Ohio Train Wreck Prompts EPA Internal Inquiry and Calls for Transparency
The US Environmental Protection Agency's internal watchdog division is launching an investigation into the handling of the East Palestine train wreck, which caused a toxic disaster in the small Ohio town. The agency's response to the train crash has drawn intense criticism from the town's residents and public health advocates who say it has failed to fully protect East Palestine from toxic chemicals released from train cars and a controlled burn of vinyl chloride in the days after the wreck. The investigation will focus on hazardous waste disposal, air and water monitoring, soil and sediment sampling, and risk communication.