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- Title
TRAIN WRECK: PUBLIC RISK COMMUNICATIONS IN THE WAKE OF THE EAST PALESTINE DERAILMENT.
- Authors
Matheos, Lindsay
- Abstract
Following the February 2023 derailment of a hazardous materials freight train, residents of the small Ohio town of East Palestine began noticing alarming physical symptoms and adverse environmental effects, including burning throats and eyes and thousands of dead fish. These warning signs directly contradicted official claims of air and water safety. In the wake of the derailment, media and residents alike have repeatedly highlighted poor risk communication and public distrust towards government officials responsible for ensuring resident safety. This Article delves into risk communications in the aftermath of the East Palestine derailment. I begin by examining how the history and geography of "railside" Rust Belt communities, including East Palestine, limit their ability to prepare for and respond to emergencies. I then scrutinize existing federal and state legislative and regulatory mechanisms governing risk communication--including the Emergency Planning and Community Rightto-Know Act and the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act--examining how previously unexamined gaps in these regulations impede effective communication for railside communities. I conclude by proposing solutions to address these gaps. These solutions include increased corporate accountability, improvements in railroad labor and infrastructure conditions, and the adoption of a community-based participatory research framework for risk communication.
- Subjects
OHIO; RISK communication; RAILROAD accidents; HAZARDOUS substance exposure; EMERGENCY management; POLITICAL trust (in government); FREEDOM of information
- Publication
Vermont Journal of Environmental Law, 2023, Vol 25, Issue 1, p51
- ISSN
1936-4253
- Publication type
Article