NEGLEY – East Palestine resident Rob Two Hawks spoke at a rally Saturday at the East Palestine Country Club in Negley about environmental and health concerns following last year's Norfolk Southern train derailment. Used simple analogies to convey serious points.
“If your aquarium is causing a fish disease, you can't treat the fish without first treating the tank.” He said. “We will treat the fish, but we need to address the cause of the fish's disease.”
Two Hawks was part of a residents' panel that spoke at the East Palestine Workers' Conference, which brought together local residents, environmentalists and labor organizations to demand improved railway safety and health surveillance and health care for residents. Affected by the railway disaster.
The rally was sponsored by the East Palestine Railroad Derailment Unity Council, a grassroots advocacy group, and environmental groups Food & Water Watch and the Breeze Collaborative sent support buses from Pennsylvania and as far away as Iowa. .
The newly formed Justice Coalition for East Palestine Workers' main objectives are to declare a presidential state of emergency for East Palestine and the surrounding areas affected by the derailment, and to direct federal resources to the state and workers. We are calling for the enactment of the Stafford Act, a law that mobilizes support. Local governments working on disaster relief.
Since the derailment, residents have reported a range of medical symptoms, including persistent nosebleeds, headaches, rashes, eye irritation, respiratory and digestive disorders, cognitive impairment, seizure-like symptoms, and rectal bleeding. They claim these are a direct result of the derailment and chemical release, and are advocating for further federal assistance.
Six months after the accident, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine formally requested President Joe Biden to issue a major presidential disaster declaration regarding the derailment.
On September 20, the Biden administration issued an executive order directing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to appoint a Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator to oversee long-term recovery efforts. Jim McPherson, an emergency management expert and experienced disaster recovery coordinator, was brought in to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the entire situation. “Unmet needs” These are not addressed in Norfolk South and are eligible for federal aid. During his first visit to the region in February, Biden also received six grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support research into the potential epidemiological and environmental damage caused by the derailment. It was also announced.
To date, no disaster declaration has been issued, and the evidence collected during McPherson's evaluation has not been made public.
While Biden's order and the NIH study are moves in the right direction, residents and a newly formed coalition believe the federal government can do more and that a disaster declaration would provide abundant relief to those still affected. It points out that resources and support will be made available. One year after the derailment, we are living in confusion and anxiety.
The coalition contends that in addition to the 1.1 million pounds of vinyl chloride that was ejected from five tank cars and burned, the National Transportation Safety Board called the incident “an event.” “Unnecessary” Earlier this month, chemicals such as butyl acrylate and ethyl acrylate released during a train derailment had a negative impact on public health and the environment.
Residents are also calling for the passage of Social Security Act 1881a, which promises free Medicare for victims of environmental disasters.
East Palestine resident Chris Albright, who developed congestive heart failure after the derailment, said medical care in East Palestine and surrounding areas is paramount. Albright, a gas pipeline worker and member of LIUNA 1058, said he is unable to work due to health issues.
“I can't support my family and I have three girls. I've lost my health benefits.” He said. “We can’t afford the medicine because it could have happened in south Norfolk and should have been prevented.”
Chistina Cisselov, a resident of Darlington, Pennsylvania, six miles from the derailment site, has suffered from a variety of health symptoms since the train accident and has spent countless hours searching for answers through doctor visits and phone calls to health care providers. He said that he has spent a lot of time. she. She also noted that prior to the derailment, she had not sought medical care since 2016 and that her symptoms were common to other Darlington residents.
“We need to medically monitor ourselves, our children, and at least their children.” Mr. Cisselov said. “Our doctors still don't know what to tell us. Even after a year, they still don't know what was in our environment or in our homes or what's left. Still do not know.”
Apart from healthcare, health insurance and health surveillance, the coalition is also calling on the rail industry to implement reforms to ensure that other communities do not suffer the same fate as East Palestine. They also called for immediate passage of a railroad safety law that would require the installation of hot box detectors every 10 miles of track, advance notification of trains carrying hazardous cargo to local authorities, and a minimum crew of two on each train. ing.
The bill was introduced by Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) on March 1, 2023, but has not yet been brought to the Senate floor. The coalition said Norfolk Southern and all Class 1 railroads should not only stop opposing the bill, but also support it.
Albright said serious change and true recovery will only happen with the help of many people, noting that it will take strength in numbers to force railroads and government agencies to act.
“It was a catastrophe that changed our lives. We will never go back to normal.” He said. “We didn't want that train to derail. We didn't ask for a train derailment, and without the help of everyone in this room and everyone in this country, this There's nothing we can do about it. It's going to take all of us to get through this and let people know what happened here and what's still going on.”
