John,
Just a few weeks ago, the EPA announced that they were taking control of the cleanup of the East Palestine train derailment.
And ever since, it’s been disaster after disaster.
The latest? At a press conference earlier this week, the agency promised to notify elected officials and state agencies before approving the shipment of any waste from the derailment site to another state — they didn’t.
On Tuesday, Governor Holcomb pushed back on the agency’s decision to transport hazardous materials from the derailment to an Indiana facility without advance notice and after the state conveyed it should be transported to the nearest facility to the derailment.
Here's what he had to say —
“I continue to object to the EPA Administrator’s decision, from Washington, D.C., to move hazardous waste from the East Palestine train derailment to Indiana. Further, there has been a lack of communication with me and other Indiana officials about this decision.
“After learning third-hand that materials may be transported to our state yesterday [Monday], I directed my environmental director to reach out to the agency. The materials should go to the nearest facilities, not moved from the far eastern side of Ohio to the far western side of Indiana. I have made a request to speak to the administrator to discuss this matter. I want to know exactly what precautions will be taken in the transport and disposition of the materials.”
Governor Holcomb is right — the materials should go to the nearest facilities, not hundreds of miles across state lines, and not without increased oversight.
The Biden administration has once again shown its incompetence and must be held accountable.
— Indiana Republican Party HQ
