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East Palestine Train Derailment 2-Years Later [1]

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Date: 2025-02-01

February 3, 2025 will mark the 2- year anniversary of the East Palestine Norfolk Southern train derailment. The derailment resulted in a large fire and eventually lead to a chemical release and burn of the train’s tankers. A large black mushroom cloud of chemicals was unleashed on the community. The town is divided between those who are angry, concerned about the future, wanting answers and those who believe all is well , accidents happen. It is very sad to see how this disaster has turned neighbors against one another. Coming to town to mark the anniversary will be, at least, Vice President Vance, Governor DeWine and Senator Moreno.

Interestingly, I have not heard if Congressman Rulli is coming. I doubt he will send his newly employed communications director, Mike Peppel. Peppel had to repay money that he was accused of falsely raising under a non-profit to benefit East Palestine Residents. The Ohio Attorney General took Peppel and 2 of his associates to court. The three “settled the case in order to avoid a prolonged and expensive court battle.” (https://www.wfmj.com/story/52181863/rulli-defends-hiring-man-at-center-of-alleged-east-palestine-fraud-scheme-in-his-congressional-office) East Palestine and the surrounding area are in Congressman Rulli’s district.

Meanwhile, the clean-up continues and people continue to get sick. Complaints include cancer, seizures, rashes, nose bleeds, chemical induced bronchitis and pneumonia. We are told until there are clusters of similar illnesses nothing is considered to be linked to the derailment and chemical burn. Doctors are saying they have not been given any directions about symptoms to watch for nor what tests they should be running. Many have inquired about the creation of a data base to track illnesses and identify clusters; as far as I know no answer has ever been provided by the EPA or Norfolk Southern.

A class action lawsuit was settled for 600 million dollars. The settlement is pending an appeal filed by a resident from a nearby town. The majority of citizens were advised by their attorneys to sign onto the settlement agreement. Many of those who refused were dropped by their attorneys.

To make things more confusing, those within a 30-mile radius of the derailment received a second set of papers to fill out for personal injury payments. My attorney advised us to fill it out and send in but the papers clearly said in bold letters that signing it would release Norfolk Southern from future liability. My attorney told me that it was a medical release form. I disagreed and did not sign the second set. Some people have begun to receive the personal injury payments. The payments vary based on proximity to the derailment. I don’t know why the personal injury payments are separate from the settlement under appeal?

Following the disaster, truckloads of cleaning supplies were brought in and were given to residents. It is suspected that the majority of families cleaning their homes resulted in surface area testing not finding contamination in those homes.

Just this week, East Palestine City Officials settled with Norfolk Southern for $22 million. (https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-norfolk-east-palestine-settlement-ce5af7aad2725a721ac4bc1d51667077). The East Palestine City Council will decide how to use the funds.

The East Palestine School District received a $300,000 donation from Norfolk Southern. $100,000 was for repair of the artificial football field that was used as a helicopter pad and for clean-up, the elementary school was used as a decontamination center. (https://www.google.com/amp/s/abcnews.go.com/amp/US/norfolk-southern-commits-300k-east-palestine-school-district/story%3fid=97443404)

Personally, I live 6.8 miles from the derailment near the tracks. I have lived here for 36 years. My well water has always been excellent. However, since the disaster I use Simple Lab and test my soil and well water once a year. This year’s testing found problems. I have been told that being I am north of the disaster; my problem with my well water could not be a result of the derailment and chemical burn off. The Ohio Department of Health suggested hiring a hydrologist.

In the end, the fact that a chemical nuclear bomb was dropped on us and clean-up is ongoing officials continue to tell us all is well.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/2/1/2300743/-East-Palestine-Train-Derailment-2-Years-Later?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=latest_community&pm_medium=web

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