Republican Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance visited a pile of toxic waste in East Palestine, Ohio, on Monday and pushed for the Biden administration to transport the waste to licensed facilities.
Vance traveled to the waste site after he testified on Thursday about how the waste had not been removed from East Palestine weeks after a train derailment led to toxic chemicals contaminating the town. (RELATED: J.D. Vance Says Toxic Waste Is Sitting In The Middle Of East Palestine Weeks After Train Derailment)
Toxic chemicals are still just sitting in piles in East Palestine. President Biden: show some leadership and help these Americans clean up their community. pic.twitter.com/5wabioTSLI
— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) March 13, 2023
“But here’s the question, why is this toxic mound of dirt still here in the first place? Thousands and thousands of pounds of it, the reason is because the Biden administration and the EPA is making it harder to get this stuff into licensed facilities where it can be properly disposed of,” Vance said in a video posted to Twitter.
In the video, he is standing a safe distance from the mound of waste in the background. “I understand some states don’t want to take it, but ultimately you have to get this stuff out of East Palestine, and get it in properly licensed facilities or its going to continue to poison this community,” Vance continued, while gesturing towards the waste.
“There is no recovery for East Palestine until you get this stuff out of their community. It’s time for the Biden administration to show some leadership and help us get this stuff out of East Palestine.”
A Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine on Feb. 3. Days later a controlled burn was carried out to prevent a major explosion. Residents of East Palestine were ordered to evacuate from the town as toxic fumes from the controlled burn spread for miles across the area.
Since returning to the town, civilians have continued to report illnesses apparently from chemical exposure, despite assurances from state and federal officials that the town’s air and water are not contaminated.