Ohio Senators J.D. Vance and Sherrod Brown Take HUGE Action to Get Answers Out of the EPA For East Palestine Disaster

The saga revolving around the derailment of a Norfolk Southern-operated train in the Ohio town of East Palestine and the subsequent decision signed off by Governor Mike DeWine (R-OH) and Governor Josh Shapiro (D-PA) for a “controlled release” of toxic chemicals on that train continues to unfold. Senators J.D. Vance (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), after they toured East Palestine, have compiled and sent on Saturday a list of questions that they would like Michael Regan, Biden’s Administrator of the EPA, and Anne Vogel, the Director of Ohio’s EPA, to answer.

The chief subject that they wish the officials to answer is whether anyone has been testing for dioxins as “following our visits to East Palestine this past week where we heard directly from members of the community, we remain concerned that it does not appear that the U.S. EPA, OEPA, or Norfolk Southern is texting for dioxins.” Dioxins, as Breitbart News reports, are environmental pollutants that are potentially toxic.

Other questions raised in the letter were as follows: “Does OEPA or U.S. EPA have a system set up for members of the community and other expert stakeholders to engage on the testing and monitoring regimen following the train derailment and subsequent activities in East Palestine to ensure a thorough, comprehensive response to monitor the area for potential pollutants? If not, will you commit to establishing appropriate protocol to ensure engagement? If dioxins are detected in the region, what are OEPA’s and U.S. EPA’s respective protocols for communicating with the local community, addressing the potential contaminant(s), and protecting the local community from potential long-term exposure?”

The letter called for the two governmental agencies to “act immediately to coordinate and ensure regular testing and monitoring for dioxins remains a priority moving forward.” The letter continued to say that this ” monitoring should not only be a part of a long-term strategy, it should be implemented immediately and communicated to the local community to ensure transparency.”

‘THEY WERE ABANDONED’: TRUMP BLASTS BIDEN FOR LEAVING BEHIND EAST PALESTINE RESIDENTS AS HE HEADS TO UKRAINE INSTEAD

The letter was no doubt shaped by the concerns of the local populace. As J.D. Vance tweeted last Thursday, “Today I spoke with residents of East Palestine and met with local elected officials. I heard a lot of new questions and left with all sorts of concerns that need to be addressed. I won’t stop working on this until people get the answers they deserve.”

Today I spoke with residents of East Palestine and met with local elected officials. I heard a lot of new questions and left with all sorts of concerns that need to be addressed.

I won’t stop working on this until people get the answers they deserve. pic.twitter.com/mWwT4dydB7

— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) February 16, 2023

A number of the locals of East Palestine have expressed their frustration over the response to the chemical explosion. Mayor of East Palestine Trent Conaway echoed such sentiments when he said, “That [Biden’s visit to Ukraine on President’s Day] was the biggest slap in the face that tells you right now, he doesn’t care about us. So … he can send every agency he wants to but I found that out this morning and one of the briefings that he was in Ukraine giving millions of dollars away to people over there, not to us and I’m furious.”

Donald J. Trump, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, is scheduled to visit East Palestine today.