Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg finally issued a statement on the train derailment (which has since developed into a toxic chemical environmental disaster) in Ohio on Monday evening — but as his statement came a full ten days after the derailment occurred, critics were less than impressed with his response.
Buttigieg delivered his comments via Twitter on Monday evening, stating that the Department of Transportation was working alongside both the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in an effort to determine when and how those who had evacuated the area could safely return to their homes.
“I continue to be concerned about the impacts of the Feb 3 train derailment near East Palestine, OH, and the effects on families in the ten days since their lives were upended through no fault of their own. It’s important that families have access to useful & accurate information,” he began.
I continue to be concerned about the impacts of the Feb 3 train derailment near East Palestine, OH, and the effects on families in the ten days since their lives were upended through no fault of their own. It’s important that families have access to useful & accurate information:
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) February 14, 2023
Buttigieg went on to state that hazmat teams had been deployed shortly after the train derailed and had continued to monitor the situation in the days since.
We will look to these investigation results & based on them, use all relevant authorities to ensure accountability and continue to support safety.
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) February 14, 2023
“We will look to these investigation results & based on them, use all relevant authorities to ensure accountability and continue to support safety,” Buttigieg continued.
The former South Bend, Indiana, mayor concluded by saying that the EPA was on hand to monitor air quality — both indoors and out — and shared contact information for those who wanted to make sure their homes could be tested.
EPA has screened 291 homes and no detections were identified – and 181 homes remain. To request screening, call 330-849-3919. For more information, visit: https://t.co/uGvVurmT44
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) February 14, 2023
Self-described liberal Clifton Duncan was not buying Buttigieg’s assessment of the situation, saying in a tweet, “What strikes me about this response — posted 10 days after the initial incident — is its lack of urgency. Pete is ‘concerned’; various agencies are ‘monitoring’ or ‘investigating’ the situation. At thread’s end, there’s a wan assurance things are fine. No one is buying it.”
What strikes me about this response—posted 10 days after the initial incident—is its lack of urgency.
Pete is "concerned"; various agencies are "monitoring" or "investigating" the situation.
At thread's end, there's a wan assurance things are fine.
No one is buying it. https://t.co/o3OLTDxlFm
— Clifton Duncan (@cliftonaduncan) February 14, 2023
“it’s 10 days later and now Pete talks. We have to be getting Punked or in a real world Impractical Jokers. Maybe making themselves look bad is part of a ritual/punishment,” Vincent Kennedy added.
“This is such a fascinating moment in history b/c some of us realize we are at an inflection point and some of us are still running on autopilot Buttigieg became Sec of Transportation b/c people think this s*** runs itself,” came from @PoliticalMath. “This was the ‘sit back and chill’ job.”
“At 8:24 p.m., 10 days after the train derailment in Ohio, Transportation Sec. Buttigieg sent his first tweets about the derailment, starting the thread by saying that he ‘continue[s] to be concerned,'” Chris Geider commented.
At 8:24 p.m., 10 days after the train derailment in Ohio, Transportation Sec. Buttigieg sent his first tweets about the derailment, starting the thread by saying that he "continue[s] to be concerned." https://t.co/yclGLvfBYf
— Chris “Subscribe to Law Dork!” Geidner (@chrisgeidner) February 14, 2023