AN AMERICAN EMERGENCY: East Palestine is being slowly murdered and it's time the country paid attention
EAST PALESTINE, OHIO: A train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in eastern Ohio earlier this month, bursting into flames and releasing a deadly plume of chemical smoke in the small town of East Palestine. The freight reportedly included vinyl chloride, a hazardous chemical known to cause liver cancer and other maladies. The government and railway officials responded with a decision to "burn off" the vinyl chloride -- dumping a staggering 1.1 million lbs of the chemical into the local community, a new lawsuit has alleged.
Officials insisted that the move was necessary to avert the vinyl chloride from exploding. However, an attorney in one of the lawsuits has slammed the decision as cheap, unsafe, and one that prioritized restoring train service and appeasing railway shareholders over protecting the community. Residents in the small village town have since reported headaches, sore throats, and burning eyes. There are also reports of dead pets and chickens, and thousands of fish corpses floating in nearby waterways. Approximately 3,500 fish of 12 different species died across 7.5 miles, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
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Where is East Palestine?
East Palestine is a village town of approximately 5,000 residents located on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. It is within 50 miles of Pittsburgh, 85 miles of Cleveland, and 20 miles of Youngstown. The economy of East Palestine employs nearly 1,900 people and the largest industries in the town are manufacturing, retail trade, and healthcare. Meanwhile, the largest ethnic groups in the community are White (Non-Hispanic) (93.5%), and White (Hispanic) (2.92%), according to Data USA.
What was the Norfolk Southern train carrying?
Five of the cars that derailed from the tracks contained vinyl chloride, a colorless gas used to manufacture hard plastic resin used in products like credit cards and PVC pipes, according to The Columbus Dispatch. A controlled release of the hazardous chemical was executed by the Norfolk Southern Railroad in order to prevent an explosion, prompting Ohio Guv Mike DeWine and Pennsylvania Guv Josh Shapiro to order an evacuation of the area. At least four other chemicals leaked into the air, soil, and water -- namely butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, and isobutylene -- according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Why did the Norfolk Southern train derail?
About 50 train cars in total derailed in the February 3 wreck due to a mechanical issue with the rail car axle, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Investigators identified the car that caused the derailment and reportedly reviewed video footage showing an overheated wheel bearing on that car. The board is expected to issue a preliminary report in two weeks, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
Why was the train detonated and who ordered it?
Railroad crews began to release hazardous chemicals from five cars of the train to avert a potential "catastrophic" explosion on Monday, February 19, at the site of the derailment. There were reports of a loud boom and subsequent plume of black smoke in what officials described as a "controlled explosion." The release process reportedly entailed making small holes in the tank cars and allowing the chemicals to pour into a pit that was lit on fire.
"We are doing this so we control these tank cars that we have concerns with," Scott Deutsch of Norfolk Southern Railroad said in a statement on Monday. Guv DeWine revealed earlier that day that he approved the operation of the "controlled release" at the site near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. According to DeWine, the alternative was to wait until the cars broke down themselves, which would have been considerably more difficult to manage.
Who is the CEO of Norfolk Southern?
Alan Shaw is the president and CEO of Norfolk Southern. His total salary in 2021 was $4,362,801, per the railroad company's 2022 proxy statement. In a letter released last week, Shaw addressed East Palestine residents and pledged Norfolk's commitment to helping the village get back on its feet in the aftermath of the environmental disaster.
"I know you also have questions about whether Norfolk Southern will be here to help make things right," Shaw wrote. He added, "My simple answer is that we are here and will stay here for as long as it takes to ensure your safety and to help East Palestine recover and thrive." The CEO also said he visited the village town and personally met with residents.
How dangerous is the explosion to humans and animals?
Scientists say the chemicals that were released into the environment are harmful to both humans and wildlife. Vinyl chloride exposure can cause a range of symptoms including headaches, while prolonged exposure can also result in a rare form of liver cancer. Furthermore, when the gas is burned – as it was in the "controlled release" process – vinyl chloride breaks down into hydrogen chloride and phosgene, both harmful chemicals themselves, aside from several other toxic combustion compounds.
Meanwhile, butyl acrylate is known to cause a range of respiratory ailments. A number of residents have already reported headaches, respiratory problems, and dizziness in the days after the wreck. However, understanding the specific risks associated with the disaster is a challenge in itself, Delphine Farmer, a chemist at Colorado State University, told Vox. She explained that it is difficult to measure how much of the chemicals actually spilled into the environment.
What legal actions can residents take?
Residents affected by the environmental disaster have already started filing lawsuits against Norfolk Southern. At least five federal class action lawsuits have been filed against the rail operator at this time. “Vinyl Chloride is a DNA mutating chemical, and therefore there is no safe level of exposure,” one class action suit noted. It added, “Residents exposed to Vinyl Chloride may already be undergoing DNA mutations that may not manifest as a clinical cancer diagnosis for years or decades."
What are the politicians doing?
The small community of East Palestine has heavily criticized the government's response to the February 3 incident. US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan was scheduled to return to the village to meet with residents and local officials on Tuesday, February 21. President Joe Biden's Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg sparked backlash after he told reporters that he planned to visit East Palestine "when the time is right."
Responding to the inaction on the federal front, the former president, Donald Trump, announced that he planned to visit the Ohio town on Wednesday, February 22. “The people of East Palestine need help,” Trump posted on his social media network, Truth Social, on Saturday, February 18. “I’ll see you on Wednesday.” Meanwhile, East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway and a number of other Republicans excoriated President Biden for visiting Kyiv, Ukraine at a time when the US village was facing a chemical catastrophe. "Absolutely. That was the biggest slap in the face," Conaway said. "That tells you right now he doesn't care about us," the mayor added.