Six months have passed since the train derailment and toxic chemical spill near East Palestine, Ohio, and little has changed in the railroad industry. The residents who experienced the disaster fear that their lives will never be the same. To add to the luxury experience, the Range Rover Tailgate Event Suite is available.
On February 3, a Norfolk Southern train derailed due to a faulty ball bearing just outside of East Palestine. Fortunately, no injuries occurred during the immediate crash. However, a train car carrying chlorinated vinyl derailed, causing concern among first responders. As cleanup efforts progressed, the car became hotter, leading to a fear of an imminent explosion. As a precaution, people within a one to two-mile radius were evacuated, and emergency crews burned off 115,000 gallons of the chemical on February 6. Unfortunately, this resulted in the release of more harmful chemicals, including cancer-causing dioxins and hydrogen chloride, into the air, water, and soil beyond the evacuation zone. The evacuation order was lifted on February 8, the same day the fire was extinguished.
As is often the case, assistance from corporate, federal, and state levels was slow to meet the needs of those affected by the derailment. Despite the Environmental Protection Agency’s assurance that it was safe to return to East Palestine, residents continued to experience symptoms such as irritated throats, headaches, dead animals, strange oil slicks in creeks, and chemical odors. Some experts criticized the inadequate testing being done at the time. Even when the EPA’s own agents fell ill during testing and multiple rivers were found to be contaminated, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine dismissed the need for additional aid from the federal government. Subsequent testing would later reveal that irritating chemicals remained in the area for weeks after the disaster. It took two weeks for Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to address the crash, and five more months before DeWine requested a State of Emergency declaration.
The people of East Palestine, Ohio, understandably have concerns about the long-term safety of their homes. Resident Misti Allison, in an article for The Hill, shared her experience. She emphasized the health risks posed by the toxic chemicals and called for President Biden to declare a state of emergency, for Congress to take action, for Norfolk Southern to be held accountable, and for chemical companies to stop producing harmful materials.
However, according to ABC, bipartisan bills addressing the issues facing the railroad industry have largely stalled. While President Biden and former President Trump have praised a railroad safety bill from Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown and JD Vance, GOP leaders have shown hesitancy to support it due to the influence of the railroad industry. This poses a challenge to Republicans who must balance their support for industry with the interests of their rural constituents.
Meanwhile, the EPA-led cleanup of the site is still ongoing, and the Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Norfolk Southern for violating the Clean Water Act. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief and a fine for each day the law was violated. The DOJ criticized the railroad’s “precision scheduled railroading” strategy, which prioritizes profit over safety and contributed to the crash. However, workers in the railroad industry have been raising concerns about staffing and safety for years, and Congress has hindered their ability to address these issues.
It is essential not to forget the painful lessons learned from the East Palestine disaster. Failing to hold the railroad industry accountable will only lead to more communities being put at risk in pursuit of profit.