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Perhaps the federal government is concerned only with certain kinds of environmental and health disasters. Perhaps only politically expedient targets are worth the effort. Whatever the reason, help has been hard to come by in East Palestine, as nearly a year after the fiery Norfolk Southern derailment that shocked the community, there is still no federal disaster declaration and still no long-term health monitoring.
Recall that Gov. Mike DeWine demanded such a program, and (at the time) Norfolk Southern promised there would be one. DeWine also asked President Joe Biden for a Presidential Disaster Declaration five months ago and got crickets. Biden and members of Congress should know they could be applying pressure to Norfolk Southern to set up the promised long-term health monitoring. Biden never went to the disaster site did other political figures including Trump.
This apathy comes despite seven of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's own workers, who were in the East Palestine area to help collect survey data, reporting that they experienced similar symptoms to what was being reported by residents.
Public health obviously has been a priority for the federal government during high-profile events in the past. This one, it seems, was just too small -- and did not involve an industry that would have made the federal government leap to become more involved. What a pity.
Still, there is time for the Biden administration and members of Congress to do the right thing by insisting that Norfolk Southern keep its word, and implement real rail safety reform. Now.