On Friday, March 24th, Baltimore City and County announced that they were considering accepting at least 675,000 gallons of toxic water from the East Palestine, Ohio, railroad chemical disaster. The toxic waste was to ultimately be sent to the beleaguered Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant. Immediately, the delegates spoke out against this proposal and began contacting various state and federal agencies and federal, state, and local officials to stop this from occurring. The EPA tried to strongarm Baltimore City and County into accepting this shipment. While the delegates are grateful the shipment was stopped by Baltimore City in March, it seems that plans have changed. Toxic wastewater from the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, will be shipped to Baltimore after all, but the plan has changed since city leaders originally rejected the water. The Maryland Department of the Environment said that Norfolk Southern Railway is once again planning to ship that water to the Clean Harbors Baltimore facility for treatment. But this time, they said it will be shipped back to the Clean Harbors facility in Cleveland for disposal. Baltimore County Councilmembers said they have not been briefed on the plan and have also expressed concern about this decision. Delegate Nawrocki said, "We have the right to be concerned. Baltimore is not equipped to handle this treatment, especially when the Back River Plant has failed inspection multiple times.” Delegate Szeliga agreed saying, “The waste is coming to the infamous Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant that had a 2-alarm fire just last month. This plant has seen frequent sewer overflows into the river which eventually makes its way to our most precious natural resource - the Chesapeake Bay. We are still completely opposed to this plan.” The State of Maryland took over the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant recently because of its dysfunction. The delegates were also told that the Dundalk community last year reported seeing “black excrement” floating around in the river from the failures of the plant. The delegates are empathetic towards the people in Ohio who live near the train derailment where many toxic chemicals were released and burned near their homes. But the decision by the EPA to bring the toxic wastewater to Maryland is still shocking. The delegates ask for strong accountability measures to be implemented, including assurances that the waste is contained and will not be leaked into the public sanitary sewer system.