It has apparently been long enough and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has finally chosen to issue a statement about the recent train derailment, which has quickly devolved into a corrosive toxic chemical environmental disaster, in Ohio this past Monday night — but as his statement was issued after a whopping ten days after the derailment occurred, and shockingly the national critics were not very impressed with the response he has given.
Buttigieg finally issued his statements via social media this past Monday evening, claiming that the Department of Transportation was attempting to work with both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in a joint effort to find out when and how those that had been forced to evacuate the area could be allowed to return to their homes.
“I continue to be concerned about the impacts of the Feb 3 train derailment near East Palestine, OH, and the effects on families in the ten days since their lives were upended through no fault of their own. It’s important that families have access to useful & accurate information,” he stated.
I continue to be concerned about the impacts of the Feb 3 train derailment near East Palestine, OH, and the effects on families in the ten days since their lives were upended through no fault of their own. It’s important that families have access to useful & accurate information:
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) February 14, 2023
The secretary continued on by stating that hazmat teams had been sent out already just shortly after the train derailed and that they had continued to closely watch the situation in the days that followed.
We will look to these investigation results & based on them, use all relevant authorities to ensure accountability and continue to support safety.
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) February 14, 2023
“We will look to these investigation results & based on them, use all relevant authorities to ensure accountability and continue to support safety,” tweeted Secretary Buttigieg.
The former mayor for South Bend, Indiana, finished off his statements by claiming that officials from the EPA were on site to watch over the air quality — both outside and indoors — and then shared information to contact the EPA for those that wanted to ensure that their home could be tested promptly.
EPA has screened 291 homes and no detections were identified – and 181 homes remain. To request screening, call 330-849-3919. For more information, visit: https://t.co/uGvVurmT44
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) February 14, 2023
Clifton Duncan, a self-labeled liberal, spoke up in resposne, and he was really not into Buttigieg’s assessment of the situation, expressing in a response tweet, “What strikes me about this response — posted 10 days after the initial incident — is its lack of urgency. Pete is ‘concerned’; various agencies are ‘monitoring’ or ‘investigating’ the situation. At thread’s end, there’s a wan assurance things are fine. No one is buying it.”
What strikes me about this response—posted 10 days after the initial incident—is its lack of urgency.
Pete is "concerned"; various agencies are "monitoring" or "investigating" the situation.
At thread's end, there's a wan assurance things are fine.
No one is buying it. https://t.co/o3OLTDxlFm
— Clifton Duncan (@cliftonaduncan) February 14, 2023
“it’s 10 days later and now Pete talks. We have to be getting Punked or in a real world Impractical Jokers. Maybe making themselves look bad is part of a ritual/punishment,” added on Vincent Kennedy to the posts.
“This is such a fascinating moment in history b/c some of us realize we are at an inflection point and some of us are still running on autopilot Buttigieg became Sec of Transportation b/c people think this s*** runs itself,” stated the account @PoliticalMath. “This was the ‘sit back and chill’ job.”