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Biden visits East Palestine a year after a train derailment changed the Ohio town

President Biden talks with East Palestine, Ohio Mayor Trent Conaway during a tour of the site where a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed a year ago. Andrew Harnik/AP hide caption

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Andrew Harnik/AP

Politics

Biden visits East Palestine a year after a train derailment changed the Ohio town

Biden had promised to visit soon after the derailment. He has faced criticism from some residents and from former President Donald Trump, who made a trip to the community shortly after the disaster.

'People do avoid me': How a toxic train derailment split a village in two

Christina Dilworth remains worried about possible health impacts of the derailment. Elizabeth Gillis/NPR hide caption

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Elizabeth Gillis/NPR

National

'People do avoid me': How a toxic train derailment split a village in two

The East Palestine community is divided and exhausted, with many residents ready to move forward, even as others continue to raise concerns about the air and water.

'People do avoid me': How a toxic train derailment split a village in two

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2023 in photos: NPR station photographers share memorable moments

The Wahweap Marina, squeezed by the dropping and encroaching shoreline of Lake Powell on the Colorado River behind the Glen Canyon Dam outside Page, Ariz., on Feb. 20, 2023. The bathtub ring marking the once-high level of the lake is visible on the red rock formations in the distance. Full story here. Hart Van Denburg/CPR News hide caption

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Hart Van Denburg/CPR News

The Picture Show

2023 in photos: NPR station photographers share memorable moments

From across the country, NPR member station visual journalists have documented events in their states and cities. These images represent some of the year's most remarkable stories.

When train crashes leak harmful chemicals, small town firefighters can be vulnerable

Portions of a Norfolk Southern freight train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio on Feb. 3 remained on fire the next day. Gene J. Puskar/AP hide caption

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Gene J. Puskar/AP

Investigations

When train crashes leak harmful chemicals, small town firefighters can be vulnerable

Firefighters are often "woefully under-equipped" to handle train accidents that emit hazardous materials. Most of those serious enough to cause evacuations happened near small towns.

When train crashes leak harmful chemicals, small town firefighters can be vulnerable

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How the EPA assesses health risks after the Ohio train derailment

Ron Fodo, Ohio EPA Emergency Response, looks for signs of fish and also agitates the water in Leslie Run creek to check for chemicals that have settled at the bottom following a train derailment that is causing environmental concerns on February 20, 2023 in East Palestine, Ohio. Michael Swensen/Getty Images hide caption

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Michael Swensen/Getty Images

Short Wave

How the EPA assesses health risks after the Ohio train derailment

This week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public hearing about its remediation plan for cleaning up chemicals in and around East Palestine, Ohio. It follows the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous chemicals like vinyl chloride and butyl acrylate near the town earlier this month. Residents were temporarily evacuated from the area two days later to allow for a controlled burn of the chemicals. EPA health officials have been monitoring the air and water in the area and testing for chemicals as part of their human health risk assessment. We wanted to know: What goes into an assessment like that? And how does the EPA know if people are safe — now and long-term? To walk us through that assessment, we talked to Karen Dannemiller, an associate professor of environmental health science at The Ohio State University.

How the EPA assesses health risks after the Ohio train derailment

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Here's the most thorough explanation yet for the train derailment in East Palestine

This week, workers continued to clean up the derailed tank cars in East Palestine following the Feb. 3 crash. Matt Freed/AP hide caption

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Matt Freed/AP

National

Here's the most thorough explanation yet for the train derailment in East Palestine

A wheel bearing on the train's 23rd car overheated to a dangerous degree, a new NTSB report says. An earlier warning may have helped to prevent the derailment, officials said.

Here's the most thorough explanation yet for the train derailment in East Palestine

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Governor's office in Pennsylvania makes a criminal referral in Ohio train derailment

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine greets Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro during a news conference in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 21. Matt Freed/AP hide caption

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Matt Freed/AP

National

Governor's office in Pennsylvania makes a criminal referral in Ohio train derailment

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro says Norfolk Southern Railroad has given the "middle finger" to residents with its "arrogance and incompetence" since the Feb. 3 derailment.

Governor's office in Pennsylvania makes a criminal referral in Ohio train derailment

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Upset Ohio town residents seek answers over train derailment

Some of the railcars that derailed Friday night when a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed are in the process of being cleaned up on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023 in East Palestine, Ohio. Gene J. Puskar/AP hide caption

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Gene J. Puskar/AP

National

Upset Ohio town residents seek answers over train derailment

Hundreds of worried people gathered to hear state officials tell them that testing so far has shown local air is safe to breathe and to promise that safety testing of the air and water would continue.

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