President Joe Biden will travel to East Palestine, Ohio, next month after promising to visit the community devastated by an environmental disaster caused by a toxic train derailment a year ago.
Biden was widely criticized for traveling to Ukraine when residents of the village, near Ohio’s border with Pennsylvania, were forced to relocate after the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern freight train derailment, in which some of the 50-plus cars, several of which were carrying hazardous materials, burned for days after the crash.
“In February, President Biden will travel to East Palestine, Ohio, to meet with residents impacted by the Norfolk Southern train derailment and assess the progress that his administration has helped deliver in coordination with state and local leaders to protect the community and hold Norfolk Southern accountable,” a White House official said Wednesday.
The White House has repeatedly underscored Biden’s “comprehensive, whole-of-government response” despite the criticism and did so again Wednesday.
“Under President Biden’s leadership, within hours of the derailment, the Environmental Protection Agency deployed a team of trained emergency response personnel to East Palestine to aid state and local emergency and environmental response efforts,” the official said. “The Department of Transportation also arrived on scene within hours to support the National Transportation Safety Board in their independent investigation of the derailment. The Department of Health and Human Services worked alongside state and local health departments to conduct public health testing and offer technical assistance.”
Biden and his administration also remain dedicated to improving rail safety more broadly, such as through the Bipartisan Railway Safety Act, according to the White House.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“Last February, EPA ordered Norfolk Southern to clean up all environmental damage caused by the derailment, including cleaning or disposing of contaminated soil and water, as well as reimbursing the federal government’s response costs,” the official said. “In September, President Biden issued an executive order directing that Norfolk Southern continue to be held accountable for the derailment and address any long-term effects to the community, and ensuring Federal assistance is available to affected communities should needs develop that are not met by Norfolk Southern.”
The White House has not confirmed the date of Biden’s travel.
