East Palestine Ohio Train Derailment leaves local residents with deep concerns and unanswered questions
- Norfolk Southern train derails February 3rd in East Palestine Ohio
- Toxic Vinyl Chloride was in 11 cars even though the train was not classified as high-hazard
- Governor Mike DeWine decided to burn-off about a million pounds of a known carcinogen releasing it into the environment.
- Industry lobbyists have successfully influenced politicians and regulatory agencies to reduce regulation of the railroad industry.
- Local residents fear the long-term health effects and safety of their homes and environment.
There has been an endless flow of information about the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train which caught fire and spilled toxic chemicals, including vinyl chloride, in East Palestine Ohio on February 3rd. Sifting through the technical details, it’s easy to escape the reality that this is a horrific human disaster.
There is no difficulty assigning blame for what happened. At all points, the technical issues that likely contributed to the derailment can be traced back to greed; corporate lobbyists influencing politicians and federal agencies to ease up on regulations.
Progress Ohio reports, “According to the Ohio Secretary of State’s website, Norfolk Southern and its affiliates made over 100 contributions to Ohio state officials and candidates over the last five years. Including $29,000 to Gov. DeWine’s campaign and transition team, totaling nearly $100,000.
Since DeWine took office, Norfolk Southern has given him and other Ohio lawmakers $73,000 and successfully killed bipartisan railway safety legislation that would have helped protect railroad workers and the communities their trains passed through.”
The Lever details lobbyists’ influence on federal agencies to limit the regulation of high-hazard materials making the East Palestine derailed train exempt from that classification.
Industry lobbyists also succeeded in squelching requirements to install modern EPS braking systems which would at minimum, reduce the severity of derailments by minimizing the pile up of rail cars.
Norfolk Southern brags about “efficiency” by increasing train length and weight, and reduction in workforce. Combine that with suppression of labor’s voice about unsafe working conditions by prohibiting strikes, and you have an accident waiting to happen.
The EPA says Norfolk Southern must pay for the clean-up of the disaster site. But what about the effects on the residents of East Palestine and surrounding areas?
Who will pay the real cost of this environmental disaster exacerbated by Mike DeWine’s burn-off of toxic vinyl chloride? Local residents express uncertainty on a Facebook page created for them called United for East Palestine (Ohio)
They have very deep concerns about the safety of their water, air, soil, and the long term health risks. They aren’t confident they’re getting accurate information or proper testing for their health or for their water and soil.
Other unanswered questions involve property values, contamination in their homes, how to clean their carpets, mattresses, exposure of pets and livestock, safety of creeks. Some are wondering if they should even still be there at all or just walk away.
It’s clear that the people of East Palestine are the ones paying for the malfeasance of Norfolk Southern and bumbling government clowns who enrich themselves with impunity.
