners before concluding with a ribbon cutting.

NIH representative Dr. Kyle Walsh spoke about how he was relatively new to the derailment research team. He started in October, months after The NIH, which is a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, had awarded the five-year, $10 million research initiative last summer.

Through the East Palestine Train Derailment Health Research Program office, researchers will engage directly with the community, coordinate studies and help enroll residents in federally supported research.

Three years ago, a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in East Palestine while carrying 38 railcars containing hazardous chemicals including vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate and ethylene glycol.

The crash resulted in prolonged fires and controlled burns that raised concerns regarding air quality — especially after locals started reporting adverse health symptoms, including headaches, respiratory trouble and skin conditions.

The program is designed to give residents clear, credible information about the 2023 disaster’s public health effects, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“The NIH’s research hub offers the people of East Palestine a pathway to clear answers about their health they deserve,” explained HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “Everyone affected by this environmental disaster deserves access to independent, gold-standard science that puts their well-being first.”

Walsh explained at the event that he had an unique interest in the train derailment, as he grew up less than 65 miles away in Gauge County.

Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, director of the Ohio Department of Health, also made the trip up from Columbus for the occasion.

During his remarks, he stated that Tuesday’s opening of the office stands out as a very important step in moving forward.

“The State of Ohio remains committed to this community,” he added.

East Palestine village manager Antonio Diaz-Guy stressed how important this research is to finding answers. Himself a lifelong resident, Diaz-Guy added, “Today is important because days like this forward the conversation. The village government also is committed to this,” although he acknowledged the research will take time to interpret.

East Liverpool City Hospital, which operates the health clinic in East Palestine where the majority of the followup health measures will be conducted, was represented by their chief executive officer, Stephanie Conn. She affirmed her institution’s commitment toward assuring the health of area residents.

The team, which is led by University of Pittsburgh’s Dr. Erin Haynes, also was on hand.

Haynes noted that just in July, the team had been collecting samples for its research in the exact room that they were occupying, as she urged more people to sign up for participation in the study even if they don’t have symptoms.

The research study is open to anyone who lived within East Palestine or the surrounding area as well as responded to the derailment or cleanup efforts.

Anyone 8 to 17 years old must have a parent or primary caregiver participate as well.

Participants can receive compensation for inclusion in the surveys and follow-up health measures.

The team also is studying liver and thyroid function as well as the impacts on the water quality.

For information, visit www.research.uky.edu/environmental/east-palestine-health-research.

Also in attendance were East Palestine councilmembers Lenny Glavan and Barb Herriott; Columbiana County commissioners Tim Ginter and Mike Halleck; Columbiana Mayor Rick Noel and City manager Lance Willard; and New Waterford Mayor Shane Patrone.

sujhelyi@mojonews.com