![Ron Fodo, Ohio EPA Emergency Response, looks for signs of fish and also agitates the water in Leslie Run creek to check for chemicals in Ohio on Feb. 23.](https://cdn.govexec.com/media/img/cd/2023/02/28/030123ohio_epa/860x394.jpg?1677623100)
Ron Fodo, Ohio EPA Emergency Response, looks for signs of fish and also agitates the water in Leslie Run creek to check for chemicals in Ohio on Feb. 23. Michael Swensen/Getty Images
The Ohio Train Crash Happened While The Hazardous Material Regulatory Agency Had No Permanent Leader
Courtney Bublé joins the podcast to discuss the derailment and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, which has no nominee to lead it.
Early in February, a train carrying toxic chemical material derailed in eastern Ohio, starting a fire with smoke that engulfed the town of East Palestine. A series of decisions by authorities created an evacuation zone in the community, as well as a controlled release of toxic fumes. Cleanup is ongoing, but questions remain about the safety of the train, the tracks and the conditions. One of the agencies tasked with safety regulations around hazardous materials, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, has been without a confirmed head since the end of the Trump administration.
Courtney Bublé joined the podcast to discuss the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
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