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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (1391627)	2/17/2023 1:55:35 PM
From: Broken_Clock	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1572107

Biden admin: not safe for the EPA workers but SAFE for the poor residents of Ohio? +++ Submitted by 'BlueApples', Given the minuscule size of East Palestine, Ohio and its neighboring towns, it's clear that an arduous road lies ahead as the communities affected by the chemical spill engulfing the area look to resolve what is becoming one of the world environmental disasters in US history. With just about 5,000 residents, it's clear that the town itself is not equipped with the resources needed to address a problem that would overwhelm even the nation's largest metropolises. While the situation has finally begun to garner some national attention from mainstream media that initially seemed to blacklist the crisis, the gravity of the situation is still apparently lost upon the Biden Administration. According to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, the Federal Emergency Management Agency ("FEMA") has denied his state's request for federal assistance for the residents of East Palestine. Governor DeWine spoke with White House officials on Thursday morning to apprise them of developments and concerns surrounding the release of chemicals into the air, soil, and water since the disaster occurred on February 3rd that was exacerbated by a controlled burn of the toxic material. According to a press release from DeWine's office “FEMA continues to tell Governor DeWine that Ohio is not eligible for assistance at this time." No one from New Orleans could be reached for comment. "Governor DeWine will continue working with FEMA to determine what assistance can be provided.” Dan Tierney, a spokesman for DeWine's office said, expounding on the revelation by explaining that FEMA determined that the basis of the disaster laid outside of the qualifications for federal assistance from their agency. FEMA asserted that assistance from its agency pertains to "traditional" disasters like tornadoes, hurricanes, and the like. “You are eligible for FEMA assistance when you have problems that aren’t covered by third parties,” said Tierney. “The system is set up so taxpayers are the payers of last resort.” DeWine's office stated it also requested direct support from the US Department of Health and Human Services, Health and Emergency Response Team, and one of the great beacons of the interest of public health and well-being -- the CDC. Nevertheless, the situation rapidly spiraling out of control has made it impossible for Biden's office to ignore in its entirety. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre apparently actually answered questions when she confirmed that President Biden had spoken directly with Governor DeWine about the need for federal assistance to curtail the ongoing damage. Jean-Pierre did advise reporters that the US Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") has been at the site of the chemical spill since February 4th, one day after the accident occurred. The press secretary assured the residents affecting by the disaster that EPA officials were working in concert with state and local officials leading the emergency response effort. East Palestine "Residents May Already Be Undergoing DNA Mutations," Class Action Lawsuit Alleges t.co — zerohedge (@zerohedge) February 16, 2023Despite vowing to provide the public with transparency into the federal response in that relief effort, EPA administrator Michael Regan offered curious remarks concerning the magnitude of the danger residents of the area face that conflicted with other assurances downplaying the risks. Regan explained that his agency categorized the disaster as a "fresh accident" that presented unsafe conditions on the ground that put EPA scientists and engineers in harms way. The EPA's reticence to offer a no-holds-barred response to the situation in East Palestine serves as a reminder of the lack of urgency that has been ascribed to federal institutions that the small town is depending on for resources in their handling of the emergency. Regan's remarks on the agency's role concluded with him offering the reassurance that he wanted to be sure that their response would not be putting anyone at the EPA into harm's way, despite the absence of a full-scale relief effort doing just that to residents of East Palestine. The EPA's position is that it will continue to monitor the situation in East Palestine so that it can identify when to safely send appropriate emergency personnel to the site.