Derailment clean-up 'complete,' says Band

According to a press release from the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the BNSF coal train derailment clean up efforts are now complete. More than 130 tons of coal was recovered from the St. Louis River bottom. An undetermined, but significant, volume of coal was also recovered from between the ice layers on the river where it was trapped. Approximately 16,000 square feet of ice was removed to facilitate clean-up in the river.

The derailment site is located approximately four miles west of Cloquet, just past Pine Island. The derailment of about 40 BNSF coal train cars occurred Feb. 16, with cars toppling over next to the tracks and a few on or into the nearby, mostly frozen St. Louis River.

According to the press release, five rounds of water quality sampling have also been completed and so far none of the sampling results violated water quality standards.

BNSF spokesperson Amy McBeth said they don’t anticipate long-term environmental impact, but they are working with Fond du Lac officials to monitor site conditions.

Temporary and permanent erosion control measures were installed. Additional erosion control and site revegetation will be conducted upon the thawing of the soil.

A long-term ecological monitoring plan is under collaborative development between BNSF and Fond du Lac Band Resource Management staff.