Biden rolls out health research grants in first visit to East Palestine

More than a year after a fiery train derailment left a toxic mess in East Palestine, Ohio, President Joe Biden on Friday arrived for his first visit to the area, armed with a raft of new research grants to study ongoing health impacts from the disaster.

The grants will go to six research universities for studying the short- and long-term effects of the Feb. 3, 2023, Norfolk Southern derailment, which released highly toxic vinyl chloride that was burned off to avoid an explosion. Though nobody was seriously injured in the derailment, residents say it spilled chemicals that fouled the water and released toxins into the air, causing health problems that persist to this day.

One of the grant recipients is Case Western Reserve University, about an hour and a half away from East Palestine.

“You’ll have a top researcher with you as long as you need,” Biden said.

Many in the area worry that Norfolk Southern's assistance programs will soon halt, and they have called on the federal government to pick up any slack. Residents have also chafed at how long it took Biden to visit the area, especially considering how quickly other politicians — including Donald Trump — responded to the area.

Biden also reiterated his support for a rail safety bill, introduced by Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown and Republican Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, that is languishing in the Senate.

This legislation would raise the cap on penalties for railroad accidents, improve equipment that detects problems with trains, strengthen inspections and implement a minimum crew size, among a host of other provisions.

“We have obligations to one another, and there’s nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together,” he said.