Posted BY: Joyce Walling The train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, is one of the biggest environmental disasters our country has seen in quite some time. It’s surprising to me that initially there was scant media coverage and the information on the websites for the U.S. EPA, Ohio EPA, and the Ohio governor’s office still leave many questions unanswered. In addition, a 45-minute visit by Governor Mike DeWine and a statement by the Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg that refers to this train derailment as one of a thousand that occur in a year, downplay the seriousness of the magnitude of the impacts on the environment and on the residents of the community. All this leaves people confused and certainly doesn’t engender trust.
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The basic steps taken to respond to environmental releases, both the incident itself and long-term remedial actions, are well-established. The foundation for any response is the set of laws governing the present situation. Generally, there is a team approach consisting of multiple agencies, with a lead agency designated and decision-making and support roles identified. A key component of any response is communication to the public.
