East Palestine Train Derailment  (Curtis Walsh)

President Joe Biden ordered federal agencies to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for its February derailment in eastern Ohio and appoint a FEMA official to oversee East Palestine’s recovery, but he stopped short of declaring a disaster. The lack of a disaster declaration has been a key concern for many residents of the area where the derailment happened near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. Officials have said this situation doesn’t easily fit the definition of a disaster because Norfolk Southern is paying to clean up the mess and help the town recover. Still, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine requested a disaster declaration back in July to make sure any unmet needs would be covered.