Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg is “concerned” about the impacts of the trail derailment near eastern Palestine, he said in a statement on Monday evening – days after residents were forced to evacuate in due to the release of toxic chemicals.
“I continue to be concerned about the impacts of the February 3 train derailment near East Palestine, OH, and the effects on the families over the next ten days as their lives were disrupted through no fault of their own,” Buttigieg said in a social media update. Monday evening.
“It is important that families have access to useful and accurate information,” he continued before claiming that there was a rapid response to the incident initially.
“USDOT supported the investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Our Federal Rail Administration and Pipelines and Hazardous Materials teams were on site within hours of the initial incident and continue to be actively involved,” he said, vaguely promising to investigate what happened. and hold those responsible accountable.
“In the meantime, our federal partners at the EPA are on site monitoring indoor and outdoor air quality to test for VOCs and other chemicals of concern,” he said, adding that the agency has already checked 291 houses with “no detection” identified:
I continue to be concerned about the impacts of the February 3 train derailment near East Palestine, OH, and the effects on families in the ten days since their lives were disrupted through no fault of their own. It is important that families have access to useful and accurate information:
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) February 14, 2023
We will review these investigation results and, based on them, use all relevant authorities to ensure accountability and continue to support safety.
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) February 14, 2023
The EPA has checked 291 homes and no detections have been identified – and 181 homes remain. To request a screening, call 330-849-3919. For more information visit: https://t.co/uGvVurmT44
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) February 14, 2023
Buttgieg’s Monday statement comes well over a week after the initial derailment, which forced residents to evacuate because the derailed train was carrying toxic chemicals. Nearly a week after the initial derailment, authorities allowed residents to return home.
“Hundreds and hundreds of data points we’ve collected over time show the air quality is safe,” said the EPA’s James Justice. said at the time.
However, recent data now shows that the Ohio-Pennsylvania train derailment “spit more harmful pollutants into the air, surface soils and groundwater than originally reported,” as Breitbart News detailed:
A list of the cars involved in the derailment and the products they were carrying since release by South Norfolk reveals several chemicals more toxic than those that emerged after crash, ABC News reports.
Among the substances were ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate and isobutylene also in the derailed cars, according to NBC News’ listing.
Contact with the carcinogen ethylhexyl acrylate can cause burns and irritation to the skin and eyes, and inhalation can irritate the nose and throat, causing shortness of breath and coughing, according to the Centers for Disaster Control and Prevention.
The disaster is the latest incident on Buttgieg’s watch, prompting critics to point out that the Biden official continues to offer delayed or lackluster reactions, offering vague promises to investigate issue after issue. The airline fiasco last year, for example, even guest Democrats are going wild on Buttigieg.
WATCH: Massive Inferno threatens ‘catastrophic’ explosion after roughly 50-car train derails
Eric Whiting/X LOCAL NEWS/TMX
Breitbart
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