Ohio Governor Requests Major Presidential Disaster Declaration in Response to East Palestine Train Derailment

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has requested a Major Presidential Disaster Declaration from President Joe Biden in response to a Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine earlier this year.

The derailment occurred on February 15th and caused a fire that burned for several days. In a letter to the President, DeWine said that the voluntary actions of Norfolk Southern have been enough to meet the needs of the community thus far, but that the possibility remains that this support could cease in the future.

East Palestine Fire Chief Bill Jones was one of the first responders to the derailment. He said that he had just 13 minutes to decide whether or not to burn toxic chemicals that were on the train in order to prevent them from spreading. He ultimately decided to burn the chemicals, but said that the decision was difficult.

The disaster declaration would guarantee federal aid to the community in the event that Norfolk Southern’s support ceases. DeWine said that the declaration is needed to ensure that the state and federal government use all resources available to provide the community with the necessary assistance.

The derailment is still under investigation by the Federal Railroad Administration. The investigation is expected to take several months to complete.