Opinion: Ohio's train derailment — not spy balloons — is the real national security threat


Brad Martin and Aaron Clark-Ginsberg
Sun, February 19, 2023 

Portions of a Norfolk Southern freight train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, were still on fire on Feb. 4, the day after the accident. (Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press)

Earlier this month, a threat with potentially serious consequences for the long-term national security of the United States presented itself — and not in the form of a high-altitude balloon.

It was a railroad derailment, in East Palestine, Ohio, which resulted in a discharge of vinyl chloride, a cancer-causing substance that response crews burned in order to prevent an explosion. Many organizations, including those responsible for the safety and well-being of the citizens of East Palestine, might not have viewed this incident as a national security issue. But it is, and as such, requires a more vigorous response, and certainly more attention than the spy balloon or balloons.

Consider, for starters, that “national security” encompasses not merely the external defense of the United States, but also the intelligence apparatus that supports its military operations, the defense against terrorist attacks, and the diplomatic efforts to secure allies and communicate with potential adversaries. All these actions and a variety of others are what nations do to protect their citizens. And while these actions are generally viewed apart from the things a nation does to promote prosperity and well-being among its people, they cannot be separated.

National security is about protecting a nation and its people and their well-being. Which means that certain aspects of infrastructure and services are so fundamental to this effort — fundamental to the very functioning of society — that their continued ability to function is also considered a national security issue.

A secure food supply, for example. Or energy supplies, public safety or protection against environmental threats. Yet last week residents of East Palestine were drinking only bottled water; livestock and fish are dying suddenly; the possible health and environmental outcomes, though they remain unknown, are quite possibly dire.

The rail disaster was not the result of an external attack, and although the specific reasons for the accident are still under investigation, it is no stretch to imagine that it was a slow-moving, internally created disaster of neglected infrastructure, leaner staffing models and watered-down safety requirements — a string of decisions favoring efficiency over safety, all resulting in the routing of hazardous cargo through places where people live. The implications of this disaster will no doubt unfold over decades, with invisible contamination hitting already vulnerable people and environments, and lingering long after the cleanup crews leave.

This disaster is not unique, either, but of a piece with many other slow-moving disasters, such as the water crises in Flint, Mich., and in Jackson, Miss.; or the Deepwater Horizon and Taylor oil spills; or the countless other unnamed and underreported disasters that tend to strike communities with already high levels of poverty, substance abuse and addiction, and poor health, as well as growing risk to greater climate shocks and stresses.

But the symptoms of the United States’ degraded infrastructure, as well as its dangerous practices of routing hazardous cargo through population centers, and its inadequately staffed response crews, highlight a troubling national security issue, too — one that would make mobilization for a major international response slow and precarious. If such systems and capabilities are already at a ragged edge during peacetime, in wartime they would likely collapse, the potential impact of which is likely far greater than whatever intelligence the systems on a high-altitude balloon might have collected.

This is not to dismiss airspace intrusions, but rather to suggest that collective attentions might be misplaced. The slow degradation of infrastructure and disaster response is less a spectacle than an overflying balloon, but the train derailment and chemical spill in Ohio has highlighted just how bizarre such a focus on perceived external national security threats has become. The far greater threat may be from within.

The defense and intelligence agencies will no doubt appropriately evaluate the threats from balloon overflights. Meanwhile, how to reduce the risk of the slow disasters unfolding with greater frequency and increasing severity is already well known. It takes investing in decaying infrastructure and hiring people to run and maintain it. It requires beefed-up safety regulations, a stronger social safety net and adequate funding for public health. These, too, are national security issues — ones that may be considerably more immediate than defense against airborne intelligence collection.

Brad Martin is a senior policy researcher at the nonpartisan, nonprofit Rand Corp. and the director of the Rand National Security Supply Chain Institute.

Aaron Clark-Ginsberg is a social scientist at Rand and a professor of policy analysis at Pardee Rand Graduate School.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

White House defends response to Ohio toxic train derailment






MATTHEW DALY
Fri, February 17, 2023 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Friday defended its response to a toxic freight train derailment in Ohio two weeks ago, even as local leaders and members of Congress demanded that more be done.

The Feb. 3 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, left toxic chemicals spilled or burned off, prompting evacuations and fears of contamination by wary residents distrustful of the state and federal response.

The White House said it has "mobilized a robust, multi-agency effort to support the people of East Palestine, Ohio,'' and noted that officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, National Transportation Safety Board and other agencies were at the rural site near the Pennsylvania line within hours of the derailment of the Norfolk Southern train carrying vinyl chloride and other toxic substances.

“When these incidents happen, you need to let the emergency response take place,'' White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday. “We did take action and folks were on the ground.''

EPA Administrator Michael Regan visited the site Thursday, walking along a creek that still reeks of chemicals as he sought to reassure skeptical residents that the water is fit for drinking and the air safe to breathe.

“I’m asking they trust the government,” Regan said. “I know that’s hard. We know there’s a lack of trust.” Officials are “testing for everything that was on that train,” he said.

No other Cabinet member has visited the rural village, where about 5,000 people live, including many who were evacuated as crews conducted a controlled burn of toxic chemicals from five derailed tanker cars that were in danger of exploding.

Administration officials insisted their response has been immediate and effective.

“We’ve been on the ground since February 4 ... and we are committed to supporting the people of East Palestine every step of the way,'' Jean-Pierre said.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who has faced criticism from lawmakers and the mayor of East Palestine for not visiting the site, said the Ohio disaster was just one of many derailments that occur each year. A train hauling hazardous materials derailed Thursday near Detroit, but none spilled, officials said.

"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 derailment,'' Buttigieg told Yahoo Finance.

He tweeted Friday that his department “will hold Norfolk Southern accountable for any safety violations found to have contributed to the disaster” and will be guided by the findings of the transportation safety board's independent investigation.

President Joe Biden has offered federal assistance to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been coordinating with the state emergency operations center and other partners, the White House said.

In response to a request from DeWine and Ohio's congressional delegation, the Health and Human Services Department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are sending a team of medical personnel and toxicologists to Ohio to conduct public health testing and assessments.

The team will support federal, state and local officials already on the ground to evaluate people who were exposed or potentially exposed to chemicals, officials said.

Since the derailment, residents have complained about headaches and irritated eyes and finding their cars and lawns covered in soot. The hazardous chemicals that spilled from the train killed thousands of fish, and residents have talked about finding dying or sick pets and wildlife.

Residents also are frustrated by what they say is incomplete and vague information about the lasting effects from the disaster, which prompted evacuations.

Regan said Thursday that anyone who is fearful of being in their home should seek testing from the government.

“People have been unnerved," he said. “They’ve been asked to leave their homes.” He said that if he lived there, he would be willing to move his family back into the area as long as testing shows it’s safe.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said he was glad that Regan visited the site, but called it "unacceptable that it took nearly two weeks for a senior administration official to show up'' in Ohio.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, who toured the crash site with Regan on Thursday, said he spoke with Biden on Friday and was assured that any assistance the state needs will be given.

“The president is all in on getting FEMA" to provide direct assistance and is "all-in on holding Norfolk Southern accountable,'' Brown told an online news conference.

Ohio state Sen. Michael Rulli, a Republican whose district includes East Palestine, said Buttigieg should resign over the Transportation Department’s inaction. “He has not even come close to being near ground zero and he should be ashamed,” Rulli said.

Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, who toured the site with Regan and Brown on Thursday, has generally supported the federal response but joined other Ohio officials in calling for more help from FEMA. Johnson sent a letter Friday asking EPA to provide detailed information about the derailment, including the controlled burn conducted last week and testing plans for air and water quality.

“The community must be able to trust their air, water, and soil is not a threat to their health following this train derailment," Johnson said.

David Masur, executive director of PennEnvironment, said there's been a "breach of public trust” in the wake of the disaster, stemming from lax oversight of freight rail and weak notification requirements for hazardous cargo, as well as lingering uncertainties about air and water quality and whether evacuated residents were allowed to return home too soon.

“Because there have been so many missteps, you can understand that the public is skeptical,’’ said Masur, who co-authored a report that detailed risks that trains carrying explosive and toxic materials pose to nearby communities. The report came after a 2015 CSX oil train disaster near Mount Carbon, West Virginia. A train derailed, exploded and burned for days, contaminating the Kanawha River.

While Regan’s visit was helpful, officials need to offer more than words or sympathy — and instead implement policies to protect the public health and prevent this from happening again, he said.

____

Associated Press writer Patrick Orsagos in East Palestine, Ohio, contributed to this story.

A man raises his hand with a question for East Palestine, Ohio Mayor Trent Conaway, center, during a town hall meeting at East Palestine High School in East Palestine, Ohio, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. The meeting was held to answer questions about the ongoing cleanup from the derailment on Feb, 3, of a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous material. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

BACKGROUNDER

Vinyl chloride, a chemical released in the Ohio train derailment, can damage the liver

High levels of exposure can cause cancer and a liver disease known as TASH. The health impact of lower concentrations are less known

BY JULIANE I. BEIER, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

Feb.18,2023

XINHUA/SIPA USA)

The freight train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio on Feb. 3, 2023 was carrying vinyl chloride, a chemical that can cause liver damage.

Vinyl chloride – the chemical in several of the train cars that derailed and burned in East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this month – can wreak havoc on the human liver.

It has been shown to cause liver cancer, as well as a nonmalignant liver disease known as TASH, or toxicant-associated steatohepatitis. With TASH, the livers of otherwise healthy people can develop the same fat accumulation, inflammation and scarring (fibrosis and cirrhosis) as people who have cirrhosis from alcohol or obesity.

That kind of damage typically requires relatively high levels of vinyl chloride exposure – the kind an industrial worker might experience on the job.

However, exposures to lower environmental concentrations are still a concern. That's in part because little is known about the impact low-level exposure might have on liver health, especially for people with underlying liver disease and other risks.

As an assistant professor of medicine and environmental and occupational health, I study the impact of vinyl chloride exposure on the liver, particularly on how it may affect people with underlying liver disease. Recent findings have changed our understanding of the risk.

Lessons from 'Rubbertown'

Vinyl chloride is used to produce PVC, a hard plastic used for pipes, as well as in some packaging, coatings and wires.

Its health risks were discovered in the 1970s at a B.F. Goodrich factory in the Rubbertown neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky. Four workers involved in the polymerization process for producing polyvinyl chloride there each developed angiosarcoma of the liver, an extremely rare type of tumor.

Their cases became among the most important sentinel events in the history of occupational medicine and led to the worldwide recognition of vinyl chloride as a carcinogen.

The liver is the body's filter for removing toxicants from the blood. Specialized cells known as hepatocytes help reduce the toxicity of drugs, alcohol, caffeine and environmental chemicals and then send away the waste to be excreted.

The hallmark of vinyl chloride exposure to the liver is a paradoxical combination of normal liver function tests and the presence of fat in the liver and the death of hepatic cells, which make up the bulk of the liver's mass. However, the detailed mechanisms that lead to vinyl chloride-induced liver disease are still largely unknown.

Recent research has demonstrated that exposure to vinyl chloride, even at levels below the federal limits for safety, can enhance liver disease caused by a "Western diet" – one rich in fat and sugar. This previously unidentified interaction between vinyl chloride and underlying fatty liver diseases raises concerns that the risk from lower vinyl chloride exposures may be underestimated.

Outdoor exposure and the risk from wells

In outdoor air, vinyl chloride becomes diluted fairly quickly. Sunlight also breaks it down, typically in nine to 11 days. Therefore, outdoor air exposure is likely not a problem except with intense periods of exposure, such as immediately following a release of vinyl chloride. If there is a chemical smell, or you feel itchy or disorientated, leave the area and seek medical attention.

Vinyl chloride also disperses in water. The federal Clean Water Act requires monitoring and removing volatile organic compounds such as vinyl chloride from municipal water supplies, so those shouldn't be a concern.

However, private wells could become contaminated if vinyl chloride enters the groundwater. Private wells are not regulated by the Clean Water Act and are not usually monitored.

Vinyl chloride readily volatilizes into the air from water, and it can accumulate in enclosed spaces located above contaminated groundwater. This is especially a concern if the water is heated, such as for showers or during cooking. Vinyl chloride gas in enclosed spaces can therefore accumulate. This effect is similar to recent concerns about fumes from natural gas stoves in poorly ventilated homes.

Although there are established safety levels for acute and intermediate exposure, such levels don't exist for chronic exposures, so testing over time is important.

What can be done? Anyone with a private well that may have been exposed to vinyl chloride should have the well monitored and tested more than once. People can air out their homes and are encouraged to seek medical help if they experience dizziness or itching eyes.

Juliane I. Beier, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Environmental Health, University of Pittsburgh

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Why the train wreck in Ohio is such a major public health disaster

Despite reassurances from public officials, concerns linger about a train derailment that released toxic chemicals

By TROY FARAH

SALON

Staff Writer
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 15, 2023 

Drone footage shows the freight train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, U.S., February 6, 2023 in this screengrab obtained from a handout video released by the NTSB.

 (National Transportation Safety Board/WikiCommons)

A massive environmental disaster has sent social media into a tailspin for days, following a train derailment in Ohio that leeched toxic chemicals into the ground, water and air.

On Feb. 3, a train of about 150 freight cars — many carrying several loads of hazardous materials — crashed and exploded in the town of East Palestine, Ohio. The tangled knot of boxcars operated by Norfolk Southern Railway shot out flames reaching 100 feet and sent a massive plume of coal-black smog into the air that could be seen for miles. Luckily, no direct injuries or deaths were reported. Five days later, crews ignited a controlled burn of the toxic chemicals in order to prevent a much bigger explosion, but the situation appears to be worsening.

The local motto for East Palestine, which has a population just shy of 5,000 people, is apparently "The Place You Want To Be," but that sentiment may be less popular right now. Residents and local news agencies have posted viral videos of streams and creeks cluttered with dead fish and frogs, as well as images of the sky darkened with black smoke. Reports have also surfaced that fumes sickened and even killed pets.

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Many are drawing comparisons to the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, which turned Pripyat, a city of roughly 50,000 people, into a ghost town. "We basically nuked a town with chemicals so we could get a railroad open," Sil Caggiano, a hazardous materials specialist, told WKBN.

On Feb. 6, Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, and Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Penn., ordered an immediate evacuation in a one-mile by two-mile area surrounding East Palestine, which includes parts of both Ohio and Pennsylvania. Five of the rail cars containing vinyl chloride, a toxic gas, had become unstable, threatening the risk of an explosion that would blast shrapnel and toxic fumes a mile in every direction, according to an analysis by the Ohio National Guard and U.S. Department of Defense.
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A controlled burn was seen as the best alternative, but anyone who directly breathed in the smog would be risking their lives.

"Based on current weather patterns and the expected flow of the smoke and fumes, anyone who remains in the red affected area is facing grave danger of death," DeWine's office warned in a press release. "Anyone who remains in the yellow impacted area is at a high risk of severe injury, including skin burns and serious lung damage."

A few days later, on Feb. 8, state officials told residents that they could "safely" return home, and the air was safe to breathe. However, they encouraged residents not to drink well water.

"Air quality samples in the area of the wreckage and in nearby residential neighborhoods have consistently showed readings at points below safety screening levels for contaminants of concern," DeWine's office said in a press release. "Based on this information, state and local health officials determined that it is now safe for community members to return to their residences."
Advertisement:

"If it's safe and habitable, then why does it hurt? Why does it hurt me to breathe?"

But some locals are distrustful of this advice, concerned by lingering odors of chlorine that are reportedly causing some individuals to experience headaches. "If it's safe and habitable, then why does it hurt?" Nathen Velez, a resident of East Palestine, said to CNN. "Why does it hurt me to breathe?"

"This is why people don't trust government," environmental activist Erin Brockovich tweeted on Feb. 13. "You cannot tell people that there has been and continues to be hazardous pollutants contaminating the environment while at the same time saying 'all is well.' People aren't stupid."

As more details emerge, the gravity of the situation only seems to worsen. In a letter sent to Norfolk Southern Railway on Feb. 11, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that in addition to vinyl chloride, four additional toxic chemicals were on board the train: ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate, butyl acrylate and isobutylene.

While these chemical names may sound like gibberish to most people, experts believe these substances pose critical health risks. Isobutylene, for example, is a flammable gas used to make airtight polymers such as bottle stoppers, O-rings or window seals. If inhaled, isobutylene irritates the lungs; it can also impact the heart and central nervous system.

Then there's ethylhexyl acrylate, a chemical used in paint binding and stain resistors. Inhalation or skin contact with the liquid can cause respiratory tract irritation and irritate the eyes and skin. Butyl acrylate is a colorless liquid with a sharp odor used in paints, caulks, sealants and adhesives. It can trigger difficulties breathing and irritation of the eyes and skin. On Wednesday, the Ohio city of Steubenville detected butyl acrylate in its water intake, though officials said it would be removed from the river using powder activated carbon.
:
Finally, there's ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, sometimes known as 2-butoxyethanol, which is used as a solvent, as well as to make paints and varnish. It can also irritate the eyes and lungs if inhaled, and it has been shown to cause cancer in animals, but data in humans is lacking.

The worst of the bunch, however, is seemingly vinyl chloride. Out of the roughly 150 rail cars, of which 50 derailed, five of them contained the stuff, a highly-flammable toxic gas with a faintly sweet odor that is used in the production of plastics like PVC, also known as polyvinyl chloride. (That poly part of the chemical name makes a big difference.) Vinyl chloride is extremely noxious to inhale. Our bodies readily absorb it, causing significant damage to the respiratory and central nervous systems.

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As the liver metabolizes vinyl chloride, it spits out a chemical called chloroethylene oxide, which subsequently binds to our DNA, essentially vandalizing it and increasing the risk of tumor formation. As such, massive exposure to vinyl chloride is associated with a host of lung, liver, brain and blood cancers.

But when the vinyl chloride was burned, the chemical reaction generates new corrosive chemicals: phosgene gas and hydrogen chloride. The first, which has a history of being used in chemical warfare during World War I, can cause coughing, blurred vision, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting and death. The severity of symptoms depends on the level of exposure, but phosgene has also been linked to low blood pressure, heart failure and coughing up white to pink-tinged fluid, which is a sign of pulmonary edema, or fluid buildup in the lungs.

As for hydrogen chloride, the compound is normally stable, but at high temperatures, it bonds to water molecules easily. This creates hydrochloric acid, which is highly corrosive. When it falls from the sky, it creates acid rain, which is known to kill trees and wildlife.

While some of these chemicals will quickly fade from the environment, according to officials, others may linger. As of Tuesday, Feb. 14, the EPA said it had screened 459 homes, with 39 remaining to be screened. "To date, no detections of vinyl chloride or hydrogen chloride were identified for the completed screened homes," the EPA said in a statement.

Salon has reached out to the EPA and will update this article if a response is received.

The EPA and other agencies are actively monitoring water for contaminants. So far, the derailment is reportedly far enough away from watersheds and local water supplies that it doesn't pose a risk to residents. Nonetheless, the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation has urged members to get the water from their local wells tested as soon as possible.

Given that an estimated 100,000 gallons of vinyl chloride was released into the environment, it's perhaps understandable that some residents are wary of such reassurances. Some residents have vowed to seek independent testing while a flurry of lawsuits are brewing.

No one should have to undertake complex chemistry lessons to figure out if their home is safe or not.

No one should have to undertake complex chemistry lessons to figure out if their home is safe or not. Despite the comparisons to nuclear disasters, the East Palestine train derailment has more in common with a 2012 train derailment in Gloucester County, N.J. Similar to the current incident, a train derailed after hitting a collapsed bridge and released 23,000 gallons of vinyl chloride that wafted into nearby Paulsboro, prompting evacuations.

Some, including DeWine, have questioned if these derailments are preventable with better regulation. At a Tuesday press conference, DeWine mentioned Norfolk Southern was not legally required to alert Ohioans regarding the toxic cargo.

"Frankly, if this is true — and I'm told it's true — this is absurd," DeWine said. "Congress needs to take a look at how these things are handled."

In fact, industry lobbyists have invested considerable effort into blocking reforms. Railroad Workers United, a cross-union rail workers' reform group, told The New Republic that the cause of the wreck "appears to have been a 19th-century style mechanical failure of the axle on one of the cars — an overheated bearing — leading to derailment and then jackknifing tumbling cars."

This mechanical failure could have been averted with better equipment, but reforms have been blocked. In 2017, rail industry donors shoveled more than $6 million in funds to Republican campaigns, including the Trump administration, which later rescinded rules related to train braking systems, according to The Lever. If the train had brakes from this century, this disaster could potentially have been avoided, but Norfolk Southern's "lobby group nonetheless pressed for the rule's repeal, telling regulators that it would "impose tremendous costs without providing offsetting safety benefits," the Lever reported.

Norfolk Southern responded to Salon's request for comment by referring to a pair of press releases detailing community assistance efforts, such as establishing a $1 million fund to support East Palestine community.

Until more data becomes available, it's difficult to say exactly how damaging and far-reaching the effects of this disaster will be. Given the scale of the problem and the risks involved, the public is right to demand answers. Clearly, the railroad industry could use more oversight to update trains from obsolete Civil War-era technology. Only time will tell whether the comparisons to Chernobyl or nuclear bombs are accurate, but updating our transportation industry is something that could help us all breathe a little easier.

By TROY FARAH

Troy Farah is a science and public health journalist whose reporting has appeared in Scientific American, STAT News, Undark, VICE, and others. He co-hosts the drug policy and science podcast Narcotica. His website is troyfarah.com and can be found on Twitter at @filth_filler

“Environmental disaster”: Ohio train disaster spews toxic chemicals after years of GOP deregulation

The East Palestine derailment is the "latest in a long string of corporate malfeasance"

By KENNY STANCIL
SALON
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 15, 2023 

Smoke rises from a derailed cargo train in East Palestine, Ohio, on February 4, 2023. 

(DUSTIN FRANZ/AFP via Getty Images)

This article originally appeared at Common Dreams. It is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License. Feel free to republish and share widely.

Progressives are demanding that U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg improve rail safety regulations in response to the unfolding public health disaster in East Palestine, Ohio—the site of a recent fiery train crash and subsequent "controlled release" of toxic fumes that critics say was entirely avoidable.

"The Obama administration attempted to prevent dangerous derailments like the one in East Palestine by mandating better brake systems on freight trains," Jeff Hauser, executive director of the Revolving Door Project, said Tuesday in a statement. "But this effort was watered down thanks to corporate pressure, first by writing in many exemptions to the proposed rules and then, under [former President Donald] Trump, by repealing the requirement altogether."

Recent reporting from The Lever revealed that Buttigieg's Department of Transportation (DOT) "has no intention of reinstating or strengthening the brake rule rescinded under Trump," said Hauser. "Additionally, The Lever reports that the train was not being regulated as a high-hazard flammable train, despite it clearly being both high-hazard and flammable. These types of failures to protect the public are invited by perpetual lax enforcement and laziness toward even getting back to the too-low regulatory standards under Obama."

"Now, all eyes are on Secretary Buttigieg," he continued. "For too long he has been content to continue the legacy of his deregulatory predecessor, Elaine Chao, rather than immediately moving to reverse her legacy upon becoming secretary."

"Norfolk Southern's environmental disaster is the latest in a long string of corporate malfeasance committed right under the secretary's nose," Hauser observed, referring to the company that owns the derailed train. "As I've warned before, corporations do not respect Buttigieg as a regulator."

Noting that "Chao justified letting trains run without proper brakes because the safety requirement failed a so-called cost-benefit analysis," Hauser cautioned that "this type of analysis is invariably weighted against fully accounting for the health and environmental benefits a regulation provides."

"Buttigieg should call out the brake rule repeal for the horrendous decision it was, start working to implement a new rule, take Norfolk Southern to task, and push back on corporations deciding how the DOT regulates them," he added. "Anything short of that only signals to the railroads that this type of incident will be tolerated."

Hauser was joined Tuesday by environmental activist Erin Brockovich, who tweeted, "The Biden administration needs to get more involved in this... train derailment now."

"We are counting on you to break the chain of administration after administration to turn a blind eye," she added. "STEP UP NOW."

After Buttigieg made his first public statement on the East Palestine disaster on Monday night—10 days after dozens of train cars careened off the tracks and burst into flames—The Lever's David Sirota issued a reminder that the transportation secretary is actively considering an industry-backed proposal to further weaken the regulation of train braking systems.

Sirota also urged people to sign his outlet's open letter imploring Buttigieg "to rectify the multiple regulatory failures that preceded this horrific situation," including by exercising his authority to restore the rail safety rules gutted by Trump at the behest of industry lobbyists.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., wrote Monday night on social media that the freight train crash and ensuing chemical release "will have a significant negative impact on the health and well-being of the residents for decades."



"We need [a] congressional inquiry and direct action from Pete Buttigieg to address this tragedy," added the progressive lawmaker.

Following the February 3 derailment of a 150-car train carrying hazardous materials—described by an inter-union alliance of rail workers as the predictable result of Wall Street-backed policies that prioritize profits over safety—officials ordered emergency evacuations before releasing chemicals into a trench and burning them off to prevent a catastrophic explosion.

It was already known that vinyl chloride, of particular concern to state health officials because exposure to the volatile gas is associated with higher cancer risks, had been released from several cars, and that other dangerous toxins such as phosgene and hydrogen chloride were emitted in large plumes of smoke.

However, citing a list of the derailed car contents that Norfolk Southern provided to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ABC Newsreported Monday night that several more toxic substances were released into the air and soil following the crash than originally thought, including ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate, and isobutylene.

As the outlet noted:

Contact with ethylhexyl acrylate, a carcinogen, can cause burning and irritation of the skin and eyes, and inhalation can irritate the nose and throat, causing shortness of breath and coughing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Inhalation of isobutylene can cause dizziness and drowsiness as well, while exposure to ethylene glycol monobutyl ether can caused irritation in the eyes, skin, nose, and throat, as well as hematuria, or blood in the urine, nervous system depression, headache, and vomiting, according to the CDC.

The U.S. EPA said Monday night that it "has not yet detected any concerning levels of toxins in the air quality that can be attributed to the crash since the controlled burn was complete," ABC News reported. The agency continues to screen individual homes in close proximity to the site.



Meanwhile, The Independent reported Tuesday that the Ohio EPA has confirmed the presence of chemicals, including butyl acrylate, in the Ohio River basin, potentially affecting up to 25 million people.

Contaminants reached the river from an initial spill caused by the derailment, but officials said they "were in low enough level that the river diluted them and said that downriver communities would not be at risk," the outlet reported. The state agency "has been monitoring water quality throughout the region and has not found contaminant levels at any levels they've deemed concerning."

Nevertheless, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has revealed that at least 3,500 fish have died in Columbiana County, home to East Palestine, since the derailment.

As the full ecological fallout of the disaster continues to come into view, many of East Palestine's roughly 4,700 residents fear that the air and water in the rural town they have been told is safe to return to remains hazardous to their health. At least 2,000 residents have returned, however, due in large part to a lack of viable alternatives owing to their limited resources and incomes.

Norfolk Southern, which reported record-breaking operating revenues of $12.7 billion in 2022, has offered to donate just $25,000 to help affected residents, amounting to roughly $5 per person.

The corporation announced a $10 billion stock buyback program last March and has consistently increased its dividend, rewarding shareholders while refusing to provide its workers with basic benefits such as paid sick leave.

"Rather than spending money to upgrade safety and staffing, Norfolk Southern engaged in stock buybacks and laid off employees," Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., tweeted Tuesday. "Union workers were ignored. The train went up in flames and toxic chemicals are causing a colossal environmental catastrophe. There must be accountability."

Czech president-elect warns against such Ukrainian victory which would ruin Russia


Source: Petr Pavel during a Ukrainian Lunch hosted by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation as part of the Munich Security Conference, European Pravda reports

Ukrainska Pravda
Sat, February 18, 2023

Petr Pavel, former NATO general who won the Czech presidential election in January 2023 and will assume his duties in March, believes that the West must be careful in calling for Russia’s defeat in order to avoid undesirable scenarios of such a defeat.

Pavel’s remarks came after Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that regaining control over Crimea and making sure Russia is punished on an international level is the only path available. Pavel, in his turn, said that the West ought to refrain from supporting either scenario.

"We have to be careful in encouraging Ukraine to achieve certain results. Ukraine might change its vision at some point," he added.

Pavel stressed that Russia’s defeat could occur in accordance with different scenarios, including some that the West should avoid.

"It might lead to Russia’s collapse… If Russia collapses, we might have more problems, we will not have anyone to negotiate disarmament with," he stressed.

Pavel failed to specify how he thinks the West should change its behaviour in order to prevent that from happening, but called on Western leaders to "be realistic: hope for the best but prepare for the worst".

Earlier in Munich, the US accused Russia of committing crimes against humanity during its war with Ukraine, and Poland said that it will consider handing over MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine.

It is worth noting that neither of the other participants present during the Ukrainian Lunch, including the prime ministers of Sweden, Finland and Estonia, supported the Czech politician.

‘I would be happy if the Russians came’ – Burkina Faso eyes Kremlin aid

Tom Collins
Sat, February 18, 2023 

A banner of Vladimir Putin is seen during a protest to support President Ibrahim Traoré and to demand the departure of France's ambassador and military forces, in Burkina Faso, Jan 2023 - Olympia de Maismont/Getty

Suddenly woken from her sleep, Nafissatou Ouedraogo could hear gunfire and screams. Living in northern Burkina Faso, the epicentre of a brutal Islamic uprising, she instinctively knew that terrorists would soon be at her door.

Hundreds of jihadist militants swarmed into the town of Arbinda on motorbikes that night in 2019, killing dozens, while ransacking shops and houses.

Ms Ouedraogo, who declined to give her real name, had moments to grab a few essential items before fleeing, never to return.

The primary school teacher headed to the west of the town, where she jumped on a lorry with her two children and husband to travel over 300 miles to the town of Dedougou.


“It was very scary,” she told The Telegraph. “Luckily, we managed to escape, but others were not so fortunate”.

Burkina Faso has ordered French troops to leave, just five months after Emmanuel Macron’s forces also made a complete withdrawal from neighbouring Mali - Michele Cattani/Getty

Burkina Faso has struggled since 2015 to contain an Islamist insurgency linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. Tens of thousands have been killed and years of French military assistance failed to halt the violence.

As frustration and anti-French sentiment have risen, the West African nation has ordered French troops to leave, just five months after Emmanuel Macron’s forces also made a complete withdrawal from neighbouring Mali.

Just as Mali has instead pivoted to Russia and its feared Wagner mercenary group for military aid, there are now concerns in Europe and the US that Burkina Faso will also turn its back on the West to seek Moscow’s help.

Such a move would be the latest success for the Kremlin in Africa, where it has made a hefty diplomatic push to gain influence and squeeze out its rivals, particularly France.

Using a tool kit including soft power, arms sales and military help, Moscow has focused on a strip of countries running from Mali to Sudan.

Sergey Lavrov, Russian foreign minister, recently used his third African visit in recent months to offer help to states battling armed groups.

Hailing Russia’s alliance with Mali, where 1,400 Wagner Group mercenaries are estimated to be deployed, he said military aid would be offered to others.

“This concerns Guinea, Burkina Faso and Chad and the Sahel region generally and even the coastal states on the Gulf of Guinea,” he said.

Three Russian mercenaries, right, in northern Mali. Around 1,400 Wagner Group mercenaries are estimated to be deployed in the country - French Army via AP

In December, Ghana’s president Nana Akufo-Addo said that Burkina Faso had already “reached an agreement” with the Wagner Group, a claim that was neither denied nor confirmed.

Ms Ouedraogo for her part said she would welcome Russia’s help to tackle the militants she fled.

“I would be happy if the Russians come to provide security,” she said.

Wendyam Hervé Lankoandé, associate analyst for West Africa and the Sahel at Control Risks, said Burkina Faso would potentially deepen its diplomatic and security ties with Russia to get weapons to fight military groups.

He said: “In the last few weeks we have seen Burkinabe officials going to Moscow to explore avenues to get military equipment.

“The Russian ambassador to Ivory Coast travelled to Ouagadougou a few weeks ago to talk about opening a Russian embassy in Burkina Faso’s capital city.”

Burkina Faso also granted a gold-mining permit to Russian firm Nordgold in December, although it has denied showing any favouritism.

It is unclear if Burkina Faso will embrace Russia as fully as Mali has done, however.

Sergey Lavrov, Russian foreign minister, recently used his third African visit in recent months to offer help to states battling armed groups - Phill Magaoke/AFP/Getty

Burkina Faso’s military junta, led by Ibrahim Traoré, who seized power during a bloodless coup in October, has tried to beef up security using local forces.

It has recruited more than 3,000 soldiers and 1,400 police officers to fight the insurgents, as well as a 50,000-strong popular militia group in the east and north where violence is the worst.

The arrival of Traoré has appeared to give the army a morale boost, although this has not translated into any notable victories. France’s withdrawal, expected later this month, should not lead to a sudden surge of territorial gains by the terrorists as there were only 400 French troops stationed in Ouagadougou, offering mostly air support.

Analysts believe Russian helicopters and drones to boost the country’s ability to fight terrorists will be at the top of any request for help.

The Wagner Group has played a leading role in the Kremlin’s African push and any involvement in Burkina Faso would see it propping up a military junta, as in Mali.

Josep Borrell, European Union foreign policy chief, earlier this month said the private military company had become the “praetorian guard of military dictatorships” in Africa.

Yet United Nations human rights experts have warned that far from bringing stability, the group’s ruthless tactics have created a “climate of terror and complete impunity”.

Last month, the experts said there were “credible reports” that Malian troops accompanied by military personnel believed to be Wagner mercenaries executed several hundred people in Moura, a village in central Mali.

Elsewhere, the group has been accused of abuses, including executions, rapes, torture and enforced disappearances.

After a year in the spotlight, moving natural gas remains a gauntlet for companies

In the 12 months since the invasion of Ukraine put the spotlight on American natural gas, industry observers lament a ‘missed opportunity’ for reform from DC.


Ben Werschkul
·Washington Correspondent
Sat, February 18, 2023

As far as natural gas projects go, the Mountain Valley Pipeline will be but a small piece of a U.S. gas transmission system, which currently spans roughly 300,000 miles around the country. But the 303-mile project has encountered long delays and is currently in year eight of its effort to move natural gas out of Appalachia.

The slowdown — amid a bevy of regulatory, environmental, legal, and political challenges — is emblematic of a complex approval process for pipelines around the nation that, perhaps surprisingly industry advocates say, hasn't gotten any easier in the last 12 months despite increased demand from Europe following Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Add to that the fact that the Biden administration vowed to ramp up liquid natural gas exports in response.

The divide is perhaps starkest around the Marcellus Shale Formation. It's there in Appalachia where an estimated 262 trillion cubic feet of natural gas sit but failed pipeline projects to get it out keep piling up. And the stakes could be close to home with growing fears the country’s chaotic energy system could lead to challenges to simply keep homes warm in New England and elsewhere in the coming years unless there is increased access to Appalachian fuel.

“All of those much needed projects suffered years of regulatory delay and lawsuits, eventually leaving them with no choice but to abandon the projects entirely,’” says Dustin Meyer, the Vice President of Natural Gas Markets at the American Petroleum Institute. “I think that’s a frustrating and frankly frightening precedent, especially given the magnitude of LNG demand that we are experiencing from our allies in Europe and around the world, and the commitments we’ve made to them.”

Lengths of pipe wait to be laid along the under-construction Mountain Valley Pipeline near Elliston, Virginia in 2019. (REUTERS/Charles Mostoller)

That's not the view of environmentalists, who aim to end projects like the Mountain Valley Pipeline. They charge that such projects are unnecessary and have, in fact, been slowed, not by regulations, but by a disregard for environmental concerns. But while the project organizers may shoulder some of the blame, industry advocates say the demand for this type of energy couldn't be clearer.
Inside the Beltway

The ongoing frustrations around projects like the Mountain Valley Pipeline comes as the conversation about changes from Washington heat up.

“LNG exports, natural-gas pipeline policy is just huge right now,” says Devin Hartman, a former energy official and currently the director of Energy and Environmental Policy at the R Street Institute.

He says the outcome of ongoing debates around natural gas end up having more impact on the prices Americans pay for energy than the much high profile issues around oil drilling. These so-called “midstream policies” (ie getting the energy from the site of production to consumers) are what to watch, he said, “as your indicator of where the Biden administration might have to true-up its conflicting political objectives.”

In a demonstration of the challenges facing these projects, a Biden official recently outlined to Yahoo Finance the sheer volume of agencies that pipeline projects like Mountain Valley work with in Washington. There’s the Department of Energy, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) during construction, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for oversight once the energy is flowing.

And that’s before regulations at the state level. And, of course, the bevy of lawsuits that crop up around these projects.

A spokesman for Equitrans Midstream Corporation (ETRN), which will operate the Mountain Valley project, said it “has been subject to unprecedented regulatory review, with state and federal agencies repeatedly concluding this critical infrastructure system can be built safely and responsibly and can coexist with natural resources.”

During a House hearing last week to consider a range of GOP bills, House Energy Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) said her goal is changing the system toward “a predictable regulatory landscape” and that "reliable, affordable natural gas is essential for heating our homes and businesses and strengthening America's global standing."

While Democrats are dismissive of unilateral House GOP efforts, there is some optimism that a bipartisan effort around permitting reform could be in the offing which could address some of the issues. Powerful figures like Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) have spoken in support of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. The West Virginia Senator pushed a permitting reform effort last year which included a provision to fast-track completion of the project. It was scuttled in 2022 amid bipartisan opposition.

Manchin is trying again in 2023 and may team up with fellow West Virginia Senator Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), who recently talked about her priorities on permitting reform with the Mountain Valley Pipeline atop the list.

“Canada can do it in 18 months,” Capito said of the timeline elsewhere for these types of projects.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) speaks Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) at the US Capitol in 2022. (STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

Meanwhile Democrats like Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) represent the state where the pipeline will end and has been opposed to any efforts to fast-track. “I agree with the need to reform our broken process for permitting energy infrastructure [but] green-lighting the MVP is contrary to the spirit of permitting reform,” he said in a recent statement, saying fast tracking one project undermines a transparent process for all.

The stakes

Meyer said that - so far at least - a worse outcome for Europe has only been narrowly averted thanks to a few lucky breaks—especially an abnormally warm winter and a willingness of major LNG producers in Asia to redirect some cargo to Europe.

But that lucky streak isn't guaranteed to be repeated. The natural gas system's fragility was further highlighted when Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, and sanctions cut off Russia’s ample natural gas exports to Europe and the West. (A herculean effort has ensued with a push by the Biden administration to supercharge U.S. liquid natural gas exports and provide billions of cubic meters of gas in 2022 “with expected increases going forward.")

Meanwhile, getting natural gas to the northeast currently is constrained by a lack of pipelines as well as a quirk stemming from a 1920 maritime commerce law called the Jones Act. Companies currently have an easier time loading liquified natural gas onto ships and then sending the energy overseas rather than moving it up the coast to places like New Hampshire.


At the White House, there are competing impulses on the issue, says Hartman. “It's very, very conflicted right now, oil gas policy is super awkward for this administration,” he says.

Multiple Biden officials declined to say if they have plans for unilateral action that would fast-track energy projects like Mountain Valley. But Biden’s outgoing top economic advisor, Brian Deese, reiterated the administration’s support for permitting reform. He has said recently that Congress needs to help “demonstrate to the American people and the world that we can build faster, more efficiently, and more equitably than we’ve done in the past.”

Hartman, who worked at FERC during the Obama administration, has optimism that some midstream energy issues may be breaking through the bureaucracy. "A lot of FERC leadership recognizes [the difficult situation] and are really struggling with how to dance around this point.”

A landowner's sign denouncing the Mountain Valley Pipeline near Elliston, Virginia in 2019. (REUTERS/Charles Mostoller)

Others are less optimistic and argue Biden’s team has actually been more focused on adding hurdles to the process, notably through a recent proposal from the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality around greenhouse gas emissions.

Myer, of the American Petroleum Institute, remains frustrated by what he calls the administration’s mixed messaging around natural gas saying the message to him is clear of the need to increase build gas infrastructure. “Failing to recognize that would be a major missed opportunity, not just for the US, but for our allies around the world,” he said.

In the meantime, the Mountain Valley Pipeline still faces outstanding regulatory and legal issues as it tries to get over the finish line. Organizers say the pipeline is currently 94% complete with 270 miles of pipe installed but still faces an uphill effort to meet its latest deadline of completion this year.

Once the gas comes on, project organizers contend, the project could heat roughly 10 million U.S. homes per day.

Ben Werschkul is Washington correspondent for Yahoo Finance.

THE NEW HITLER STALIN PACT

Europe’s Rebel Leader Woos Germany to Profit From Arms Race





Zoltan Simon and Michael Nienaber
Fri, February 17, 2023 

(Bloomberg) -- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban refused to send weapons to Ukraine after Russia’s invasion, saying he didn’t want his country to be dragged into a war. Last month, he hit out at the German government for agreeing to dispatch tanks.

But that’s not stopping the European Union’s populist-in-chief from trying to turn Hungary into a weapons hub to profit from what’s become one of the most lucrative industries in Europe. And that means deepening ties with corporate Germany, even as he needles politicians in Berlin.

Rheinmetall AG is building three factories in Hungary to make tanks, ammunition and explosives. While initial output will go to fulfill Hungarian orders that predate the war to upgrade the local military’s Soviet-era equipment, it also lays the groundwork for a nascent Hungarian defense industry that Orban soon hopes to become a key arms exporter.

The blueprint is Hungary’s auto industry. Mercedes-Benz Group AG, BMW AG and Volkswagen AG’s Audi factories have become a linchpin of the local economy. Officials make no secret that new investment may also help shore up political ties with Germany at a time when Orban’s priority is to unlock more than $30 billion in funding that the EU suspended over corruption and rule of law concerns.

“The defense industry will add another cylinder to our economic engine, similar to what we have already accomplished in other parts of the economy such as the car industry,” Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky said in an interview in Budapest. “I only hope that it improves the German-Hungarian relationship even further.”

Relations between Germany and Hungary have been fraught in recent years over everything from the EU budget and LGBTQ rights to the response to the war in Ukraine and Orban’s coziness with Vladimir Putin. Away from the political optics, though, the embrace between the Hungarian premier and German executives has been growing tighter.

Since Orban’s return to power in 2010, foreign direct investment by German companies — for long the most important foreign source of jobs — has continued to surge, despite rising concerns about corruption and the erosion of the rule of law under his leadership.

Last year, as the EU suspended Hungary’s funding, Mercedes-Benz and BMW announced their involvement in $10 billion of investments in a country that’s now ranked the most corrupt of the bloc’s 27 members by Transparency International.

Rheinmetall said it’s investing “three-digit million euros” in Hungary as the maker of the high-tech Leopard tank expands its footprint in Europe. While setting up factories in countries that place military orders isn’t unique, Hungary is different because it’s part of a joint venture with the state.

Orban’s government co-financed the Rheinmetall plants for an undisclosed sum. One of the trio of factories will produce the Lynx armored infantry vehicle, of which Hungary has ordered 218.

The company said the importance of a market isn’t measured just by order volume. “The willingness of both sides to jointly develop a long-term strategy and partnership is equally relevant,” it said in a statement to Bloomberg.

There’s also the possibly down the line of Hungary being used to ship arms to Ukraine. Rheinmetall’s plans include potentially sending the next generation tank, the Panther, to Kyiv “in 15 to 18 months,” Chief Executive Officer Armin Papperger told Handelsblatt business weekly this month. They could be produced in Germany or Hungary, he said.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government is trying to convince Rheinmetall to choose Germany over Hungary as the location for its future weapons and defense factories because of the jobs, according to a person familiar with his economic strategy. Senior German officials plan to discuss weapons and munition procurement with Papperger on the sidelines of this weekend’s Munich Security Conference, a person familiar with the talks said.

But what’s mission critical is that manufacturing is ramped up quickly and the weapons are made within the EU’s single market, even if that’s Hungary.

Former Chancellor Angela Merkel for years was seen as shielding the Hungarian nationalist from tougher EU scrutiny for the sake of European unity while Orban openly set about dismantling liberal democracy. By contrast, Scholz has been supportive of tough EU financial penalties against Orban’s government.

The real leverage is corporate, said Tamas Varga Csiki, an analyst at the National Public Service University’s Defense Institute. “At the end of the day, German politicians are happy when their businesses are happy,” he said. “Like car manufacturing, the defense industry will be another form of insurance to prevent political differences from fundamentally undermining the Germany-Hungary relationship.”

For Rheinmetall, the deal with Hungary to effectively foot the bill for building the plants in return for a share of the profits is an opportunity to push Germany for something similar. The trouble is that appetite in Scholz’s coalition for such a close alliance is limited, though negotiations are fluid, said two people familiar with the matter.

CEO Papperger has floated the idea of locating a new ammunition powder factory in Hungary instead of Saxony unless his terms are met, the people said. They declined to be identified while talks are ongoing.

For now, the Lynx factory is expected to gear up into mass production in July. The other two plants will produce 30-millimeter caliber ammunition for Rheinmetall’s Lynx infantry fighting vehicle from 2024.

There are also plans to produce projectiles for the Leopard 2 main battle tank and calibers for the self-propelled howitzer 2000, the type of weapon Germany has sent to Ukraine.

Hungary’s emergence as a potentially key weapons hub also sets up a political conundrum for Orban, namely whether he will reverse a position to supply arms to Ukraine.

The first few years of output at the three Rheinmetall plants will go to meet the Hungarian government’s order, Defense Minister Szalay-Bobrovniczky said in the interview late last month. He declined to speculate about a change of policy later on.

While Ukraine has become the main export market for arms, Hungary’s importance for Rheinmetall may remain even after the war next door. Weapons produced in the country fall under looser export rules than in Germany, where the country’s Nazi history has led to strict oversight of export licenses, according to Csiki, the analyst.

“No one is going to protest in front of Parliament in Budapest if the weapons produced here end up in a conflict zone,” he said.

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for PERMANENT ARMS ECONOMY