President Donald Trump announced on Thursday night that his administration would provide $10 million in economic assistance to the East Palestine, Ohio, community as it continues to recover from the disastrous train derailment and chemical spill in 2023.
Trump vowed to &#8220;never&#8221; forget about the Americans affected by the derailment and blasted former President Joe Biden, saying he &#8220;betrayed&#8221; the residents of East Palestine. Trump&#8217;s move on Thursday came just after the third anniversary of the disaster, which forced some residents of the small Ohio community to leave their homes for months after toxic chemicals leaked into the ground and air.
&#8220;To the Great People of East Palestine, Ohio, who were disgracefully betrayed and forgotten about by Crooked Joe Biden — &#8216;TRUMP&#8217; has never forgotten about you, and never will!&#8221; he <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116100280662640693">wrote</a> on Truth Social. &#8220;In addition to our Administration’s Longterm Health Study for the benefit of the residents, we are providing $10 Million Dollars through the Economic Development Administration to help the Community continue its Economic Recovery from the disastrous train derailment.&#8221;
The Economic Development Administration, which is part of the Commerce Department, <a href="https://www.eda.gov/about">focuses</a> on investing in communities throughout the United States to &#8220;establish a foundation for long-term job growth and build durable regional economies.&#8221; The Daily Wire reached out to the Economic Development Administration for more information on Trump&#8217;s plan to pump $10 million into East Palestine&#8217;s local economy.
Trump added on Thursday, &#8220;We want to see East Palestine grow, flourish, and be able to take advantage of our now BOOMING Economy. It was horrible what was allowed to happen there, and we are with you for the LONG HAUL.&#8221;
The February 3, 2023, derailment spilled toxic and combustible chemicals, such as vinyl chloride, into the ground and water, and authorities conducted a controlled burn of the train cars carrying vinyl chloride to prevent a potentially massive explosion. The controlled burn released more chemicals into the air, and authorities in East Palestine and the surrounding areas advised residents to remain indoors.
The train disaster exacerbated an already growing economic problem in East Palestine, which was struggling to retain businesses amid a declining population. East Palestine&#8217;s population shrank from over 5,500 in the 1970s to around 4,700 at the 2020 census.
&#8220;There are a lot of businesses who have left our town, and we are in need of financial recovery and economic recovery,” Chris Page, the president of the East Palestine Community Improvement Corporation, <a href="https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2026/02/04/east-palestine-economic-recovery-derailment">said</a> earlier this month.
Trump visited East Palestine shortly after the train derailment in February 2023, handing out water bottles and talking with citizens who were concerned about the future of their community. Trump&#8217;s visit to the small Ohio village drew a sharp contrast with then-President Joe Biden, who did not visit East Palestine until a year after the disaster.
“In too many cases, your goodness and perseverance were met with indifference and betrayal,” Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/three-years-after-east-palestine-the-fight-over-railway-legislation-chugs-along">said</a> at the time.
Along with the health and economic consequences of the disaster, some East Palestine residents also alleged in a lawsuit filed last year that the toxic chemical spill and burn-off led to the deaths of seven people, including a 1-week-old infant.
The wrongful death <a href="https://www.alleghenyfront.org/norfolk-southern-derailment-east-palestine-ohio-lawsuit-wrongful-death/">lawsuit</a>, which was filed against the Norfolk Southern railroad company, claims that contractors hired by the railroad company did not effectively clean up the toxic chemical waste and also alleges that the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention failed to properly warn residents about the health risks.
Norfolk Southern previously settled a class-action lawsuit with many East Palestine residents for a total of $600 million. In that settlement, residents within a 2-mile radius of the derailment received up to $70,000 for property damage and up to $25,000 for personal injuries. The plaintiffs in the wrongful death lawsuit, however, did not sign onto the class-action case that was settled.

Donald Trump

‘Never Forgotten’: Trump Delivers $10M To Community Still Haunted By Toxic Disaster

'Never Forgotten': Trump Hands Out $10M To East Palestine Community Recovering From Train Disaster

East Palestine

Ohio

Ohio Train Disaster

Trump Administration

WASHINGTON—Donald Trump showed up in East Palestine, Ohio, in February 2023 with thousands of water bottles and a message for the anxious citizens: they deserved better than the lethargic federal response they had received from President Joe Biden&#8217;s administration to the toxic train derailment in their village.
&#8220;In too many cases, your goodness and perseverance were met with indifference and betrayal,&#8221; then-candidate Trump told the people of East Palestine, flanked by then-Senator JD Vance and local officials. That train derailment had caused toxic chemicals to spill from train cars, killing animals, setting fires, and causing residents to become sick with a gruesome array of illnesses.
That moment has been widely considered an &#8220;inflection point&#8221; in the president&#8217;s journey back to the White House. Journalist Salena Zito, who trudged through the toxic mud of East Palestine that day with Trump and Vance, said it was the critical day in Trump&#8217;s comeback.
&#8220;If he is able to resurrect the magic of 2016, understanding the forgotten man and woman and the dignity of work, it started here, the day he showed up when Biden refused,&#8221; Zito wrote.
This week marked three years since the toxic train derailment, and both Trump and the senator who joined him that day are now in the White House. Yet the signature piece of legislation written in response, which Vance co-sponsored, still hasn&#8217;t been passed by Congress, and <a href="https://jacobin.com/2024/06/rail-safety-train-length-lobbying">was considered</a> largely defeated by the railway industry.
The <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/576">Railway Safety Act</a> mandates the Transportation Department issue safety regulations for trains carrying hazardous materials. It gained <a href="https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/05/12/bipartisan-rail-safety-bill-headed-for-u-s-senate-vote/">strong bipartisan momentum</a> and was loudly backed by Trump, who used it as an attack line in his political fight against Biden.
<div id="attachment_1039677" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/three-years-after-east-palestine-the-fight-over-railway-legislation-chugs-along/environmental-and-health-concerns-grow-in-east-palestine-ohio-after-derailment-of-train-cars-containing-hazardous-material-7" rel="attachment wp-att-1039677"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1039677" class="wp-image-1039677 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1247332026-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1247332026-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1247332026-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1247332026-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1247332026.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>A fish lies dead following a train derailment prompting health concerns on February 20, 2023 in East Palestine, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Swensen/Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;Crooked Joe Biden has still not visited the incredible Patriots of East Palestine, and Mayor Pete [Buttigieg] couldn’t get out of there fast enough. But that’s ok — our movement will be their voice, and we will NEVER forget them,&#8221; Trump promised as he campaigned in 2024. &#8220;JD Vance has been working hard in the Senate to make sure nothing like this EVER happens again, and that’s why it’s so important for Congress to pass his Railway Safety Act. JD’s terrific bill has my Complete and Total Endorsement!&#8221;
The topic is now back on the table in Congress. A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Capitol Hill gathered this week, calling for the act to pass the bill out of committee, or into the Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill.
“Every single week of the year, there’s a derailment,&#8221; said Republican Michael Rulli of Ohio, who represents East Palestine and co-sponsored the 2025 version of the bill. &#8220;We only heard about Palestine because we had all these chemicals on it. And the way we handled it was horrific. We got to do better. We got to keep pressure on Congress, on both chambers and both sides of the political aisle so we can do better.&#8221;
“We’re holding people accountable,&#8221; added Democrat Emilia Sykes, also from Ohio, &#8220;primarily the railroad operators, for any issues that they may be having and provide advice and guidance.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1039673" style="width: 924px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/three-years-after-east-palestine-the-fight-over-railway-legislation-chugs-along/us-transport-accident-fire-8" rel="attachment wp-att-1039673"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1039673" class="wp-image-1039673 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1246796087-914x576.jpg" alt="" width="914" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1246796087-914x576.jpg 914w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1246796087-300x189.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1246796087-768x484.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1246796087.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 914px) 100vw, 914px" /></a>Smoke rises from a derailed cargo train in East Palestine, Ohio, on February 4, 2023.  (Photo by DUSTIN FRANZ/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
One of the groups opposing the bill is Mike Pence&#8217;s Advancing American Freedom — a fact seen as a net positive by those in Trump world who want the bill to finally advance. If the former vice president opposes something, it only makes it more of a priority for Trump&#8217;s White House, one senior official told The Daily Wire.
“Anyone that wants the Trump administration to support a piece of legislation should pay Mike Pence’s think tank and its lobbying arm to oppose it,&#8221; the senior White House official told The Daily Wire.
Advancing American Freedom, along with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, organized a group of think tank leaders who <a href="https://cei.org/coalition_letters/protecting-affordability-and-innovation-keep-prescriptive-rail-mandates-out-of-surface-transportation-legislation/">wrote to Congress on January 29</a> opposing the inclusion of the Railway Safety Act &#8220;in any surface transportation reauthorization legislation.&#8221;
&#8220;Surface transportation bills are intended to modernize infrastructure, improve mobility, and support economic growth,&#8221; the groups wrote. &#8220;As such, they are not an appropriate vehicle for resurrecting rail mandates that have repeatedly failed to advance through Congress on their own merits and have even been set aside by the committees of jurisdiction due to concerns about cost, feasibility, and unintended consequences.&#8221;
The letter suggests that the Railway Safety Act&#8217;s regulations would &#8220;amount to a vote against affordability,&#8221; urging Congress to &#8220;keep RSA-style mandates out of surface transportation reauthorization and instead pursue policies that advance safety, affordability, and economic growth through flexibility, innovation, and sound governance.&#8221;
John Shelton, Vice President of Policy at Advancing American Freedom, argued to The Daily Wire: &#8220;We know how to bring costs down and improve rail safety through automation and deregulation. We saw it work during the first Trump administration. Rather than turn our backs on those successes, we should lean further into that same formula.&#8221;
The think tanks are joined in their opposition by the railroad lobby, which also opposes the bill.
&#8220;We value our ongoing partnership with the Administration and share a commitment to advancing its domestic agenda — strengthening U.S. manufacturing, onshoring critical supply chains, driving down costs for consumers and businesses, accelerating innovation, and pursuing smart regulatory reform,&#8221; Ted Greener, senior vice president of communications at the Association of American Railroads, told The Daily Wire.
Greener argues that the Transportation Department&#8217;s move to expand field testing of automated track inspection technology &#8220;reflects the right, data-driven path forward,&#8221; calling the Railway Safety Act &#8220;repeatedly rejected, including by current congressional leaders.&#8221;
Still, a Republican strategist close to the White House sees a future for the bill. They argued that the Railway Safety Act has long been championed by both the president and the vice president.
&#8220;It&#8217;s a rare piece of legislation that is popular with both the MAGA populist base and the broader electorate,&#8221; the strategist suggested, &#8220;and would give the administration a strong bipartisan political win.&#8221;

Former President Trump Visits East Palestine, Ohio As Health Concerns Remain After Train Derailment

Three Years After East Palestine, The Fight Over Railway Legislation Chugs Along

JD Vance

Railroads

The Trump administration will study the long-term effects on people of chemicals released after the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
Vice President JD Vance, who is from Ohio, joined Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Battacharya to announce the new initiative in a video posted to social media.
“I&#8217;ve been to East Palestine a number of times, and they&#8217;re very worried about, what are the long-term impacts of these chemicals in the water, in the air? What effect does it have on their kids and grandkids after 5 years, 10 years, 15 years of exposure?” said Vance.
“The crazy thing is, number one, we didn&#8217;t have a good answer to that question. Science had never actually tried to understand what the long-term exposure of these trace chemicals would do to people,” he continued. “And the second crazy thing is that as much as I tried as a United States senator to work with the Biden administration, they refused to do anything to actually study the effects of these long-term exposures on the people of East Palestine.”
After a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals derailed and dumped its cargo, residents, officials, and investigators who resided or worked close to the spill <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/half-of-u-s-investigators-fell-ill-while-studying-east-palestine-train-derailment-report">reported</a> having symptoms such as headaches, nausea, and dizziness. A controlled burn of the spill sent plumes of black smoke into the air, causing further concerns of what the smoke could do to nearby residents.
“The National Institutes of Health under my direction has launched a 5-year, $10 million research initiative to address health outcomes stemming from this calamity. This is the first large-scale, coordinated, multi-year federal study focused specifically on the long-term health impacts of the East Palestine disaster,” Kennedy said.
Bhattacharya added: “The purpose and goal of the NIH, the mission is to advance the health and well-being of the American people, and this is a concrete way that we&#8217;re going to do that. The NIH is working to ensure that the people of East Palestine and the surrounding communities are listened to, cared for, and they get the answers they deserve.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I&#39;m proud to announce with <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecKennedy</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/NIHDirector_Jay?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NIHDirector_Jay</a> that the Trump Administration is launching a program to study long-term health effects of the chemical spill in East Palestine, OH and help residents access the care they need.
East Palestine, we will never forget you. <a href="https://t.co/zjJOnXZgoc">pic.twitter.com/zjJOnXZgoc</a>
&mdash; JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/1935740906533167510?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The East Palestine spill was a calamity for the roughly 5,000- strong community and exploded into national news. The accident inspired rancor against the Biden administration and then-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Former President Joe Biden notably stayed away from East Palestine <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-to-visit-east-palestine-one-year-after-train-derailment-disaster">until</a> the one-year anniversary of the disaster.
President Donald Trump, who was campaigning for president at the time, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wednesday-afternoon-update-snow-storm-causes-travel-chaos-trump-brings-supplies-and-morale-to-ohio-vivek-ramaswamy-announces-presidential-run">visited</a> East Palestine within weeks of the disaster, bringing supplies to the reeling community.

Trump Admin Seeks Answers On Long-Term Risks Of East Palestine Train Derailment

Department of Health and Human Services

Executive

Jay Bhattacharya

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

U.S.

Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jd-vance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">J.D. Vance</a> visited East Palestine, Ohio, on Monday to mark the second anniversary of the disastrous train derailment that left the small town reeling. 
Vance promised during his visit that the Trump administration would complete the environmental cleanup and work to help the area get its economic footing. The visit comes two years after a train operated by Norfolk Southern carrying toxic chemicals derailed, causing widespread environmental damage and prompting thousands to evacuate. 
“President Trump wanted to deliver a message that this community will not be forgotten, will not be left behind, and we&#8217;re in it for the long haul in East Palestine,” Vance said. “People have to be confident that they can build a business here, raise a family here. That is going to take a long-term commitment, and that is something people should expect.”
He said that it was a “tragedy and a shame” that the cleanup was not completed during the Biden administration. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
VP <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a> in East Palestine, OH on the 2nd anniversary of the train derailment:
&#8220;President Trump wanted to deliver a message that this community will not be forgotten, will not be left behind, and we&#8217;re in it for the long haul&#8230; The environmental cleanup has to get done.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/MjIYl0p0XA">pic.twitter.com/MjIYl0p0XA</a>
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1886500100475588618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“President Trump, me, and the entire Administration are committed to ensure to the people of East Palestine that the government does right by them, and we will be working in the months and the years to come,” Vance <a href="https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/east-palestine-train-derailment/vice-president-jd-vance-planning-visit-to-east-palestine-to-mark-2-years-since-train-derailment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>. 
&#8220;Is the water clean to drink? Is the air safe to breathe? That is what we were really worried about two years ago. Now, what we’re worried about is finishing this cleanup and getting this community back on the path of economic prosperity.&#8221;
Vance, who as a senator pushed forward a bill to increase railway safety in the aftermath of the derailment, was accompanied in his visit by Ohio Governor Mike Dewine, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and Sens. Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted. 
Former President Joe Biden was sharply criticized for not showing up to East Palestine until a year after the disaster while Trump stopped by in the town accompanied by then-Senator Vance just a few weeks after the derailment. It was only after Trump visited that then-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also came to the small town to survey the damage.  
The Biden administration&#8217;s response to the derailment was also heavily scrutinized after a controlled burn of the chemicals inside the train was authorized, releasing the toxic chemicals into the air surrounding East Palestine. The National Transportation Safety Board <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/controlled-burn-of-toxic-chemicals-that-unleashed-mushroom-cloud-over-east-palestine-wasnt-necessary-federal-official-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">later determined</a> that this burn was unnecessary, saying there were reasonable alternatives. 
A lawsuit was filed on Monday against Norfolk Southern alleging that the company and government officials are responsible for seven deaths that occurred related to the handling of the disaster.

US-POLITICS-VANCE-DERAILMENT-OHIO

‘Will Not Be Forgotten’: Vance Visits East Palestine On Anniversary Of Train Disaster

J.D. Vance

Train operator <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/norfolk-southern" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Norfolk Southern</a> said Tuesday that it has reached a $600 million deal in principle to <a href="https://nsmakingitright.com/norfolk-southern-reaches-agreement-in-principle-to-settleeast-palestine-derailment-class-action/">settle</a> a class-action lawsuit related to the massive derailment last year in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/east-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">East Palestine</a>, Ohio, which led to the release of toxic chemicals into the air and widespread economic and environmental damage. 
The Atlanta-based company said the settlement, which still needs to be approved by a court, was part of its promise &#8220;to make it right for the people of East Palestine and the surrounding communities.&#8221;
“If approved by the court, the agreement will resolve all class action claims within a 20-mile radius from the derailment and, for those residents who choose to participate, personal injury claims within a 10-mile radius from the derailment,” Norfolk Southern said. 
“The company is going further through this comprehensive settlement — providing additional, significant monetary relief to individuals, including for healthcare, and to help qualifying local businesses continue to rebuild and grow,” the train operator said. “The agreement is designed to provide finality and flexibility for settlement class members. Individuals and businesses will be able to use compensation from the settlement in any manner they see fit to address potential adverse impacts from the derailment.”
Money from the settlement could go toward healthcare, medical monitoring, property restoration and diminution, compensation for any net business loss due, and any other loss due to the disaster.
After the February 2023 derailment, responders busted open several train cars and burned the vinyl chloride chemicals inside, releasing toxic fumes into the area. The chemicals were burned over concerns that the train cars could explode, but National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/controlled-burn-of-toxic-chemicals-that-unleashed-mushroom-cloud-over-east-palestine-wasnt-necessary-federal-official-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> last month that the burn was not justified.
Norfolk Southern added that the settlement doesn’t mean admitting any wrongdoing or fault. Former federal district judge Layn Phillips helped to mediate the negotiations. 
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The railway company is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-epa-unveil-lawsuit-against-norfolk-southern-over-east-palestine-train-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">facing</a> an additional lawsuit from the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency to require Norfolk Southern to pay for the entire disaster cleanup.
“With this complaint, the Justice Department and the EPA are acting to pursue justice for the residents of East Palestine and ensure that Norfolk Southern carries the financial burden for the harm it has caused and continues to inflict on the community,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement after the lawsuit was filed.

U.S.-OHIO-FREIGHT TRAIN-TOXIC CHEMICALS-DERAILMENT

Norfolk Southern Announces $600 Million Settlement With East Palestine Residents Over Train Derailment

Disasters

Norfolk Southern

Train

A federal official with the National Transportation Safety Board said that the controlled burning of toxic chemicals in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/east-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">East Palestine</a>, Ohio, after a massive train derailment last year was not justified. 
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy told lawmakers on Wednesday that there would have been alternatives to busting open the train cars and burning the vinyl chloride chemicals inside after a train operated by Norfolk Southern crashed in February of 2023. The burn released toxic fumes into the area and left residents with concerns about their health and safety. 
The company in charge of the chemicals, Oxy Vinyls, reportedly did not think a deadly explosion would occur, telling contractors with Norfolk Southern that “there was no justification to do a vent and burn,” according to Homendy. Instead, they could have waited and let the chemicals cool down. 
Homendy said that Governor Mike DeWine (R-OH) and other first responders did not know that this was a possibility. 
“So Oxy Vinyls was on scene providing information to Norfolk Southern’s contractor who was in the room when the decision was made, and when advice was given to the governor of Ohio, to the incident commander, they were not given full information because no one was told Oxy Vinyls was on scene,” Homendy said. “They were left out of the room. The incident commander didn’t even know they existed. Neither did the governor. So they were provided incomplete information to make a decision.”
The information came out as Homendy was <a href="https://www.vance.senate.gov/press-releases/ntsb-chair-homendy-chemical-explosion-in-east-palestine-didnt-need-to-happen-experts-were-ignored/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">questioned</a> by Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) about whether the controlled burn was necessary to avoid an explosion of the toxic chemicals. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨WATCH: NTSB Chair Homendy tells Senator @JDVance1 the chemical explosion in East Palestine, OH did not have to happen
“They were provided incomplete information to make a decision&#8230;there was no justification to do a vent and burn.” <a href="https://t.co/5vR5sd8CDZ">pic.twitter.com/5vR5sd8CDZ</a>
&mdash; Senator Vance Press Office (@SenVancePress) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenVancePress/status/1765513323229900914?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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“To sort of recap for folks, the mushroom cloud, the chemical mushroom cloud that captured headlines across the country was the result of a controlled burn,” Vance said, before saying that the central question was whether the burn was justified or not. Vance pointed out that the measured temperature of the chemical tank cars had dropped and stabilized after the crash. 
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Homendy said that to justify the burn, temperatures in the chemical tank cars would have to be rapidly increasing and there would have to be an infusion of oxygen into the cars. Both of these factors were not in play, according to Homendy. 
Vance called the revelations “extraordinary” and suggested that the burn was done so that more traffic and freight could be moved through quickly. 
After the crash, many East Palestine residents were forced to evacuate their homes after the derailment as the toxic chemicals burned, releasing poisonous fumes into the air, ground, and water. Norfolk Southern was sued by East Palestine <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-class-action-lawsuit-filed-by-residents-against-norfolk-southern" target="_blank" rel="noopener">residents</a>, the state of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/entirely-avoidable-ohio-sues-norfolk-southern-for-train-disaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ohio</a>, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-epa-unveil-lawsuit-against-norfolk-southern-over-east-palestine-train-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">federal government</a>.

Screen Shot 2024-03-08 at 11.08.43 AM

Controlled Burn Of Toxic Chemicals That Unleashed Mushroom Cloud Over East Palestine Wasn’t Necessary, Federal Official Says

Mike DeWine

National transportation Safety Board

President Joe Biden will visit East Palestine, Ohio, one year after a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in the town of roughly 5,000 people.
A White House official confirmed to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-travel-east-palestine-nearly-one-year-train-derailment-disaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a> on Wednesday that Biden will travel to East Palestine in February to mark the first anniversary of the disaster and to discuss his administration’s &#8220;comprehensive, whole-of-government response&#8221; to the Norfolk Southern train derailment and the subsequent fallout.
“In February, President Biden will travel to East Palestine, Ohio, to meet with residents impacted by the Norfolk Southern train derailment and assess the progress that his Administration has helped deliver in coordination with state and local leaders to protect the community and hold Norfolk Southern accountable,” a Biden administration official said, according to <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/01/31/news/biden-to-finally-visit-east-palestine-ohio-year-after-toxic-train-derailment/?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Post</a>.
Many East Palestine residents were forced to evacuate their homes after the derailment as the toxic chemicals burned, releasing poisonous fumes into the air, ground, and water. After the derailment on February 3, Norfolk Southern was sued by East Palestine <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-class-action-lawsuit-filed-by-residents-against-norfolk-southern" target="_blank" rel="noopener">residents</a>, the state of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/entirely-avoidable-ohio-sues-norfolk-southern-for-train-disaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ohio</a>, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-epa-unveil-lawsuit-against-norfolk-southern-over-east-palestine-train-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">federal government</a>.
The president has been criticized for never stepping foot in East Palestine even as his chief political rival, former President Donald Trump, visited the town after the disaster and bought McDonald’s for residents who came out to see him. After the White House announced Biden would finally come to the town, some East Palestine residents weren’t thrilled to hear the news.
East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway told Fox News that in “my personal opinion the best time for him to come would be February of 2025 when he is on his book tour.&#8221;
&#8220;The President is always welcome to our town. That being said, I don’t know what he would do here now,” Conaway added.
An East Palestine business owner said in an interview with “Fox &amp; Friends” that Biden is only visiting the town now to “check it off the books.”
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“The American people have awakened to realize that the leader of our country did not show up to the greatest catastrophe of 2023. And now he’s going to show up because it is an election year,” said DJ Yokley. “President Trump came and supported us when he didn’t have to … Now it’s, ‘Hey we have to go visit East Palestine because we haven’t done that yet — and check it off the books.&#8217;”
Trump also slammed Biden as well after learning he would visit East Palestine for the first time a year after the disaster.
“With the World blowing up around us, with the Middle East on FIRE, Biden has finally decided to visit East Palestine, Ohio, a year late, and only to develop some political credibility because EVERYTHING else he has done has been such a DISASTER,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/111850954341732900" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on Truth Social. “I know those great people, I was there when it counted, and his reception won’t be a warm one. Worst President in History!”
Last week, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cnns-tapper-confronts-buttigieg-over-east-palestine-train-disaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">questioned</a> by CNN anchor Jake Tapper about why the Biden administration still had not approved Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s request for a disaster declaration, which could unlock additional resources such as health screenings to residents are not being heeded by the federal government.
Buttigieg responded, saying he doesn’t “know all the legalities of the emergency management process.”
&#8220;I do know what we can do as a department to make sure that railroads are safer,&#8221; Buttigieg added. &#8220;We’ve been taking action on everything from focused inspection of railroads, to making sure that there’s better hazardous material-related regulations, to just investing in better railroad infrastructure.”

Joe Biden

Biden To Visit East Palestine One Year After Train Derailment Disaster

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/cnn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>&#8216;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jake-tapper" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jake Tapper</a> pressed Transportation Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/pete-buttigieg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pete Buttigieg</a> about the Biden administration&#8217;s response to the Norfolk Southern <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ohio-train-disaster">train derailment</a> nearly a year after the toxic disaster in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/east-palestine">East Palestine</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ohio">Ohio</a>.
In an <a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2024/01/22/the-lead-pete-buttigieg-east-palestine-jake-tapper-live.cnn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exchange that aired</a> on Monday, Tapper asked Buttigieg why calls for a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ohio-governor-asks-biden-for-east-palestine-disaster-declaration-150-days-after-train-derailment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">major disaster declaration</a> — including from Ohio Republican Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-dewine">Mike DeWine</a> and <a href="https://www.brown.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/sherrod-brown-biden-administration-declare-east-palestine-derailment-disaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)</a> — that could unlock additional resources such as health screenings to residents are not being heeded by the federal government.
&#8220;The Biden administration refuses to do that,&#8221; Tapper said. &#8220;They say a disaster declaration does not apply because it&#8217;s not a natural disaster. They say Norfolk Southern is responsible. So is that disaster declaration still just off the table for these residents who are clearly suffering?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
CNN: Why won&#39;t Biden approve the Ohio governor&#39;s disaster declaration for East Palestine, Ohio?
PETE BUTTIGIEG: &quot;I don&#39;t know all the legalities of the emergency management process&quot; <a href="https://t.co/5Dj6m6Em0q">pic.twitter.com/5Dj6m6Em0q</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1749548434947010788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Buttigieg replied, &#8220;Look, leaving aside — I don&#8217;t know all the legalities of the emergency management process, I do know what we can do as a department to make sure that railroads are safer. We&#8217;ve been taking action on everything from focused inspection of railroads, to making sure that there&#8217;s better hazardous material-related regulations, to just investing in better railroad infrastructure.&#8221;
Biden <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/09/20/executive-order-on-ensuring-the-people-of-east-palestine-are-protected-now-and-in-the-future/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> an executive order in September instructing FEMA to designate a federal disaster recovery coordinator to &#8220;oversee long-term recovery efforts in the affected communities and conduct a comprehensive assessment of unmet needs of the affected communities in recovering from the derailment beyond the cleanup work directed by EPA.&#8221; A coordinator, Jim McPherson, was <a href="https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/special-reports/train-derailment/fema-appoints-coordinator-recovery-efforts-east-palestine-toxic-train-derailment/95-1019191e-d9ce-463f-8373-0eec065caf91" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appointed</a> later that month. But no <a href="https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/special-reports/train-derailment/biden-norfolk-southern-accountable-ohio-derailment/95-46dc5fca-9626-4c64-94b5-1c772a383854" target="_blank" rel="noopener">disaster declaration</a>.
Tapper also confronted Buttigieg on why Biden has not visited East Palestine since the derailment in early February of 2023 — a question which has been <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1748089612382134759" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posed to the White House many times</a> over the past year, often answered by statements about how the president was planning to go at some point but did not get around to scheduling it.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
JAKE TAPPER: &quot;[Biden] still has not visited East Palestine, Ohio. I don&#39;t know why that is — that doesn&#39;t seem to make much sense to me &#8230; why wouldn&#39;t he just go to East Palestine?&quot;
BUTTIGIEG: &quot;I don&#39;t have any updates&quot; <a href="https://t.co/s7OWEghsI7">pic.twitter.com/s7OWEghsI7</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1749548939781734701?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Biden &#8220;still has not visited East Palestine, Ohio. I don&#8217;t know why that is — that doesn&#8217;t seem to make much sense to me,&#8221; the CNN anchor said. Tapper asked why Biden would not go to East Palestine and &#8220;use the bully pulpit&#8221; to get <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senators-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-improve-rail-safety-after-ohio-train-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bipartisan legislation</a> from Brown and Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) to increase railroad safety regulations passed through Congress.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t have any updates on the scheduling front for the White House but what I can tell you is it shouldn&#8217;t take anything more than we&#8217;ve already seen happen for Congress to act,&#8221; Buttigieg said. &#8220;I don&#8217;t know why we have to persuade anybody to do something that members in both parties claim to care about, which is to make our railroads safer.&#8221;

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg

CNN’s Tapper Confronts Buttigieg Over East Palestine Train Disaster

CNN's Tapper Confronts Buttigieg Over East Palestine Train Disaster

Biden Administration

Cabinet

Jake Tapper

Pete Buttigieg

President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a> said during a press conference in Florida on Saturday that he has not had a chance to go to East Palestine, Ohio, because he&#8217;s been too busy.
&#8220;You said in March that you would go to East Palestine, Ohio,&#8221; a reporter said. &#8220;You came here, how come you haven&#8217;t gone to East Palestine yet?&#8221;
&#8220;Well, I haven&#8217;t had the occasion to go to East Palestine,&#8221; Biden responded. &#8220;There&#8217;s a lot going on, here, and I just haven&#8217;t been able to break.&#8221;
&#8220;I was thinking whether I&#8217;d go to East Palestine this week, but I then was reminded I&#8217;ve got to go literally around the world,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I&#8217;m going from, from Washington to India to Vietnam to&#8211;, and so I it&#8217;s going to be a while.&#8221;
&#8220;But we&#8217;re making sure that East Palestine has what they need materially in order to deal with their problems,&#8221; he continued.
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WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
BIDEN: “I haven’t had the occasion to go to East Palestine. There’s a lot going on.” <a href="https://t.co/YfQAt7DoYK">pic.twitter.com/YfQAt7DoYK</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1698127650668363814?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Political commentator Stephen L. Miller responded, &#8220;I would go to Ohio but I have to go check on India and Vietnam first so it&#8217;s going to be awhile even though I just said I was thinking of going this week after 8 months and 23 days on the beach and dementia.&#8221;
RNC Strategic Communications Director Tommy Pigott said, &#8220;Joe Biden has spent 75 days on vacation the last 6 months, including 19 days in August alone.&#8221;
&#8220;What an absolute garbage answer. East Palestine is a 1 hour flight from DC,&#8221; said political commentator Pradheep J. Shanker. &#8220;You could drive it in five hours. He has made the conscious choice to avoid the people of East Palestine, and there is a clear reason for this: because at this point they know he is a liar.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-continues-to-assist-in-recovery-efforts-while-biden-comes-to-florida-for-photo-op" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DeSantis Continues To Assist In Recovery Efforts While Biden Comes To Florida For ‘Photo Op’</a>

US-POLITICS-BIDEN-HURRICANE

Biden On Why He Hasn’t Gone To East Palestine: ‘There’s A Lot Going On’

Biden On Why He Hasn't Gone To East Palestine: 'There's A Lot Going On'

Politics

Rail company <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/entirely-avoidable-ohio-sues-norfolk-southern-for-train-disaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Norfolk Southern</a> doubled its estimate on the cost of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/east-palestine-residents-could-see-long-term-health-risks-from-highly-toxic-chemicals-analysis-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">East Palestine</a>, Ohio, train derailment disaster, now saying the associated costs will be $803 million. 
Executives said the majority of the cost is from the environmental cleanup as crews continue to work to remove the hazardous chemicals released when tankers carrying them derailed six months ago, The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/norfolk-southern-nsc-q2-earnings-report-8b598b5b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Norfolk Southern recorded a $416 million charge stemming from the East Palestine disaster Thursday as part of its second-quarter earnings. Earlier this year, the rail giant announced a $387 million charge, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/norfolk-southern-railroad-earnings-east-palestine-derailment-4a3d912b8cb4e66e1613e44220aba4c4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Associated Press. 
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw said he is “proud of the way our team rose to the challenge” as his company seeks to help with cleanup efforts and improve the safety of the railroad.
“We are delivering on our commitment to recover service quickly,” Shaw said. “We’re delivering on our commitment to make a safe railroad even safer. We’re delivering on our commitment to address quality of life issues for our hard-working craft railroaders. And we continue to deliver on our commitment to make things right for the people of East Palestine and the surrounding communities.”
The company’s profit from railway operations dropped by more than half in the most recent quarter compared to the previous year, and overall revenue dropped 8% to $3 billion, according to Norfolk Southern. The company’s profit dropped to $356 million ($1.56 per share) from $819 million ($3.45 per share) a year ago. Norfolk Southern estimated that without the derailment costs it would’ve earned $2.95 per share in the quarter.  
Norfolk Southern’s $803 million estimate does not include money to compensate East Palestine residents for any <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/east-palestine-residents-could-see-long-term-health-risks-from-highly-toxic-chemicals-analysis-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">long-term health effects</a> related to the chemical spill. The company opted to burn several cars filled with the dangerous chemical vinyl chloride over fears that the cars would explode. The fire sent a cloud of smoke that remained over the town of 4,700 for days. Nearly six months after the disaster, chemicals from the derailment appear to still be present in a creek as trucks continue to haul contaminated water and soil out of the town, WSJ <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/ohio-train-derailment-norfolk-southern-update-cb5815ee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. 
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“From the beginning, we’ve been clear that we would be in town for the long haul,” said Connor Spielmaker, a Norfolk Southern spokesman. “We don’t have a timeline to provide as far as when it’ll be ‘job done,’ but we will be there until it is.”
Earlier this month, Governor Mike DeWine (R-OH) <a href="https://governor.ohio.gov/media/news-and-media/governor-dewine-requests-presidential-disaster-declaration-for-east-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked</a> President Joe Biden to issue a major disaster declaration order, which would allow the town to receive federal aid in the cleanup, but the Biden administration still has not made a decision.

East Palestine Train Disaster

Norfolk Southern Says Cost Of East Palestine Derailment Has Doubled As Chemical Cleanup Continues

Norfolk Southern Says Cost Of East Palestine Derailment Has Doubled As Chemical Cleanup Continues 6 Months Later

The White House claimed on Wednesday that President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> still plans to visit <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/east-palestine">East Palestine</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ohio">Ohio</a>, five months after the Norfolk Southern <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ohio-train-disaster">train derailment disaster</a>.
But White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused to share a date when <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?529128-1/white-house-daily-briefing">a reporter raised a question</a> about a visit, noting that Biden has &#8220;done a lot of travel in recent weeks and months&#8221; to other places.
&#8220;So, I&#8217;m just going to repeat what the president said,&#8221; Jean-Pierre said. &#8220;He will travel to the area, to East Palestine. Just don&#8217;t have anything to share on travel or upcoming dates that he&#8217;ll be there. But the president said it, he&#8217;s going to go. So he will go. Once we have a date, we&#8217;ll certainly share that.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“Why has the president not made the visit [to East Palestine] and at this point, is he just not going to?”
Karine Jean-Pierre: “He will travel&#8230;Just don’t have anything to share on travel” <a href="https://t.co/YkYvB59GyL">pic.twitter.com/YkYvB59GyL</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1676667347942113280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
A Norfolk Southern freight train derailed on February 3 while passing through the small town of East Palestine, a village near Ohio&#8217;s border with Pennsylvania. Locals soon began to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/unlike-anything-i-have-ever-seen-ohio-first-responder-says-residents-suffer-from-health-issues-after-train-derailment?%3Futm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=dwnewstwitter">raise concerns</a> about health and environmental threats posed by a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/air-quality-following-controlled-burn-at-ohio-derailment-site-basically-what-it-was-before-train-crash-governor-claims" target="_blank" rel="noopener">controlled burn</a> of toxic chemicals at the crash site meant to deter a large explosion.
Weeks later, East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway <a href="https://www.wlwt.com/article/east-palestine-mayor-biden-ukraine-train-derailment/43012110#">described</a> Biden visiting Ukraine instead of his community as &#8220;the biggest slap in the face that tells you right now he doesn&#8217;t care about us.&#8221; After Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pete-buttigieg-provides-answer-on-why-he-did-not-visit-east-palestine-sooner">traveled to the derailment area</a> in late February — one day behind former President Donald Trump paying a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/you-are-not-forgotten-trump-visits-ohio-town-impacted-by-train-crash-hits-biden-over-lack-of-attention-toward-community">visit</a> to East Palestine — Biden said in early March that <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-visit-east-palestine-point-after-toxic-train/story?id=97587626#:~:text=President%20Joe%20Biden%20said%20Thursday,Senate%20Majority%20Leader%20Chuck%20Schumer.">&#8220;at some point&#8221;</a> he would make the trip to the town.
Jean-Pierre also said on Wednesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is reviewing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ohio">Ohio</a> Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-dewine">Mike DeWine</a>&#8216;s request for a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ohio-governor-asks-biden-for-east-palestine-disaster-declaration-150-days-after-train-derailment">major disaster declaration</a> and she stressed that Norfolk Southern was <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/21/us/ohio-epa-cleanup-norfolk-southern.html">ordered</a> by the Environmental Protection Agency to pay for cleanup costs.
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&#8220;The EPA is making them pay so that the taxpayers don&#8217;t have to pay for their mess,&#8221; Jean-Pierre said. &#8220;And so we&#8217;ve been very clear about that. The EPA has been on top of that. And so when it comes to Norfolk Southern, they have met their terms of the order to date and there are stiff penalties if they do not.&#8221;

White House Insists Biden Still Plans To Visit East Palestine Five Months After Train Derailment

Karine Jean-Pierre

White House

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ohio">Ohio</a> Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-dewine">Mike DeWine</a> requested a major disaster declaration on Monday from the Biden administration for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/east-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">East Palestine,</a> 150 days after the Norfolk Southern train derailment.
In a <a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/OHIOGOVERNOR/2023/07/03/file_attachments/2544385/REQUEST%20FOR%20PRESIDENTIAL%20DISASTER%20DECLARATION%207.3.2023.pdf">letter</a> to President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, the state&#8217;s Republican governor explained that the deadline to make the request was Monday, after the Federal Emergency Management Agency refused to grant an extension, while the state &#8220;continues to evaluate long term needs&#8221; stemming from the early February train incident. DeWine added that assistance to the community from Norfolk Southern, which <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-epa-unveil-lawsuit-against-norfolk-southern-over-east-palestine-train-crash">faces</a> <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2023-06-05/norfolk-southern-says-east-palestine-residents-suit-barred-by-us-law">litigation</a> over the derailment and just announced last Friday that it would <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/norfolk-southern-sues-rail-chemical-cos-over-east-palestine-cleanup-2023-07-03/">sue rail car owners</a> over cleanup costs, is not guaranteed.
&#8220;The possibility remains that the voluntary support provided by Norfolk Southern could at some point in the future cease, and this Declaration is needed to ensure that the State and Federal government use all resources available to step in and provide the community with needed assistance,&#8221; DeWine wrote.
Recently released <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/22/us/politics/train-derailment-east-palestine-ntsb.html">documents</a> from the National Transportation Safety Board show the freight train derailed on February 3 while passing through the small town of East Palestine, a village near Ohio&#8217;s border with Pennsylvania, after a car&#8217;s wheel set fell off, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/22/us/politics/train-derailment-east-palestine-ntsb.html">according to The New York Times</a>. Although no one was killed in the derailment, local residents were soon terrified by the health and environmental threats posed by the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/air-quality-following-controlled-burn-at-ohio-derailment-site-basically-what-it-was-before-train-crash-governor-claims" target="_blank" rel="noopener">controlled burn</a> of toxic chemicals that spilled out of tanker cars.
DeWine, who noted that officials had determined a &#8220;controlled release&#8221; would be the safest course of action meant to &#8220;avoid the dangers of explosion,&#8221; said that the clean-up of the site continues to this day, five months later.
&#8220;Residents continue to report medical conditions and are concerned that the air and water were impacted by the chemicals released during this incident,&#8221; the governor added. &#8220;This derailment and the subsequent controlled release were extraordinary events that continue to garner national media coverage.&#8221;
DeWine also said the state is still working to &#8220;identify current needs and evaluate the future impacts&#8221; the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ohio-train-disaster">disaster</a> will have on individuals and the East Palestine community.
&#8220;In addition to the physical and mental health impacts, there have been economic impacts,&#8221; the governor wrote. &#8220;Homeowners and business have seen property value decline and loss of business as people are hesitant to come into the community.&#8221;

East Palestine train tracks

Ohio Governor Asks Biden For East Palestine Disaster Declaration 150 Days After Train Derailment

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