Current:Home > InvestBiden is going to the site of last year’s train derailment in Ohio. Republicans say he took too long -ProfitEdge
Biden is going to the site of last year’s train derailment in Ohio. Republicans say he took too long
View
Date:2025-04-14 20:15:09
WASHINGTON (AP) — For over a year, President Joe Biden waited for what the White House said was the right moment to visit East Palestine, Ohio, facing criticism that he was ignoring the victims of an explosive fire caused by a train derailment.
On Friday, the president goes to the village of 5,000 at the invitation of its mayor and as the Environmental Protection Agency is on the verge of finishing an extensive cleanup paid for by the train company, Norfolk Southern. Republicans have blasted Biden for not visiting sooner and there are some enduring tensions in the community.
“The president has always said when the time is right and when it made sense for him to go, he would go,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. “And so, that’s what he’s doing.”
Ahead of the trip, Jean-Pierre said in response to a question that Biden has “no concerns about drinking the water” in the town, where chemicals and hazardous waste spread because of the fire. She noted that EPA Administrator Michael Regan drank the water during an earlier visit.
Democrat Biden is venturing into Republican territory amid a reelection campaign. Aides say it’s a chance for Biden to hear from the community, talk about his efforts to hold Norfolk Southern accountable and push for passage of a rail safety law. A number of administration officials have visited over the past year.
“It’s been a year of challenge, but a year of solidarity,” Regan said in a statement. “I’m proud of East Palestine, a community that has embodied resilience, hope and progress.”
During Biden’s visit, there will be a separate rally for former President Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner. Trump won nearly 72% of the vote in Ohio’s Columbiana County, which includes East Palestine.
Mike Young, the rally’s coordinator, described the grass-roots event as “anti-Biden.” He said he delivered water to the community after the disaster and the president should have been an immediate presence on the ground.
“The sentiment from residents has been: Where were you a year ago?” Young said. “Too little, too late. And now Biden shows up at election time.”
The visit will be Biden’s first trip interacting with everyday voters since a special counsel’s report last week questioned the mental fortitude of the 81-year-old president. East Palestine has emerged as a test of his ability to bridge political divides and publicly show that he’s up for the burdens of the presidency.
The EPA engaged in an intense cleanup and says the community’s air, water and soil are now safe.
It removed more than 176,000 tons of hazardous waste. More than 49 million gallons of water, rainfall and snowmelt were removed or treated. The federal agency is also collecting 2,500 samples to ensure that the cleanup has succeeded.
Norfolk Southern said it has spent roughly $1.1 billion in its response to the derailment. Since the fire began on February 3, 2023, and caused hazardous chemicals to mix, the company says it has invested $103.2 million in the community, including $21 million distributed to residents.
Still, there are some in the community who say more work must be done.
On Thursday, community activists sent Biden a letter that asked him to issue a major disaster declaration for the community, as well as provide long-term health care for residents, increased environmental testing and relocation funding for those who wish to leave.
Krissy Hylton, 49, is among those worried about returning to their homes.
Hylton, an assistant manager at a convenience store, said she would tell Biden about her health concerns. The EPA testing says her home should be safe, but she said she has independent tests that point to a risk of chemical exposure. She worries about where she will live once the lease on a rental home paid for by Norfolk Southern ends in May.
“My home is not safe to go back to,” she said between sobs. “This has been devastating. No matter what day it says on the calendar, it’s still February 3, 2023, to me. Because I have no answers. I have more questions.”
veryGood! (2534)
Related
- Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge
- Kylian Mbappe says 'merci' to announce his Paris Saint-Germain run will end this month
- Former Illinois basketball player Terrence Shannon Jr. to face trial on rape charge
- Catalan separatists lose majority as Spain’s pro-union Socialists win regional elections
- Selena Gomez's "Weird Uncles" Steve Martin and Martin Short React to Her Engagement
- Is grapefruit good for you? The superfood's health benefits, explained.
- Amid GOP focus on elections, Georgia Republicans remove officer found to have voted illegally
- Putin in Cabinet shakeup moves to replace defense minister as he starts his 5th term in office
- Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
- The Token Revolution of WT Finance Institute: Launching WFI Token to Fund and Enhance 'Ai Wealth Creation 4.0' Investment System
Ranking
- Bill Belichick's salary at North Carolina: School releases football coach's contract details
- The Eagles at the Sphere in Las Vegas? CEO seems to confirm rumors on earnings call
- You Know You'll Love This Rare Catch-Up With Gossip Girl's Taylor Momsen
- 18 bodies found in Mexico state plagued by cartel violence, including 9 left with messages attached
- US appeals court rejects Nasdaq’s diversity rules for company boards
- Maps of northern lights forecast show where millions in U.S. could see aurora borealis this weekend
- Former Illinois basketball player Terrence Shannon Jr. to face trial on rape charge
- The United Auto Workers faces a key test in the South with upcoming vote at Alabama Mercedes plant
Recommendation
Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class
Pregnant Hailey Bieber Shares Behind-the-Scenes Photo From Her and Justin Bieber's Maternity Shoot
Minnesota unfurls new state flag atop the capitol for the first time Saturday
Mitchell has 33 points, but Cavaliers can’t contain Tatum and Brown in Game 3 loss to Celtics
Can Bill Belichick turn North Carolina into a winner? At 72, he's chasing one last high
North Macedonia’s new president reignites a spat with Greece at her inauguration ceremony
Nike announces signature shoe for A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces
Roger Corman, Hollywood mentor and ‘King of the Bs,’ dies at 98