Ohio Train Derailment Spurs Major Health Investigation

Clear Facts

• Vice President JD Vance and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a new investigation into the health effects of the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
• The NIH will conduct a five-year, $10 million research initiative to study the long-term health impacts of the chemical spill.
• Norfolk Southern reached a $600 million settlement with the victims of the derailment, including East Palestine residents.

Vice President JD Vance, alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has unveiled a significant investigation into the health impacts stemming from the Norfolk Southern train derailment that occurred in East Palestine, Ohio, in 2023.

This announcement marks a pivotal step in addressing the concerns of the residents affected by the disaster.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is set to spearhead a comprehensive five-year research initiative, backed by a $10 million budget, to delve into the health outcomes resulting from the chemical spill.

Kennedy Jr. emphasized the importance of this initiative, highlighting its focus on “epidemiological research, public health tracking, and surveillance of community members’ health.”

In a recent statement, Vance expressed his commitment to the cause, stating, “We’re finally going to study the effects of these chemicals and finally get to the bottom of what effect this terrible train crash and the ensuing consequences had on the people of East Palestine.”

He also took the opportunity to criticize former President Joe Biden for not collaborating with him on this issue during his tenure as an Ohio Senator.

“As much as I tried as a United States Senator to work with the Biden administration, they refused to do anything to actually study the effects of these long-term exposures on the people of East Palestine,” Vance remarked.

The derailment, which took place on February 3, 2023, involved a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous materials like vinyl chloride and butyl acrylate.

The incident led to a fire and subsequent evacuation of the area.

Authorities conducted a controlled burn of the toxic vinyl chloride to prevent what was feared to be a catastrophic explosion.

However, later revelations from the National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) indicated that the burn might have been unnecessary.

“It was stabilized well, well before the vent and burn,” the then-NTSB Chairwoman admitted during a Senate testimony with Vance.

“This town very well may have been poisoned to facilitate the rapid movement of freight, or at the very least, it was poisoned for reasons that we can’t identify,” Vance responded.

In April 2024, Norfolk Southern agreed to a $600 million settlement with the victims of the derailment, which included the residents of East Palestine.

Despite this settlement, concerns remain about the safety of the town’s water supply, with some residents claiming they still cannot drink the tap water due to chemical contamination.

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