JUST IN: Biden To Visit East Palestine — Site of Ohio Train Disaster — On 1-Yr Anniversary

President Joe Biden will visit East Palestine, Ohio on the one-year anniversary of the Norfolk Southern train derailment that became a toxic disaster.

The Feb. 3, 2023 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train that was carrying toxic chemicals outraged local residents, caused health and environmental problems, and led to calls for increased regulations. It also led to pressure on the president to visit the site, which he promised to do last March.

In a memo emailed to Mediaite Wednesday, a White House official announced and provided background on the trip and the Biden administration’s response to the disaster:

• In the wake of the Norfolk Southern train derailment on February 3, 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration mobilized a comprehensive, whole-of-government response to support the people of East Palestine, Ohio, and nearby affected communities. In February, President Biden will travel to East Palestine, Ohio, to meet with residents impacted by the Norfolk Southern train derailment and assess the progress that his Administration has helped deliver in coordination with state and local leaders to protect the community and hold Norfolk Southern accountable.
• Under President Biden’s leadership, within hours of the derailment, the Environmental Protection Agency deployed a team of trained emergency response personnel to East Palestine to aid state and local emergency and environmental response efforts. The Department of Transportation also arrived on scene within hours to support the National Transportation Safety Board in their independent investigation of the derailment. The Department of Health and Human Services worked alongside state and local health departments to conduct public health testing and offer technical assistance. Throughout the response and recovery process, the Administration has continued to closely coordinate with the Ohio Governor, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Health and local partners, including the Village of East Palestine and Columbiana County.
• As President Biden has said from the beginning, the Administration will continue to support the people of East Palestine and other affected communities for as long as it takes, including by using every available tool to hold Norfolk Southern accountable. President Biden pledged he would make Norfolk Southern clean up its mess in East Palestine, and his Administration is delivering. Last February, EPA ordered Norfolk Southern to clean up all environmental damage caused by the derailment, including cleaning or disposing of contaminated soil and water, as well as reimbursing the Federal government’s response costs. In September, President Biden issued an Executive Order directing that Norfolk Southern continue to be held accountable for the derailment and address any long-term effects to the community, and ensuring Federal assistance is available to affected communities should needs develop that are not met by Norfolk Southern.
• At the same time, the Administration has taken action to improve rail safety and continues to call on Congress to do their part by passing the Bipartisan Railway Safety Act.

The president told reporters eleven months ago that “I will be out there at some point.”