U.S. railroad ordered to clean up Ohio train wreck as White House takes more heat

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered Norfolk Southern on Tuesday to "conduct all necessary actions associated with the cleanup" from the train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, over two weeks ago.

The federal agency said the legally binding order would require Norfolk Southern to identify and clean up contaminated soil and water resources; attend and participate in public meetings at the EPA's request and post information online; and pay for the agency's costs for work performed under this order, among other things.

The EPA warned that if Norfolk Southern fails to comply, the agency will perform the work itself and seek triple damages from the company.

"The Norfolk Southern train derailment has upended the lives of East Palestine families, and EPA's order will ensure the company is held accountable for jeopardizing the health and safety of this community," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement.

"Let me be clear: Norfolk Southern will pay for cleaning up the mess they created and for the trauma they've inflicted on this community," Regan continued.

The EPA said the order marks the transition of the multi-agency response from its "emergency" phase to a longer-term remediation phase.

A Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials, including vinyl chloride, derailed in East Palestine, an Ohio village on the state's border with Pennsylvania, on the night of Feb. 3.

According to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, 38 rail cars derailed, and an additional 12 cars were damaged by fire. There were no reported fatalities or injuries.

Fear of a possible explosion prompted hundreds of residents to evacuate from a so-called controlled release and burning of chemicals on Feb. 6, which discharged toxic and potentially deadly fumes into the air.

While residents have been able to return to their homes in East Palestine, they have reported incidents like burning eyes, ill pets or dead fish in waterways.

The EPA said on Tuesday that it had assisted with indoor air monitoring of more than 550 homes under a voluntary screening program offered to residents. No vinyl chloride or hydrogen chloride detections were identified above levels of concern.

East Palestine mayor Trent Conaway said on Monday that U.S. President Joe Biden's visit to Ukraine on America's Presidents' Day was the "biggest slap in the face" as his town continues to deal with the fallout of the train derailment.

"He doesn't care about us," Conaway said during an appearance on Fox News. "He can send every agency he wants to, but I found out this morning that he was in Ukraine giving millions of dollars away to people over there and not to us on Presidents' Day in our country. So I'm furious."

Biden made a surprise visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kiev on Monday, days before the first anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where he announced an additional 500 million U.S. dollars in aid, including more weapons, to the country.

On Monday afternoon, Ohio suffered another major safety incident after an explosion at a metal manufacturing plant in Bedford killed one person and injured 13 others.

"What in the world is Pres. Biden doing in Kyiv, rather than minding his own business in Ohio?" Steve Hanke, professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University, tweeted.

The United States needs "a government who will fight for the people and the people of its own country," Eric Reeves, a protester from Texas, said. "If you look at our cities in America, if you look at (what) America is in, we could be using all of that money, all of that effort here in America to help the people of America to do better."