Ohio Gov DeWine: Biden’s FEMA Still Denying Assistance For East Palestine

Hank BerrienFebruary 16, 2023

Republican Ohio governor. Mike DeWine revealed Thursday that the Biden administration’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is still refusing to offer assistance for Ohio after the massive train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

On February 3, 38 train cars from the 151-car Norfolk Southern train32N left Madison, Illinois. Authorities were notified and ordered to conduct an investigation. “toxic release” There were hazardous chemicals aboard the train. Vinyl chloride, ethylhexylacrylate and other chemicals were found on the train. These chemicals are known to be carcinogens. According to the National Cancer Institute vinyl chloride exposure is associated with an increased risk of a rare form of liver cancer (hepatic angiosarcoma), as well as “primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma), brain and lung cancers, lymphoma, and leukemia.”

“Ohio Governor Mike DeWine spoke with officials at the White House early this morning to address the need for federal help,” DeWine In a statement “As a result of this conversation, the Governor has requested assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health and Emergency Response Team, and the CDC to provide on-the-ground assistance in East Palestine.”

“The DeWine Administration has been in daily contact with FEMA to discuss the need for federal support, however FEMA continues to tell Governor DeWine that Ohio is not eligible for assistance at this time,” He continued. “Governor DeWine will continue working with FEMA to determine what assistance can be provided.”

The Wall Street Journal reported on February 5 that East Palestine was under mandatory evacuation. Officials said on February 8 that East Palestine residents could go home.

Norfolk Southern was later informed by the Environmental Protection Agency that ethylene glycol monobutylether, ethylhexylacrylate and isobutylene had also been found in the rail cars.

Sil Caggiano is a hazardous materials specialist who was exposed to the toxic chemicals. Submitted WKBN, “We basically nuked a town with chemicals so we could get a railroad open. I was kind of surprised when they quickly told the people they could go back home, but then said if they wanted their homes tested, they could have them tested. I would’ve far rather they did all the testing.”

“There’s a lot of what-ifs, and we’re gonna be looking at this thing 5, 10, 15, 20 years down the line and wondering, ‘Gee, cancer clusters could pop up, well water could go bad,’” He concluded.

“The biggest question remaining is what, if anything, is still being released from the site, first and foremost,” Peter DeCarlo is an environmental health professor at Johns Hopkins University. The Washington Post. “If there are still residual chemical emissions, then that still presents a danger for people in the area.”