The small town of East Palestine, Ohio, is receiving much needed help from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after a toxic train derailment last week.
The EPA is demanding that the train operator, Norfolk Southern, pay for the costs of the cleanup. The agency is also providing assistance to the town in order to help with the recovery process.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler visited the site of the derailment on Wednesday and drank tap water from the area to show solidarity with the residents. The gesture was met with heavy criticism from those who felt it was inappropriate.
The EPA is also working with local politicians to secure a safe food supply for the town. Brad Martin and Aaron Clark-Ginsberg, two local politicians, have argued that the derailment is a greater threat to national security than a Chinese balloon that recently floated over the United States.
The EPA has promised to help East Palestine in any way it can and will continue to work with local officials to ensure the safety of the residents.