Today at approximately 12:30 p.m., Freeborn County Staff met with representatives from the Union Pacific (UP) Railroad, the contractor that has been hired to assist in the clean-up, the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).
To summarize the event, on May 15, 2021 at 1:45 p.m., approximately 28 cars on a Union Pacific train derailed near Goose Lake in Albert Lea. Three (3) rail tanker cars filled with Hydrochloric Acid were breached. One of those tankers was completely emptied and the other two were half emptied. Approximately 40,000 gallons of Hydrochloric Acid spilled into and around the derailment site. The other 20,000 gallons remained in the two cars and have since been transferred to storage tanks at a staging area. Three tankers filled with Liquid Propane Gas were also derailed. None of those tanks were breached. At this time, Union Pacific believes they will have those three cars up-righted and removed from derailment site and the LP will, at some point in the future, be transferred to semi tankers for transport.
Starting this evening they will begin neutralizing the chemical impact on the rail right of way. This is approximately 25 feet on each side of track from center. Union Pacific is in the process of working with the EPA and the MPCA to mitigate the spill and contaminated soil and wetlands.
Currently, the contractor is monitoring air quality at 4 different sites near the derailment. They, along with the MPCA, are doing soil and water samples multiple times per day.
Both the contractor and the MPCA are conducting Goose Lake sampling to ensure accuracy.
Crews are working rapidly and safely to restore the land and wetlands.
The EPA and MPCA are ensuring that all necessary precautions are being taken and the required steps for a proper clean-up are occurring.
The cause of derailment still under investigation by the UP railroad.