Letter from the Mayor
October 2, 2023
Dear Hyattsville Community,
It has been a trying week as we work to recover from the train derailment on September 23. While we are very fortunate no one was harmed, I know the resulting road closures have been testing the limits of everyone’s patience. A special thank you to the residents and business owners along the Alt. Route 1 corridor for their flexibility and understanding. CSX continues work this week to create a safe stretch of track so this does not happen again.
I know everyone is concerned about a proper clean-up of the plastic pellets spilled by the derailed train cars. Please be assured this is a top priority for us. CSX is responsible for the clean-up and we are working closely with them and our county, state, and federal partners to ensure the situation is remediated appropriately. City staff and Council have been in communication over the last week with CSX’s environmental team, the Maryland Department of the Environment, the Prince George’s County Department of the Environment, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. We greatly appreciate State Senator Alonzo Washington, State Delegate Anne Healey, and County Councilmembers Wanika Fisher and Jolene Ivey for visiting the site and advocating for the proper resources. We have additional on-site meetings this week with the CSX Environmental Liaison and the U.S. EPA.
Please continue to stay away from the derailment site. It is an active repair site and trains are running along the tracks as CSX tests the rails. City staff have been at the site daily since the derailment and documentation of the incident has been shared with the authorities listed here. Concerns or suggestions can be emailed to train@hyattsville.org so City staff can track them and pass along to the appropriate parties.
Thank you for your understanding and please be safe. I look forward to sharing progress with you as we identify next steps.
Sincerely,
Mayor Robert Croslin
City of Hyattsville
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