The head of the Environmental Protection Agency Michael Regan made a stop in East Palestine, Ohio, to speak with residents who continue to raise concerns about the health and safety of their town after a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials derailed there two weeks ago.
"Since the fire EPA air monitoring has not detected any levels of health concerns in the community that are attributed to the train derailment," Regan said at a press conference.
The latest reassurance from an official comes following reports of sudden animal deaths, complaints about headaches, and images of ominous skies reported on social media over the last two weeks.
Residents of the village with a population of about 5,000 people have said local, state, and federal agencies have not been forthcoming about the fallout of the derailment and controlled burn of the leaked toxic chemicals in the soil, water and air.
While stating that the Biden administration would support Gov. Mike DeWine with "anything the state needs" in order to recover from the derailment, Regan also emphasized how the rail company itself would be held accountable by the government.
"I am asking that [residents] trust the government, And that's hard. We know that there is a lack of trust, which is why the state and the federal government have pledged to be very transparent," he said.
Smoke from Canadian wildfires poured into the U.S. East Coast and Midwest on Wednesday, covering the capitals of both nations in an unhealthy haze, holding up flights at major airports and prompting people to fish out pandemic-era face masks.
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