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Why isn't the EPA offering trailers outside of town to any worried residents? News reports indicate that people seem to be being poisoned in their homes and st

Why isn't the EPA offering trailers outside of town to any worried residents? News reports indicate that people seem to be being poisoned in their homes and staying because they have no other place to go. Edit: Jeesh, of course I mean "why aren't the Feds overall offering trailers". I get the impression the EPA is currently organizing the remediation but that's a side-issue, darn it.

s1artibartfast 4y ago
Why do you think the EPA has trailers or is responsible for housing people? This seems to be the role of a disaster management organization
- joe_the_user 4y ago
  Shouldn't it be obvious I'm speaking of the Federal Government generally? What's more important? Stopping people being harmed or getting agencies functions right?
  - s1artibartfast 4y ago
    It was not obvious to me. You clearly said one thing calling out the EPA in an thread about the EPA. How am I supposed to infer you didn't mean the EPA.
ncallaway 4y ago
That seems like something that FEMA would be better prepared to do. I think FEMA should be in the role of protecting the individuals, evacuating people and providing food, water, heating and shelter. EPA should have more focus on directing the cleanup of the area, and making the area safe for residents to return to. And the railroad should be billed every penny of the costs of both.
- Alex3917 4y ago
  > That seems like something that FEMA would be better prepared to do. Given that FEMA is perhaps best known for poisoning people with toxic chemicals, who would really be the audience for this? https://grist.org/politics/people-are-still-living-in-femas-toxic-katrina-trailers-and-they-likely-have-no-idea/ https://grist.org/politics/people-are-still-living-in-femas-...
  - primax 4y ago
    I'd say FEMA are best known for responding to emergencies, and not poisoning people who have stayed in temporary accommodation far longer than it was intended for
excalibur 4y ago
That's FEMA's role, but otherwise that's a damn good question. Yes the company that caused the mess should rightly be on the hook for cleaning it up, but there's still a need for federal disaster assistance.
- bloopernova 4y ago
  The Ohio governor has not declared it a federal disaster area. This prevents certain aid from being used, but apparently FEMA is helping out. There seems to be a lot of confusion about who asked for what.
  - pmorici 4y ago
    That's not what was reported in the news. Sounds more like when the Ohio governor requested federal assistance he was given the cold shoulder. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-admin-turns-down-ohios-request-disaster-assistance-toxic-derailment https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-admin-turns-down-ohio...
    - excalibur 4y ago
      https://www.snopes.com/news/2023/02/17/ohio-train-derailment-fema/ https://www.snopes.com/news/2023/02/17/ohio-train-derailment... Debunked my own point along with that one. I'll take it :)
- award_ 4y ago
  I believe that has to be requested by the state and, to my knowledge, that has not occurred.
kunwon1 4y ago
I have read that the governor of the state isn't requesting much in the way of federal assistance, and hasn't yet declared a state of emergency, which may or may not be a prerequisite for such federal action. That being said, it seems to me that the entire situation is being used as a political football, which makes things murky. What everyone seems to agree on is that the residents on the ground are not getting the assistance they need.
- citilife 4y ago
  https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-explains-why-turned-down-disaster-relief-ohio https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-explains-why-tu...
- s1artibartfast 4y ago
  What types of assistance would require action at a federal scale? it seems like a pretty manageable problem at the state level. It seems like there is a huge outcry that "something must be done" without really examining what that something would be or reviewing what is already being done. Do people have shelter or need it ? Do people have access to medical care or need more? Are safety tests being conducted or not? Are cleanup plans progressing or being neglected?
  - jcrawfordor 4y ago
    Money. Most states have very little funding for emergency recovery, so it's routine to use a federal emergency declaration to authorize federal funding. In general with civil emergencies, the state has the authority but the feds have the money.
    - s1artibartfast 4y ago
      How much money and to do what?
      - ashwagary 4y ago
        Temporary housing for the residents most directly in harms way. Low interest loans for people needing to relocate permanently. Both can help people avoid long term health consequences if this is as dangerous as some observers claim.

s1artibartfast 4y ago

Why do you think the EPA has trailers or is responsible for housing people? This seems to be the role of a disaster management organization

joe_the_user 4y ago
Shouldn't it be obvious I'm speaking of the Federal Government generally? What's more important? Stopping people being harmed or getting agencies functions right?
- s1artibartfast 4y ago
  It was not obvious to me. You clearly said one thing calling out the EPA in an thread about the EPA. How am I supposed to infer you didn't mean the EPA.

ncallaway 4y ago

That seems like something that FEMA would be better prepared to do. I think FEMA should be in the role of protecting the individuals, evacuating people and providing food, water, heating and shelter. EPA should have more focus on directing the cleanup of the area, and making the area safe for residents to return to. And the railroad should be billed every penny of the costs of both.

Alex3917 4y ago
> That seems like something that FEMA would be better prepared to do. Given that FEMA is perhaps best known for poisoning people with toxic chemicals, who would really be the audience for this? https://grist.org/politics/people-are-still-living-in-femas-toxic-katrina-trailers-and-they-likely-have-no-idea/ https://grist.org/politics/people-are-still-living-in-femas-...
- primax 4y ago
  I'd say FEMA are best known for responding to emergencies, and not poisoning people who have stayed in temporary accommodation far longer than it was intended for

excalibur 4y ago

That's FEMA's role, but otherwise that's a damn good question. Yes the company that caused the mess should rightly be on the hook for cleaning it up, but there's still a need for federal disaster assistance.

bloopernova 4y ago
The Ohio governor has not declared it a federal disaster area. This prevents certain aid from being used, but apparently FEMA is helping out. There seems to be a lot of confusion about who asked for what.
- pmorici 4y ago
  That's not what was reported in the news. Sounds more like when the Ohio governor requested federal assistance he was given the cold shoulder. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-admin-turns-down-ohios-request-disaster-assistance-toxic-derailment https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-admin-turns-down-ohio...
  - excalibur 4y ago
    https://www.snopes.com/news/2023/02/17/ohio-train-derailment-fema/ https://www.snopes.com/news/2023/02/17/ohio-train-derailment... Debunked my own point along with that one. I'll take it :)
award_ 4y ago
I believe that has to be requested by the state and, to my knowledge, that has not occurred.

kunwon1 4y ago

I have read that the governor of the state isn't requesting much in the way of federal assistance, and hasn't yet declared a state of emergency, which may or may not be a prerequisite for such federal action. That being said, it seems to me that the entire situation is being used as a political football, which makes things murky. What everyone seems to agree on is that the residents on the ground are not getting the assistance they need.

citilife 4y ago
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-explains-why-turned-down-disaster-relief-ohio https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-explains-why-tu...
s1artibartfast 4y ago
What types of assistance would require action at a federal scale? it seems like a pretty manageable problem at the state level. It seems like there is a huge outcry that "something must be done" without really examining what that something would be or reviewing what is already being done. Do people have shelter or need it ? Do people have access to medical care or need more? Are safety tests being conducted or not? Are cleanup plans progressing or being neglected?
- jcrawfordor 4y ago
  Money. Most states have very little funding for emergency recovery, so it's routine to use a federal emergency declaration to authorize federal funding. In general with civil emergencies, the state has the authority but the feds have the money.
  - s1artibartfast 4y ago
    How much money and to do what?
    - ashwagary 4y ago
      Temporary housing for the residents most directly in harms way. Low interest loans for people needing to relocate permanently. Both can help people avoid long term health consequences if this is as dangerous as some observers claim.