Ohio Governor Mike DeWine requested a major disaster declaration on Monday from the Biden administration for East Palestine, 150 days after the Norfolk Southern train derailment.
In a letter to President Joe Biden, the state’s Republican governor explained that the deadline to make the request was Monday, after the Federal Emergency Management Agency refused to grant an extension, while the state “continues to evaluate long term needs” stemming from the early February train incident. DeWine added that assistance to the community from Norfolk Southern, which faces litigation over the derailment and just announced last Friday that it would sue rail car owners over cleanup costs, is not guaranteed.
“The possibility remains that the voluntary support provided by Norfolk Southern could at some point in the future cease, and this Declaration is needed to ensure that the State and Federal government use all resources available to step in and provide the community with needed…
