President Joe Biden issued an executive order Wednesday to protect residents in East Palestine following the Norfolk Southern train derailment on Feb. 3.
The executive order will direct the following federal agencies:
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Health and Human Services Administration
- Department of Transportation
FEMA will be directed to designate a Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator within five days of the executive order to oversee long-term recovery efforts in affected communities.
Additionally, with this executive order, the request for a major disaster declaration pursuant to the Stafford Act will be held open.
The EPA will continue removing contaminated soils and wastewater from the derailment site.
Within 30 days, the EPA will report the status of air, soil and water monitoring to Biden and will continue to provide an updated report every 60 days.
Within 60 days, the HHS will provide a report on the public health testing that has been done to date. The HHS will monitor any impacts to public health that are a consequence of the derailment.
The HHS will also provide technical assistance to the affected states in the event that they consider submitting a proposal for services through the Medicaid program for individuals affected by the derailment.
The DOT will be directed to provide a report detailing the actions they are taking in response to the derailment within 60 days of the executive order.
According to a press release from The White House, Biden is initiating this executive order to ensure Norfolk Southern is held accountable for the train derailment and federal assistance is provided to impacted communities.
Norfolk Southern released the following statement regarding the executive order:
From the beginning, Norfolk Southern has committed to making it right in East Palestine and covering all costs associated with the clean-up. In the months since, we have made significant progress, keeping our promises to safely and thoroughly clean the derailment site, support the needs of the community, and invest in its future. We remain committed to East Palestine today, and into the future, and will continue to work closely with federal, state, and local leaders.
