One of the curiosities to rise out of the Norfolk Southern train derailment that spilled toxic chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 3, and caused a dayslong fire, has been the outcry from Republican opinion leaders. High-profile conservatives — from U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio to Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas — have questioned whether the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Transportation and President Joe Biden have done enough to help Upper Ohio Valley residents and protect other U.S. communities from similar disasters. Given the party’s usual disdain for environmental causes, the not-so-subtle messaging has been pretty amazing: A large corporation is under-regulated, the federal government needs to be more aggressive with polluters, and Americans must be wary of toxic chemicals and their transport.
To all of that, we can only add: Right on.
Granted, it’s easy to be cynical and recognize hypocrisy here. It’s entirely possible that some in the Grand Old Party are not newly converted to environmental causes, but rather have simply looked at the 2024 electoral map and recognized that Ohio and Pennsylvania are crucial swing states. They want to make a lot of noise now, knowing that it won’t amount to much on do-nothing Capitol Hill. But let’s take them at their word. If Republicans want to see serious action taken against Norfolk Southern, that’s fine. But it’s only a start.
-copy-dd1f2bf0.jpeg?w=600)
