EPA officials and lawmakers held a press conference in East Palestine, Ohio, Thursday to provide updates and assuage residents’ concerns after a train carrying hazardous materials derailed in a fiery crash, releasing a toxic plume of chemicals.
EPA administrator Michael S. Regan said his agency has assisted with the screenings of nearly 500 homes in the area and are continuing to conduct 24/7 air monitoring to ensure the health and safety of residents as it relates to water.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan speaks during a press conference after inspecting the site of a train derailment of hazardous material in East Palestine, Ohio, U.S., February 16, 2023. (REUTERS/Alan Freed)
Regan and other officials have insisted that testing shows the air is safe to breathe around East Palestine, where just under 5,000 people live near the Pennsylvania state line.
Regan said he would allow his children to drink and bathe in the water if the home had been tested by the state and “given a clean bill of health.”
“[A]s a father, I trust the science. I trust the methodology that this state is using. And as a parent, I would,” Regan said, but cautioned: “If those homes haven’t been tested or if they’re on private well water, I would advise that they get those homes tested and as [Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine] and the State Health Department has recommended, continue to use bottled water until those homes get tested.”
Regan and other officials encouraged anyone experiencing health problems to reach out to their local health department.
This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows an overview of the aftermath of the Norfolk Southern train derailment on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, in East Palestine, Ohio. (Satellite image ©2023 Maxar Technologies via AP)
“If your home has been air and water tested [and] if you’re still having other symptoms, then you have other decisions that you need to make and let authorities know,” Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, said.
Regan got a first-hand look Thursday at a creek contaminated by the freight train derailment earlier this month. The visit came a day after residents of the Ohio village of East Palestine packed a meeting and demanded to know if they were safe.
Regan said he was confident that technology being used to clean up the mess would protect public health. But residents are frustrated by what they say is incomplete and vague information about the lasting effects from the disaster.
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In the nearly two weeks since the derailment forced evacuations, residents have complained about suffering from headaches and irritated eyes and finding their cars and lawns covered in soot. The hazardous chemicals that spilled from the train killed thousands of fish, and residents have talked about finding dying or sick pets and wildlife.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
