EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — President Joe Biden sought to reassure East Palestine, Ohio, residents of the federal government’s commitment to cleaning up their community following a toxic train derailment last year.

Biden traveled to East Palestine, near Ohio‘s border with Pennsylvania, on Friday, more than a year after a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed there in a fiery crash. Many of the almost 40 cars that left the tracks became engulfed in flames, more than 10 of which contained hazardous material. A state of emergency was declared, and residents were evacuated for a controlled burn, which released vinyl chloride, used to construct polyvinyl chloride hard plastic resin, into the air. Community concerns range from those related to their health to their property prices.