The Shapiro Administration is organizing a Small Business Resource Fair in Darlington Township, Beaver County on May 17, 2023. The purpose of this fair is to provide resources to small businesses, farmers, and residents affected by the Norfolk Southern railroad derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The fair will run from 12:00pm to 5:00pm and will have staff from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Office of the Small Business Ombudsman and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture available to connect residents to state resources.
Attendees can learn about grants, loan opportunities, and other state resources to help their businesses recover from the derailment. DEP Acting Administrator Rich Negrin mentioned that they want to help people in the area get back to life before the Norfolk Southern train derailment. Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding added that they’re here to address the concerns of Pennsylvanians whose lives and businesses have been upended by the train derailment.
The Small Business Resource Fair is open to the public, and Pennsylvania residents can read about the programs offered on the state’s website. However, the state’s ongoing soil and water sampling hasn’t indicated any pollution associated with the derailment in Pennsylvania. More information about the sampling and sample results, including an interactive map, can be found on the state’s website.
For more information from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, individuals can visit their website or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Media contacts for this event include Neil Shader from DEP and Shannon Powers from Agriculture.