Mike DeWine said Friday that he will open a clinic in East Palestine, Ohio, to screen people affected by the chemical spill in the Ohio River. According to the governor, medical professionals will be in the town starting Monday. He ruled out, however, that the measure was being enacted due to fears that the spill would affect air or water quality.
This is the governor's second attempt to get assistance to the area. On Thursday, he requested assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He had previously asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for help, but that organization, Fox News reported, declined.
However, the Biden administration on Friday approved HHS and CDC to mobilize to East Palestine and begin to care for those affected. This was announced by the White House in a press release:
The Federal Government stands ready to provide any additional federal assistance the states may need. Today, in response to Governor DeWine’s and the Ohio congressional delegation’s request on February 16 for additional federal public health support, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced they are deploying a team of medical personnel and toxicologists to conduct public health testing and assessments.
The mission of the teams that the White House will deploy to East Palestine will be to "support Federal, state, and local officials already on the ground to evaluate individuals who were exposed or potentially exposed to chemicals and help ensure timely communications to the public."
Northfolk Southern, responsible for the spill in East Palestine
DeWine also said he will hold Northfolk Southern, the company that owns the derailed train in East Palestine, accountable. According to statements reported by The Columbus Dispatch, Attorney General Dave Yost is "looking at this situation" and will be able to provide more information in the coming week. However, he has been clear that he will hold them accountable for what happened: "We're going to make sure that they fulfill their duty. They caused us problems," he said.
In addition, DeWine was disappointed to discover that Norfolk Southern declined to appear at the East Palestine town hall meeting: "The CEO needs to go to East Palestine. He needs to go there and answer questions."
