East Palestine Derailment Disaster Continues to Unfold with Amanda Kiger

Breaking Green

On February 3, 2023 a train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, causing an environmental disaster of historic proportions. It was a Norfolk Southern train, which was over a mile long and carrying hazardous materials, including over 100,000 gallons of vinyl chloride. Three days later, a so-called control to burn toxic materials from the crash released an unknown chemical soup into the atmosphere, which continues to affect communities for miles around. Since the derailment, many in East Palestine and neighboring communities have been struggling with the toxic impacts of the chemical contamination as well as a lack of transparency from federal and state agencies.

Background Information on Amanda Kiger

Amanda Kiger is the director of River Valley Organizing a citizens based community organization that works for a safer, cleaner and more community oriented environment in the Appalachian river valley, a region long challenged by environmental degradation. Amanda Kiger has been featured prominently in the media as her organization and members of the East Palestine community seek a meaningful response from state and federal agencies that seem more concerned with the financial well being of Norfolk Southern than the residents.

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Chapters

1. Introduction to Breaking Green (00:00:00)

2. Introduction to Amanda Kiger (00:01:12)

3. River Valley Organizing (00:02:11)

4. Northfolk Southern wants to incinerate hazardous waste in East Liverpool. (00:04:34)

5. Array of Dangerous Chemicals (00:07:52)

6. Burning Chemicals Creates Dioxins (00:10:00)

7. Northfolk Southern is forcing people back into poisonous homes. (00:14:29)

8. Why is the Governor handcuffing FEMA? (00:18:13)

9. How is EPA interfacing with residents? (00:23:21)

10. Dilution is the solution to the pollution. (00:25:55)

11. The Path Forward (00:31:03)

12. Outro (00:35:23)