EAST PALESTINE A whistleblower organization is reporting that an internal report from the Federal Emergency Management Agency shows a range of unmet medical, economic, and infrastructure needs in East Palestine, after the Norfolk Southern train derailment.
The report, dated June 2024, was released last week after the Government Accountability Project, a nonprofit watchdog organization, sued FEMA twice under the Freedom of Information Act. According to a news release from the organization, the report highlights critical shortfalls in several areas, including long-term medical care, water safety, and economic recovery.
The report states that there is no dedicated program for long-term medical care or cancer surveillance, and an estimated $1 million is needed immediately to treat current patients. The document projects that an additional $45 million will be needed to keep the East Palestine clinic operational.
According to the Government Accountability Project, FEMA's report estimated that 800 firefighters and 300 police officers were exposed to hazardous materials from the derailment, with only a fraction of them receiving baseline health screenings. Lesley Pacey, a senior environmental officer at the organization, said the report shows the federal government knew about the risks but failed to act.
“FEMA didn’t just fail to help East Palestine recover—they actively hid the truth,” Pacey said in the news release.
The report also warns that the village is vulnerable to...
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