The recent train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio has sparked a war of words between former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden. Trump, who visited the town on Wednesday, accused the Biden administration of failing to mount a robust response to the accident, which occurred on February 3rd and caused fears of air and water contamination. The White House responded by pointing out that during Trump’s tenure, regulatory standards requiring trains carrying hazardous materials to be equipped with more sophisticated brake systems were rolled back.
The derailment has also highlighted long-standing issues between rail companies and their workers. Labour groups have argued that weakened regulatory standards, staffing cuts, and a lack of paid sick leave have all contributed to the safety concerns. In December 2022, Biden signed a bill imposing a contract on rail workers after negotiations between worker unions and railroad companies broke down and the threat of a nationwide strike loomed. The bill included a pay increase for workers but did not address other issues. An amendment to the bill that would have included seven days of paid sick leave for railroad workers failed to pass the US Senate, with 42 Republicans and one Democrat voting it down.
The EPA has said that testing inside homes near the crash has not shown contamination of drinking water or air, but Ila Cote — a toxicologist who worked at the EPA for nearly 30 years — has warned of potential long-term damage. Cote said that “if people had been highly exposed to vinyl chloride, they would incur increased risk of cancer”.
The dispute between Trump and Biden could come to a head in 2024 if they are both selected as the nominee for their respective party. Trump launched his campaign in November, while Biden is seen as the likely candidate for the Democratic Party. Trump is being challenged for the nomination in the Republican Party by candidates like Nikki Haley, the former US envoy to the United Nations, though Trump still holds substantial influence among the party’s voters.
The train derailment in East Palestine has highlighted the need for greater oversight of rail operations and improved safety standards for workers. The Biden administration has defended its response to the accident, stating that government entities including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Transportation Safety Board arrived at the crash site within hours. However, labour groups have argued that weakened regulatory standards and staffing cuts have all contributed to safety concerns. The bill signed by Biden in December 2022 included a pay increase for workers but did not address other issues such as quality of life and paid sick leave. It remains to be seen whether further action will be taken to ensure that similar accidents do not occur in the future.