Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine called for a congressional investigation related to the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, in a press conference on Tuesday.
DeWine specifically called for Congress to investigate the mistaken classification of the train’s chemical materials as “non-hazardous.” (RELATED: Sen. JD Vance Blasts Buttigieg For Focus On ‘Fake Problems’ After Toxic Train Derailment)
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on the train derailment in East Palestine:
“This train apparently was NOT considered a high hazardous material train … This is absurd and we need to look at this, and Congress needs to take a look at how these things are handled.” pic.twitter.com/eer956GJfo
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) February 14, 2023
“This train apparently was not considered a high hazardous material train, therefore the railroad was not required to notify anyone here in Ohio about what was in the rail cars coming through our state,” DeWine said. “This is absurd and we need to look at this, and Congress needs to take a look at how these things are handled.”
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) informed DeWine about the train’s classification on Tuesday, he said at the press conference.
A 150-car Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in East Palestine on Feb. 3rd. Authorities subsequently burned the toxic chemicals carried by the train in a controlled setting.
The burn has resulted in serious environmental contamination, forcing residents to evacuate the small town for several days after the derailment. East Palestine residents have continued to report illnesses caused by contaminated air and water resulting from the chemicals.
The controlled burn by Norfolk Southern was carried out with approval from local officials in order to prevent a deadly explosion, DeWine confirmed on Tuesday.
DeWine said he has been corresponding with Ohio’s Congressional lawmakers such as Republican Sen. J.D. Vance and Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown about the train derailment. He also said President Joe Biden called him and promised to give “anything [DeWine] needed” to assist with ongoing relief efforts.