Under scrutiny for what Republicans and Democrats are calling a slow response to the fiery Norfolk Southern Railway train derailment on Feb. 3 in eastern Ohio, Secretary of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg sent a letter on Feb. 19 to the railroad’s CEO demanding that the company “demonstrate unequivocal support for the people” of East Palestine as the village continues to recover from the disaster.
Buttigieg’s letter was sent shortly after Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw visited East Palestine on Feb. 17.
“Norfolk Southern must live up to its commitment to make residents whole - and must also live up to its obligation to do whatever it takes to stop putting communities such as East Palestine at risk,” Buttigieg wrote. “This is the right time for Norfolk Southern to take a leadership position within the rail industry, shifting to a posture that focuses on supporting, not thwarting, efforts to raise the standard of U.S. rail safety regulation.”
“It is imperative that your company be unambiguous and forthright in its commitment to take care of the residents - now and in the future,” Buttigieg added.
On Feb. 3, an eastbound Norfolk Southern Railway train of 151 cars derailed in East Palestine. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), “38 rail cars derailed, and a fire ensued which damaged an additional 12 cars.”
“There were 20 total hazardous material cars in the train consist—11 of which derailed,” an NTSB statement read.
Fears escalated in the immediate aftermath of the crash. Seeking to avoid an explosion, officials decided to release and burn vinyl chloride from five rail cars, which sent flames and black smoke billowing into the sky once more.
Vinyl chloride, a chemical used to make PVC pipes and other products, has received extensive attention as part of the emergency. The National Cancer Institute notes that vinyl chloride has been linked to cancers of the brain, lungs, blood, lymphatic system, and liver.
Other rail cars contained ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate, isobutylene, and butyl acrylate, which are all used in the making of plastic products.
Emergency response crews quickly reported chemical contamination in Sulphur Run and Leslie Run, two local streams.
While state and federal health officials say that testing shows that water and air are safe, residents in East Palestine and surrounding communities are complaining of headaches, vomiting, skin rashes, burning eyes, and other ailments.
While visiting East Palestine on Feb. 17, Shaw said, “I am here to support the community. We know we will be judged by our actions, and we are taking this accountability and responsibility very seriously.”
Shaw released an open letter to East Palestine residents on Feb. 16.
“When I visited East Palestine last week, you told me how the train derailment has upended your lives and how concerned you are about the safety of your air, water, and land. Many of you have also reached out to Norfolk Southern to share your fears, your anger, and your frustration.
“I hear you. We hear you.”
Shaw added, “[Norfolk Southern] will stay here for as long as it takes to ensure your safety and to help East Palestine recover and thrive.”
He said that “crews are cleaning the site thoroughly, responsibly, and safely,” and that the company’s Family Assistance Center “is helping community members meet immediate needs.”
Shaw also announced, “Together with local health officials, we have implemented a comprehensive testing program to ensure the safety of East Palestine’s water, air, and soil. And we have established a $1 million community support fund as a down payment on our commitment to help rebuild.
“I know there are still a lot of questions without answers. I know you’re tired. I know you’re worried. We will not let you down.”
The NTSB is investigating the cause of the derailment, Buttigieg explained. The Federal Railroad Administration is analyzing whether safety violations happened and will hold Norfolk Southern accountable if violations occurred.
Norfolk Southern and other rail companies have spent “ millions of dollars in the courts and lobbying members of Congress to oppose common-sense safety regulations, stopping some entirely and reducing the scope of others,” Buttigieg said.
These efforts have undermined guidelines on brake requirements and delayed the introduction of more durable rail cars to transport hazardous materials to 2029, instead of the “originally envisioned date of 2025.”
“We do know that these steps that Norfolk Southern and its peers lobbied against were intended to improve rail safety and to help keep Americans safe,” Buttigieg said.
In his letter, Buttigieg added, “It is clear that area residents are not satisfied with the information, presence, and support they are getting from Norfolk Southern in the aftermath and recovery. It is imperative that your company be unambiguous and forthright in its commitment to take care of the residents—now and in the future.”
Leaders Missing in Action
Multiple critics have claimed that Buttigieg should have been more vocal in the derailment’s immediate aftermath.On Feb. 5, before the controlled release the next day, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine warned, “Everyone in Pennsylvania and Ohio who’s in this area, you know you need to leave. You just need to leave. We’re ordering you to leave. This is a matter of life and death.”
Buttigieg appeared on three national TV news shows on Feb. 5 and wasn’t asked about the train derailment nor did he bring up the crash.
On Feb. 13, he made a public appearance at the National Association of Counties Conference, where he said that construction sites were outsourcing to white people and not hiring minorities but did not talk about the East Palestine train derailment.
Buttigieg discussed the crash in a Feb. 13 Twitter thread, writing “I continue to be concerned about the impacts of the Feb. 3 train derailment near East Palestine, OH, and the effects on families in the ten days since their lives were upended through no fault of their own.”
On Feb. 14, he wrote, “We’re constrained by law on some areas of rail regulation (like the braking rule withdrawn by the Trump administration in 2018 because of a law passed by Congress in 2015), but we are using the powers we do have to keep people safe.”
Buttigieg’s remark about former President Donald Trump prompted criticism from Ohio Republican Sen. JD Vance, who arrived in East Palestine on Feb. 16, explored the area, and addressed the media.
He was asked about the slow response to the derailment from the Biden administration.
President Joe Biden has not held a press conference about the derailment. The White House reported that Biden has no current plans to visit East Palestine.
“I haven’t spoken to President Biden. My message to him is pretty simple. One, the Department of Transportation, your Department of Transportation, has things they can do. Stop blaming Donald Trump, a guy who hasn’t been president for three years, and use the powers of the federal government to do the things necessary to help the people in this community,” Vance said.
“The second thing I’d say is, a lot of this is about leadership and just being available to people and making them realize—look, the biggest concern for the people of East Palestine is that they’re going to be forgotten in a week,” Vance added. “When the cameras disappear and the politicians are no longer around, are there still going to be people who are focused on them?
Buttigieg created further outrage regarding his comments about the train derailment when he said the East Palestine crash is one of “roughly 1,000 cases a year of a train derailing.”
“Look, rail safety is something that has evolved a lot over the years, but there’s clearly more that needs to be done because while this horrible situation has gotten a particularly high amount of attention, there are roughly 1,000 cases a year of a train derailing.
“Obviously, they have levels of severity, but where all of that points us to is a need to continue to raise the bar on rail safety,” he said. “And that’s especially true when it comes to rail that involves hazardous materials.”
Buttigieg’s response to the disaster has multiple legislators on both sides of the aisle questioning his competency and calling for him to step down.
At a recent hearing, Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee chairwoman Sen. Maria Cantwell (D - Washington) said, “This sector needs a more effective policeman on the beat. They need someone over at the Department of Transportation who is going to lead.”
In a tweet last week, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) wrote, “East Palestine railroad derailment will have a significant negative impact on the health and wellbeing of the residents for decades and there is almost zero national media attention.
“We need Congressional inquiry and direct action from Pete Buttigieg to address this tragedy,” Omar added.
On Feb. 15, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) posted on Twitter, “What is going on in Ohio? Corporations won’t answer for their negligence, EPA won’t answer about safety, Mayor Pete won’t show up.”
A day later, in a TV interview, he called for Buttigieg to step down.
“Yes, my gosh, he should have resigned after the rail strike. He should certainly resign now,” Hawley said. “Has he even been to East Palestine yet, Ohio? I mean, it’s terrible.”
On Feb. 16, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) encouraged the Biden administration to ask for Buttigieg’s resignation.
“Secretary Buttigieg refused to acknowledge the disaster in East Palestine, Ohio, until his intentional ignorance was no longer tenable,” Rubio wrote in a letter. “Even after acknowledging the tragedy, he continues to deflect any accountability for the safety of our nation’s rail system. The circumstances leading up to the derailment point to a clear lack of oversight and demand engagement by our nation’s top transportation official.”
On Feb. 16, Norfolk Southern was scheduled to appear at an East Palestine town hall meeting. More than 1,000 residents packed the high school gymnasium. Agencies like the U.S. EPA and the Ohio EPA were represented. Norfolk Southern decided to skip the event, citing safety concerns for its representatives.
Local government officials and residents were hoping that someone from the Biden administration would attend, but neither the White House nor his Cabinet was represented.
“Where’s Pete Buttigieg? Where’s he at?” one man in the audience asked.
East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway, who moderated the town hall, responded: “I don’t know. Your guess is as good as mine.”
East Palestine is in Ohio Republican Rep. Bill Johnson’s district. He attended the Feb. 16 town hall.
“The bright spot is that the federal EPA and the state EPA have worked well in partnership, hand in hand, and are beginning to make good progress in answering the questions as it relates to air quality and water quality in people’s homes.”
“So progress is being made, but we’ve got a long way to go, no stone unturned in making sure that the people here get answers to their questions,” Johnson said.
Johnson said he has not heard from Buttigieg and offered his grade of the Transportation Secretary’s response to the disaster.
“I give Secretary Buttigieg an F,” Johnson said. “I mean, he hasn’t shown up.”
Buttigieg has yet to announce plans to visit East Palestine, but Trump will travel to the village on Feb. 22.
In a tweet late last week, Donald Trump Jr. wrote, “Breaking News: Trump will visit East Palestine, Ohio next week. If our ‘leaders’ are too afraid to actually lead, real leaders will step up and fill the void.”
On Truth Social, Trump confirmed the visit.
“The people of East Palestine need help. I’ll see you on Wednesday!” Trump wrote.
