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Can't believe the train derailment in Ohio isn't getting more love. We are so fucked...
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Mission to CFB's National Championship accomplished. But the shine on the NC Trophy is embarrassingly wearing off. It's M B-Ball ..... or hockey or volley ball or name your college sport favorite time ...... until next year.Comment
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What kind of "love" do you want? Jesus.
What We Know About the Train Derailment in Ohio
On Feb. 3, a train derailed in the village of East Palestine, setting off evacuation orders, a toxic chemical scare and a federal investigation.
Feb. 14, 2023, 2:22 p.m. ET
Leer en español In early February, a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in eastern Ohio, igniting a fire that covered the town of East Palestine in smoke. Fearful of a major explosion, the authorities carved out an evacuation zone and carried out a controlled release of toxic fumes to neutralize burning cargo inside some of the train cars.
Residents feared for their health as concerns have mounted about the effect the derailment and the fire could have on the environment and the transportation network.
Here’s what we know. What happened?
Around 9 p.m. on Feb. 3, a train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, a village of about 4,700 residents about 50 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. There were 150 cars on the route from Madison, Ill., to Conway, Pa. The National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating, said on Feb. 14 that 38 cars derailed and a fire ensued, which damaged another 12 cars.
The train, operated by Norfolk Southern, had been carrying chemicals and combustible materials, with vinyl chloride, a toxic flammable gas, being of most concern to investigators. A huge fire erupted from the derailment, sending thick billowing smoke into the sky and over the town. Residents on both sides of the Ohio-Pennsylvania border were ordered to evacuate, as Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio raised alarms about a possible explosion.
Local and federal officials started an investigation that involved the N.T.S.B. and the Environmental Protection Agency. The N.T.S.B. said its investigation included examining tank car fittings, the locomotive event data recorder and surveillance video from a residence that showed what appeared to be the failure of a wheel bearing moments before the derailment. Image
Environmental workers placed booms in a stream near the site of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.Credit...Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press
A preliminary report is expected in two weeks, it said. Has there been harm to the environment?
The derailment has caused concerns about air, soil and water pollution.
On Feb. 10, the E.P.A. said that about 20 rail cars were reported to have been carrying hazardous materials. Chemicals including vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate and ethylene glycol monobutyl ethers were “known to have been and continue to be” released to the air, surface soil and surface waters, the E.P.A. said.
On Feb. 12, the E.P.A., after monitoring the air, said it had not detected contaminants at “levels of concern” in and around East Palestine, although residents might still smell odors. Working with Norfolk Southern and the Columbiana County Emergency Management Agency, the E.P.A. had screened the air inside about 290 homes as of Feb. 13, and said it had not detected vinyl chloride or hydrogen chloride, which could cause life-threatening respiratory issues.
An additional 181 homes were still awaiting screening as of Feb. 13, the agency said.
Fearing an explosion, the authorities performed a controlled release of the toxic materials from five train car tankers on Feb. 6, and the contents were diverted to a trench and burned off.
Precautionary measures were being taken in the wider region, particularly in states using water from the Ohio River. Image
Norfolk Southern Railways set up an assistance center for people affected by the derailment.Credit...Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press
The West Virginia subsidiary of American Water, which provides water services in 24 states, said on Feb. 12 that it had not detected any changes in the water at its Ohio River intake site. Still, the company installed a secondary intake on the Guyandotte River in case an alternate source was needed. The subsidiary, which serves more than half a million people, has also enhanced its treatment processes.
The Evansville Water and Sewer Utility in Indiana, which draws water from the Ohio River for its treatment plant, was also monitoring and testing the waterway.
“There is a slim chance that we will detect contamination from this spill at our site because our structure is around 700 river miles away from the spill,” said Ella Johnson-Watson, a spokeswoman for the utility. Residents were evacuated and face uncertainty.
Just after the derailment, 1,500 to 2,000 residents in East Palestine were told to evacuate the area. Schools were closed for the week, along with some roads. Norfolk Southern said it had donated $25,000 to help the American Red Cross set up shelters and deal with the influx of people.
On Feb. 6, Mr. DeWine extended the evacuation order to include anyone in a 1- by 2-mile area surrounding East Palestine, including parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania.
On Feb. 8, the governor’s office announced that residents were permitted to return home after air quality samples measured contaminants below levels of concern. The East Palestine Water Treatment Plant said it had not seen adverse effects. Norfolk Southern said in a statement that its own experts and contractors were testing water from private wells, although those homeowners were encouraged to use bottled water.
Norfolk Southern said on Feb. 14 that it also had provided more than $1.2 million in reimbursements and cash advances to families to help cover evacuation costs for lodging, travel, food, clothes and other items.
There have been no reports of injuries or deaths from the derailment, but on social media and in news reports, some residents said that fish and frogs were dying in local streams and people have shared images of dead animals or said they smelled chemical odors around town. The arrest of a reporter during a news conference about the derailment led to online criticism of the law enforcement response.
Residents of the area have complained of headaches and feeling sick since the derailment. A federal lawsuit filed by two Pennsylvania residents is seeking to force Norfolk Southern to set up health monitoring for residents in both states, The Associated Press reported, and to pay for related care for those in a 30-mile radius. How long will it take to get back to normal?
Ten days after the derailment, Senator J.D. Vance, Republican of Ohio, said in a statement on Twitter that it was a “complex environmental disaster” that would require long-term study.
“Many questions remain unanswered about the quality of the braking system used, the durability of the repair parts in the trains, and the Transportation Department’s regulatory approach to our nation’s rail system,” he said.
In 2017, regulations requiring braking system upgrades for trains carrying hazardous materials were rolled back.
The E.P.A. informed Norfolk Southern on Feb. 10 that it might be responsible for costs associated with the cleanup of the site. The agency did not offer details about when the site might be considered completely returned to normal.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is working on a two-stage cleanup, starting with the removal of materials from the site before moving to an assessment for a remediation plan, a spokesman said.
I feel like I am watching the destruction of our democracy while my neighbors and friends cheer it onComment
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It's bad for the immediate area near the crash. Seems like it killed some fish and other wildlife within 10 miles of the crash site. But still seems pretty localized as far as I can tell. I'm certainly no expert on saying what concentration is needed to cause long-term harm to humans.Originally posted by foxhopper View Post
But I've also seen a lot of gibberish about the derailment online. People are posting maps of the entire Ohio River drainage basin and acting like the entire thing, including cities upstream from the Ohio (Columbus and Nashville two examples) just had their water supplies effectively ruined.
I've seen hyperbolic posts about how any reporter who dares to tell the truth is getting ARRESTED! As far as I can tell one guy got arrested. For less than 12 hours. It was stupid overreach by the cops and the head of the Ohio National Guard who tried to get him to stop doing a live shot in the back of a gym while DeWine was talking.
A similar crash happened near Philadelphia in 2012. I know other chemicals were involved too but this was specifically a major vinyl chloride leak.
Microsoft Word - FACT SHEET Paulsboro Aug 12 2014.docx (nj.gov)Comment
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Basically this is the kind of story where anti-fracking environmentalists find common ground with chemtrails rightwing nuts. And at least online those two groups are pushing the story hard.
Don't get me wrong. It could be hazardous in that area. Especially downwind in PA. Videos of lots of dead minnows and fish that I've seen were filmed in a town called Negley. That's just 4 miles downstream of East Palestine. There's reason to be worried if you're within a day's walk of East Palestine, mainly south and east, and I feel bad for these people. But beyond that I don't think we've seen reason to panic. There's an awful lot of fearmongering taking place when people 500 miles downstream are being told to forget about ever drinking their tap water again or that 10M+ people have been affected.
And most times someone says "the media isn't reporting on this" they mean to say "I watched tv for an hour and NOTHING!". There's tons of print stories about it online.Comment
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I'm sure glad we have Pete Butt-itch-itch looking out for us.Comment
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And while that fast track to Fantasyland speeds onward, just how many gun owners are just going to leave their guns out for the authorities to take them away? Probably about zero, So they'll just have to search every closet, basement, attic, garage and shack in the woods to find them. Anne Frank hiding from the Nazis would have to hold about 400 million beers while listening to the stories that would come out of that turn of events.Originally posted by Mike View Post
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I had a lot of weapons. A virtual arsenal. Had. Past tense. Let me state for the record here, publicly, that all of my guns were lost in an unfortunate boating accident. Damn my bad luck."The problem with quotes on the Internet is that it is sometimes hard to verify their authenticity." -Abraham LincolnComment
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The Titanic?"in order to lead America you must love America"Comment
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Lusitania.Shut the fuck up Donny!Comment
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I feel like I am watching the destruction of our democracy while my neighbors and friends cheer it onComment
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You know what day it is...
I feel like I am watching the destruction of our democracy while my neighbors and friends cheer it onComment
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Are Dem/Progs REALLY serious about "sensible" gun control laws?
Okay.
Why not start with controlling guns along Seven Mile Road? That is one of the most violent areas in the state, and maybe even in the midwest. How about Cass Corridor? How about the north end of Flint? All of Saginaw? Pontiac?
Send some task forces into THOSE areas and start taking away guns from bad guys.
But no. Any legislation that will be written, passed and signed into law by Gretch will be aimed at law-abiding gun owners who have absolutely nothing to do with the gun violence in the state. They don't have the BALLS to make laws that go after the real bad guys. The tough neighborhoods. The places where even cops don't go to after dark.
Nope. They want to go out in the rural areas to Joe Farmer's place, and take away his 9MM.
Pandering fools. They won't go into the "tough" areas because there are V.O.T.E.R.S. there that vote for them. Its all political.
"in order to lead America you must love America"Comment
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Biden Administration:
Kamala...disaster.
Mayor Pete Buttplug...disaster.
Mayorkas...disaster.
Blinken...disaster.
...and that's before mentioning the biggest disaster...The Big Guy...
Shut the fuck up Donny!Comment
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