Jimh406, I sense your tongue was in your cheek.
The Harris-Biden Administration defended their decision to abandon the Ohio and Pennsylvania citizens whose lives were ruined by claiming that the government simply cannot help them. Their official excuse:
“What East Palestine needs is much more expansive than what FEMA can provide. . .”
From Newsweek:
According to a
report from
The New York Times this week, DeWine's office said it had been told Ohio didn't qualify for FEMA support "in part" because Norfolk Southern was paying some of the cleanup expenses. FEMA also reportedly found that East Palestine didn't qualify for assistance because of the lack of property damage after the derailment.
A White House official who spoke with
Fox News Digital Friday morning also defended the decision to not send FEMA relief, saying that the agency wasn't the "best equipped" to support the community.
"What East Palestine needs is much more expansive than what FEMA can provide," the official stated. "FEMA is on the front lines when there is a hurricane or tornado. This situation is different."
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It will most likely be the EPA directing the railroad and third party contractors on cleanup requirement. Somebody like safe harbors will be brought in.
As to the water, those folks are going to have to sue the railroad for cleanup. Even then, the data will be hard to prove anything. Exposure to air borne chemical is a time rated exposure and I doubt there is enough data points to support a health issue. Well issues can take decades to show up and surface water will self clean and dilute.
Home prices will drop to worthless. Think Love canal in NY.
I heard an presidential executive order for the rail to upgrade the safety system was fought tooth and nail by the railroads and then the next administration had it over ruled. I can not remember the source of the article.
It is all going to come down to the money and lawyers.