East Palestine residents are 'annoyed' at Biden admin's response: Nick Sortor
Video journalist Nick Sortor reports from East Palestine, Ohio, on the train derailment that spilled toxic chemicals and how residents feel about the EPA's assessment on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight.'
Video journalist Nick Sortor and East Palestine, Ohio, residents Nathan Izotic and his wife Kelly spoke out about the Biden administration's response to the toxic chemical spill in the state after a Norfolk Southern train derailed in early February.
East Palestine Fire Chief Keith Drabick said on Feb. 7 that air and water testing showed it was safe for residents to return home. However, some of those who have done so have reported sick and dying animals in the area.
Nathan Izotic said he and his wife are "very" concerned about the effects of the chemical release.
A large plume of smoke rises over East Palestine, Ohio, after a controlled detonation of a portion of the derailed Norfolk Southern trains Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. About 50 cars, including 10 carrying hazardous materials, derailed in a fiery crash. Federal investigators say a mechanical issue with a rail car axle caused the derailment. ((AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar))
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"We are seeing them locally and inside of our bodies. What we're experiencing- local fish in our creeks have died….oily sheens and coloration in our water….[the] constant smell of burning plastics and chemicals in the air…issues with our dog…vomiting, acting lethargic. It's scary stuff here," he said Tuesday on "Tucker Carlson Tonight."
Izotic added that he and his family have returned home and live roughly two miles from where the incident happened. Although officials said it was safe for residents to return, he said his family still doesn't feel comfortable.
"As soon as we got [to] the Ohio line, we immediately smelled the chemicals yet again. And since then, I now have the chemical burns and reaction rash on my face, and my throat is getting irritated again and [I'm] feeling very uneasy. Very uneasy," he explained.
This photo taken with a drone shows portions of a Norfolk Southern freight train that derailed Friday night in East Palestine, Ohio are still on fire at mid-day Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Video journalist Nick Sortor told host Tucker Carlson the attitude on the ground in Ohio is one of annoyance and frustration with the Biden administration. He said he spoke with residents who told him the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hasn't talked with any of them despite living near the burn site.
"I spoke with a small business owner. Their business was right in front of where the explosion was. They can't get anything out of the EPA," Sortor said. "The federal government came in for a few days, took over their entire business, would not let them in."
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"[The EPA] also wouldn't talk to them and wouldn't give them a plan, wouldn't tell them anything. And that's exactly how it's going for everybody that's in this town. So they don't know if they're going to be abandoned by the federal government, and they don't know if their town is going to be wiped off the map."
HEPACO workers, an environmental and emergency services company, observe a stream in East Palestine, Ohio, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023 as the cleanup continues after the derailment of a Norfolk Southern freight train Friday. ((AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar))
"It's really sad when you're talking to these people because they are terrified that this town that they grew up in, that they've lived in for their entire lives, is going to be completely demolished by people having to leave; people scared to even come back to the town," Sortor continued. "There's a myriad of people that do not believe the EPA's assessment that the town is okay to go back into. So they just haven't bothered. And that is a really scary thing to think that the federal government cannot be trusted enough to be able to tell us whether or not it's safe to go in an area like this."
West Virginia American Water, a utility company that monitors water quality along the Ohio River, said it was enhancing its water treatment process as a precaution and that it was going to install a secondary intake on the Guyandotte River in case there is a need to switch to an alternate water source.
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The EPA's Great Lakes region tweeted on Tuesday that it had screened 396 homes and no detections of vinyl chloride or hydrogen chloride were identified, with 64 additional homes still left to screen.
"At this time, our air monitoring has not detected any levels of health concern that can be attributed to the incident," EPA Great Lakes wrote.