The Ohio Star has released a report indicating that workers are discovering numerous deceased animals in Ohio’s parks following the toxic train derailment in East Palestine. According to the BBC, approximately 45,000 dead animals have been counted within a five-mile radius of the accident site.
Despite reassurances from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, the Environmental Protection Agency, and local officials regarding the safety of air and water quality in East Palestine’s municipal water supply, forestry workers are reporting alarming rates of animal deaths.
According to a source who spoke with The Ohio Star, her husband, a wildlife biologist and consultant for the federal forestry received numerous calls from colleagues on Sunday and Monday regarding the discovery of hundreds of dead animals in Ohio’s parks.
The source stated several labs around the country have received samples of deceased animals, and they have discovered extremely high levels of toxicity within these animals. She then added, “These highly toxic levels are the same chemicals that were released from East Palestine. Wayne National Forest and Shawnee State Forest in Ohio are downriver from East Palestine and are two parks where samples are from.”
According to the same source who spoke with The Ohio Star, Governor DeWine tried to prevent scientists from accessing state parks. The source said, “The governor and the railroad were blocking scientists from getting soil samples in East Palestine, but they were able to still grab some for testing. Likewise, the soils are highly contaminated.”
“It is heartbreaking to me that politicians like DeWine make an issue like this political. It should not be. He should be doing all he can to protect people, animals, and the environment and not just cover his own behind,” the source added.
The source alleges that the Ohio governor exclusively relies on his own hand-picked scientists to obtain “the results he wants.”
An increasing number of residents have reported experiencing health issues in the aftermath of the derailment. Several residents have claimed that they were diagnosed with bronchitis, lung problems, and skin rashes this month, with medical professionals suspecting that these issues are connected to chemical exposure.
In the wake of a devastating 150-car train derailment on February 3, people in East Palestine, Ohio and neighboring towns are suffering from respiratory issues, skin reactions, and more, while animals have been found dead. https://t.co/9jmjRwlu9g
— The New Republic (@newrepublic) February 22, 2023
