Hostile reaction greets Biden during East Palestine visit a year after train derailment

Just over a year after a fiery derailment shocked East Palestine, Ohio and the surrounding area, President Joe Biden visited the area for the first time Friday.

He received a mostly hostile reaction from the predominantly anti-Biden crowd.

Some people in the small town near the Pennsylvania border expressed skepticism about the overture, questioning Biden’s timing, or condemning him outright for visiting too late.

“It sort of feels like the town doesn’t want him here,” said Brenyelle Kunkle, an East Palestine resident.

People were unclear about the purpose of Biden’s visit, she said.

Jamie Mentuick, an environmental activist from about 18 miles away in Madison Township, Ohio, said she hoped Biden would speak to locals so he could hear their stories.

“Biden owes the residents an explanation of why it has been a year,” Mentuick said.

A minority was thankful to the president for making the trip and for his administration’s response to the Feb. 3, 2023, disaster.

The president arrived by motorcade about 4 p.m. to visit the site in the eastern part of town where the Norfolk Southern train derailed, spilling chemicals into the area’s air and water. He spent about an hour at the site before leaving around 5:30 p.m.

Biden told residents he wanted them to understand “that we’re not going home, no matter what, until this job is done, and it’s not done yet,” referring to the federal government, the Associated Press reported. He did not explain why it took more than a year for him to visit.

He praised “Herculean efforts” by the federal, state and local governments to clean up after the derailment and fire, announced federal grants from the National Institutes of Health to study the short- and long-term effects of what happened and blamed the derailment on greed by the railroad company, Norfolk Southern.

“While there are acts of God, this was an act of greed that was 100% preventable,” Biden said after local officials briefed him on the cleanup and took him to the site of the derailment. “Let me say it again, an act of greed that was 100% preventable.”

In his remarks, Biden stressed that the federal government is holding Norfolk Southern accountable. He called on Congress to pass legislation sponsored by Ohio’s two U.S. senators that would require stronger protective measures for trains carrying hazardous material. He also asked Congress to make sure no one will have to pay federal taxes on any compensation they receive from Norfolk Southern.

Earlier in the afternoon, Biden visited Darlington Township, a few miles away and over the state line in Beaver County, according to U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Aspinwall, who traveled with the president. Darlington also was affected by the derailment, for which cleanup and mitigation work continues.

Biden’s tour of the East Palestine site was closed to local media, though TribLive witnessed the motorcade arrive. It was met with a mix of jeers and signs of support from a small crowd of residents. Some demonstrators held signs calling for Biden’s impeachment.

Diana Nicely, 72, lives in Lawrence County about 13 miles from the derailment site and was visiting her son and grandchildren in East Palestine. She said the derailment forced her son’s family to move temporarily to a hotel in Beaver County. She was upset Biden didn’t visit sooner.

“It is too late,” she said at a McDonald’s about an hour before Biden arrived. “He should have been here a long time ago.”

Thousands of people were forced to abandon their homes near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border as toxic chemicals spilled into waterways and vinyl chloride entered the atmosphere in a black plume following a controlled explosion a few days after the derailment.

Residents in East Palestine and Darlington have said strong chemical odors lingered for weeks. They raised concerns about how livestock, businesses and public health would be impacted.

Environmental officials declared air and water quality levels were safe after the derailment. Government officials set up resource centers for area residents in response.

The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to release its findings on the the derailment’s cause in June.

In the aftermath of the derailment, Democrats, including Biden, have been trying to pass the Railway Safety Act, which would create new safety requirements for trains, increase communication between rail companies and states, and require hazardous cargo to be properly classified.

Deluzio is a prime sponsor of the bill, and he rode with Biden during part of the visit Friday. Deluzio said he spoke with the president about the need to pass the railway legislation.

“The president being here in Beaver County and East Palestine, talking to people about the passing that bill, we need that pressure,” he said.

Responding to critics, Deluzio defended Biden. He said the president arrived only after receiving an invitation from East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway.

The mayor, a conservative who does not support Biden, said Wednesday he extended the invitation to the Democratic president because he thinks the visit will be good for his community, The Associated Press reported.

Deluzio said he also ensured that Biden visited Darlington, because residents there also were affected.

Biden has made news lately over gaffes that have resulted in questions about his age and fitness for office. Deluzio flew with Biden on Air Force One and traveled with him from Pittsburgh International Airport to Darlington.

He said the president was crisp and prepared for each of the many briefings he received, and he was focused on holding the railroad accountable for the derailment.

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw said in a statement the company has worked for the last year to help the area recover and is committed to the region into the future.

The railroad company said it has invested $104 million in community support, including upgrades to a village park, building a new rail safety training center and direct payments to residents and local businesses.

Norfolk Southern also has been tasked to clean up the site and perform other remediation work, under oversight from the federal government.

Conaway said in a statement that he believes the village will rebound from the derailment. He commended Norfolk Southern.

“This is a long process, and it’s going to take a lot to get cleaned up, but after what we saw tonight, I believe this village is going to be better than it was before the derailment,” Conaway said.

A few dozen supporters of former President Donald Trump, who came to East Palestine a year ago, protested in East Palestine’s business district before and during Biden’s visit.

Tim Moore of Darlington Township, said the government and Norfolk Southern have not done enough for residents. Moore, a Trump backer, said Biden showed up a year too late.

“He has billions to send to Ukraine, and we haven’t seen a dime,” Moore said, citing federal support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

But not everyone in town was against Biden’s visit.

John Ricci lives about three miles outside of East Palestine. Ricci said Biden and the administration have helped lead clean-up efforts and funneled funding into the town.

The site of the derailment is surrounded by new infrastructure and testing equipment. He said many federal and railroad workers have been patronizing local businesses following the derailment.

Ricci said many people in town support Trump and are against Biden out of pure partisanship.

“Biden has done a lot for this town,” Ricci said, “but some people are blinded by politics.”