President Biden’s planned trip to East Palestine, Ohio, is pure politics as the election cycle begins. The White House plans to do a victory lap on its response to the train derailment that nuked the small town with toxic chemicals one year ago.
Yet, a new report reveals the federal government’s response has been sub-par, with cancer-causing chemicals still found in surrounding rivers and streams.
One year after the Norfolk Southern train derailment, NewsNation found toxic chemicals in rivers and streams around East Palestine. This comes even as the Environment Protection Agency has given residents the all-clear to return.
As residents return, some are developing “rashes, chronic nose bleeds, respiratory infections and many other side effects,” according to NewsNation.
“I undressed to get into the shower, and I had a rash all over the side of my face on both sides and all over my chest,” East Palestine resident Kaitlyn said.
Jessica Conard, another resident, said, “We are still experiencing some acute health care impacts” after the train derailment one year ago.
“Ultimately, what we need to understand is that there are still unmet needs here in terms of medical, and the health of this community needs to come first,” Conard said.
Dr. Arthur Chang, the chief medical officer in the CDC’s environmental health division, confirmed to the media outlet a chemical exposure blanketed the town and persisting symptoms from residents are proof:
“We may not know how to get rid of the vinyl chloride from the body, but we know how to treat those cancers.”
Meanwhile, shortly after the incident, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine asked the Biden administration to issue a disaster declaration after 116,000 gallons of the carcinogen vinyl chloride exploded after the train derailment. The White House has since ignored this request while residents continue to suffer health problems.
NewsNation pointed out, “Despite calls for concern, the CDC is not testing the health of East Palestine residents or collecting samples.”
We have questions:
- Why is that?
- Why is the federal government ignoring the suffering in East Palestine?
However, separate from the federal government, Erin Haynes, a professor at the University of Kentucky, has been tracking the health of 400 residents.
Haynes said, “Three out of four of the participants reported having at least one new health symptom,” adding, “Eighty percent of the respondents reported an upper respiratory health symptom.”
“The main question is if these symptoms remain. And half of the residents, even in our follow-ups, are saying that their symptoms remain,” she said.
Shockingly, NewsNation said, “Haynes is the only person tracking the short and long-term health effects in the community.”
“Unfortunately, I have not seen an organized public health response from our federal agencies,” Haynes continued, noting, “The public health response was severely lacking.”
More from NewsNation:
Americans have witnessed the Biden administration’s neglect of East Palestine, prioritizing endless foreign wars and a border invasion while their own citizens suffered in what could be one of the worst chemical disasters in years.
Someone needs to tell the clueless Biden team their victory lap is not only premature but a disgrace to the residents who are suffering. Clearly, Ukraine was more important than East Palestine.
Recall days after the derailment…
East Palestine, Ohio Mayor Trent Conaway: “I found out today through one of the briefings that [Biden] was in the Ukraine giving millions to people over there and doing nothing for us. I’m furious.”pic.twitter.com/8jn32aI4kc
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) February 21, 2023
