Pete Buttigieg Visits East Palestine to Address Train Derailment and EPA Order

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will visit East Palestine, Ohio, on Thursday, nearly three weeks after a Norfolk Southern train derailed and caused a toxic chemical spill in the area. Residents of the community of about 5,000 people have reported a variety of health problems since the incident, and Buttigieg has faced criticism for waiting more than a week to publicly address the derailment.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been testing the air and municipal water in East Palestine, and has now issued a legally binding order to Norfolk Southern, the company responsible for the derailment. The order, which is set to take effect on Thursday, requires the company to fully clean up the mess and pay for the fallout. EPA Administrator Michael Regan told CNN on Wednesday that the order “will ensure that Norfolk Southern pays for the mess that they’ve created.”

Buttigieg has called on rail companies like Norfolk Southern to “remain profitable while maintaining a higher standard of safety and taking better care of their workers.” He is expected to discuss the derailment and the EPA’s order during his visit to East Palestine on Thursday.

The derailment and subsequent burn of toxic chemicals has left residents of East Palestine fearing for their health and safety. The EPA’s order is an important step in ensuring that Norfolk Southern is held accountable for the incident and that the community is able to recover.