The Federal Emergency Management Agency dispatched a team Saturday to East Palestine, Ohio, the site of a train crash that unloaded toxic chemicals into the environment.
Ohio GOP Gov. Mike DeWine announced the move to deploy a senior response official and a regional incident management assistance team Friday alongside FEMA Regional Administrator Thomas Sivak.
"FEMA and the State of Ohio have been in constant contact regarding emergency operations in East Palestine," the pair stated. "U.S. EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] and Ohio EPA have been working together since day one."
FEMA's intervention comes after it previously denied Ohio assistance, telling DeWine that other federal agencies were better equipped to handle the toxins that have made their way into air and surface water near East Palestine.
"The DeWine administration has been in daily contact with FEMA to discuss the need for federal support, however FEMA continues to tell Gov. DeWine that Ohio is not eligible for assistance at this time," DeWine's office said Thursday.
The local, state, and federal efforts at cleanup are in response to the Feb. 3 derailment of nearly 50 cars on a train operated by Norfolk Southern Railway. The cars were carrying vinyl chloride, a toxic substance used to make plastics.
Several days later, state authorities and the railroad company agreed to a "controlled release" of the car's toxins to alleviate the risk of airborne shrapnel from a potential explosion.
Local residents were told to evacuate the area during the Feb. 6 release but were assured it was safe to return more than 50 hours after; however, residents have since reported illnesses caused by toxins allegedly in the groundwater and atmosphere.
The Biden administration ordered multiple agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services to East Palestine on Feb. 17, more than one week following the toxins' release.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.