“I’m personally not a Trump fan like everyone else here,but I don’t care who shows up,as long as they help us.”
While Trump’s visit was broadly welcomed,the White House hit back at the former president for undoing Obama-era rail safety measures that were designed to avert such disasters.
Among them was a 2015 proposal to require advanced braking systems on certain trains carrying highly flammable material,which was later withdrawn by the Trump administration,as well as a push to end regular safety audits of railroads and require at least two crew members on freight trains.
The rail industry,which has about 1000 derailments a year according to government figures,has also lobbied aggressively against broader reform.
Joe Biden,meanwhile,has come under fire for not visiting East Palestine – including from the town’s mayor Trent Conoway,who described thepresident’s decision to go to Ukraine before Ohio as “a slap in the face”.
However,in a series of tweets,Biden hit back at his critics,and called on Congress to enact safety measures to mitigate future disasters.
“For years,elected officials – including the last admin – have limited our ability to implement and strengthen rail safety measures,” he said.
“Heck,many of the elected officials pointing fingers right now want to dismantle the EPA – the agency that is making sure this clean-up happens.
“Rail companies have spent millions of dollars to oppose commonsense safety regulations. And it’s worked. This is more than a train derailment or a toxic waste spill – it’s years of opposition to safety measures coming home to roost.”
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Buttigieg will meet community leaders in East Palestine and receive an update on the ongoing investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board,which is expected to issue its initial findings.
“As the secretary said,he would go when it is appropriate and wouldn’t detract from the emergency response efforts,” his spokeswoman said in response to criticism that it had taken him too long to visit.
“The secretary is going now that the EPA has said it is moving out of the emergency response phase and transitioning to the long-term remediation phase.”