Efforts to environmentally scrub East Palestine, Ohio, where a train derailment spewed toxic fumes into the air, polluting ground soil and water supplies for miles, have been stymied by a truck accident that saw 20,000 pounds of “contaminated soil” spilled “onto the roadway and berm.”
The East Palestine train derailment in February saw ground water and soil polluted, and wildlife – mostly fish – mysteriously die in the following days. Though the Biden administration promised the incident was minor, Republican legislators and presidential candidates flocked to Ohio to provide relief.
Now, two months after the disaster, a vehicle containing 40,000 pounds of “contaminated soil” from the area overturned on a highway, and an official report from the Ohio Emergency Management Agency reveals that officials estimate that about half of the toxic freight was spilled.
That report notes that the Ohio EPA claims “the spill was contained and is not a threat to nearby waterways,” but the “driver sustained minor injuries.”
While 40,000 pounds of contaminated soil – about 20 tons – may seem impressive, the same report reveals that 17,300 tons of earth – about 34,600,000 pounds – will need to be removed before the disaster can be considered contained.
Shortly after the derailment, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance traveled to the impacted regions of Ohio and recorded video of water and soil in the area.
“Hey guys, so I’m here at Leslie Run and there are dead worms and dead fish all throughout this water. Something I just discovered is that if you scrape the creek bed, it’s like chemical is coming out of the ground,” Vance said in the video.
“You just see that chemical pop out of the creek. This is disgusting. And the fact that we have not cleaned up the train crash, the fact that these chemicals are still seeping in the ground is an insult to the people who live in East Palestine,” Vance said.
While the Biden administration insisted the disaster was not that severe, 45th President Donald Trump traveled to Ohio to bring emergency supplies and water to those impacted.
Shortly after Trump’s visit, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg made a brief trip to East Palestine.
Joe Biden has yet to visit the state, and numerous attempts to ask Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre when he will visit have been met with deflections and silence.
Original Article: https://valiantnews.com/2023/04/east-palestine-accident-spills-20000-pounds-of-contaminated-soil-in-ohio-17300-tons-left/
