Nearly two weeks have passed since the train accident in East Palestine, Ohio. It’s been two weeks since the train exploded with toxic chemicals such as vinyl chloride or ethyl hexyl acrylate, causing widespread destruction in the area and forcing evacuations. We may never know the full extent of the effects on the environment.

Where is the federal government? Joe Biden has not yet declared a disaster. According to Ohio Governor. Mike DeWine says that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, is refusing any assistance.

DeWine’s Office released a statement saying that Mike DeWine, the Ohio Governor, spoke to officials at the White House in the early hours of this morning to discuss the need for federal assistance. “As a consequence of this conversation, the Governor requested assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health and Emergency Response Team and the CDC to provide assistance on the ground in East Palestine.”

The statement said that the DeWine Administration had been in constant contact with FEMA to discuss federal support. However, FEMA continues to inform Governor DeWine Ohio is not eligible at the moment. “Governor DeWine is committed to working with FEMA in order to determine the best assistance.”

Pete Buttigieg (Transport secretary to Joe Biden) has been criticized for not paying attention to the ongoing environmental catastrophe in East Palestine.