Erin Brockovich, the consumer advocate made famous by the eponymous movie, said that she is attempting to gather information about the derailment and train fire that prompted the evacuation of the village of East Palestine, Ohio
“I’m trying to gather information on this very serious situation in Ohio involving a train derailment with hazardous chemicals,” Brockovich wrote on Twitter over the past weekend. “What I will say is this. Trust your eyes, ears and nose and get the hell out of there if your senses are telling you too.”
On Monday afternoon, Brockovich—who was the subject of the 2000 Academy Award-winning film “Erin Brockovich”—called on the federal government to be more transparent.
“The Biden administration needs to get more involved in this #PalestineOhio train derailment now. We are counting on you to break the chain of administration after administration to turn a blind eye. STEP UP NOW,” she wrote.
Earlier this month, a train with about four-dozen freight cars heading from Illinois to Pennsylvania derailed in East Palestine, sparking state officials to issue an evacuation of the area amid a “controlled release,” meaning burning, of toxic materials. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that the train was carrying hazardous materials, including the highly toxic vinyl chloride.
So far, there have been some reports from local residents of animals dying off, including fish, chickens, and livestock. One local official confirmed there was a fish die-off in waterways around East Palestine.
“Leslie Run comes out of East Palestine and that goes into Bull Creek, which then goes into North Fork. And we know for sure that there has been some fish kill in Leslie Run and Bull Creek, and some portions of the North Fork,” Matthew Smith, assistant regional scenic river manager for the Division of Natural Areas and Preserves, told WTDN.
The Epoch Times has contacted the EPA, Department of Transportation, and several other federal agencies for comment. Few federal officials have made mention of the derailment and toxic fire, while Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg did not reference the incident on Monday morning.
On Sunday, the EPA issued an update to its website, posting a document from train operator Norfolk Southern that confirmed it was carrying more chemicals. Glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate, and isobutylene were also in the rail cars that were either on fire, derailed, or breached.
“EPA was initially informed orally of the contents of derailed cars in order to develop a plan for air monitoring. Upon request, Norfolk Southern provided the attached list detailing the rail cars that may have derailed in the incident,” the update said. “This was created by Norfolk Southern and EPA cannot speak to the design or creation of this document.”
Amid reports of animals dying off and locals saying they’ve suffered from respiratory problems in recent days, the EPA said that it is continuing to monitor the air quality around East Palestine.
“Air monitoring since the fire went out has not detected any levels of concern in the community that can be attributed to the incident at this time. For example, there have been some exceedances of PM2.5 screening values, but those are both upwind and downwind of the derailment site so likely had another cause,” said the EPA’s update.
A reporter with the Washington Post interviewed several East Palestine residents who were evacuated and later returned. One woman, Maura Todd, indicated that she and her family suffered from nausea and headaches, adding that she’s planning on moving to Kentucky.
Another local man, Taylor Howzer, told WKBN that some of his animals became ill in recent days.
“Out of nowhere, he just started coughing really hard, just shut down, and he had liquid diarrhea and just went very fast,” Holzer said. “Smoke and chemicals from the train, that’s the only thing that can cause it, because it doesn’t just happen out of nowhere,” he added. “The chemicals that we’re being told are safe in the air, that’s definitely not safe for the animals … or people.”
And a woman in North Lima said some of her chickens have died after the burning was initiated.
“My video camera footage shows my chickens were perfectly fine before they started this burn, and as soon as they started the burn, my chickens slowed down and they died,” Amanda Breshears of North Lima, Ohio, told local outlet ABC27. “If it can do this to chickens in one night, imagine what it’s going to do to us in 20 years.”
Article cross-posted from The Epoch Times. Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Why the National Debt Is the Looming Threat to Your Retirement Plans
The Hidden Crisis No One Is Talking About
Every day, headlines warn about inflation, market volatility, and global instability—but the greatest looming threat to your retirement might be something far more fundamental: America’s skyrocketing national debt.
You can learn more about how the national debt affects you by reading this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“.
With debt growing faster than most Americans can possibly fathom, the government’s borrowing habits have reached historic—and dangerous—levels. To cover spending, Washington is making moves with their budget packages, tariffs, and taxes. Is it enough? No. It’s not even close to what would be necessary to stop out-of-control debt, let alone reverse it.
How Debt Erodes Your Nest Egg
There are only so many levers government and the Federal Reserve can pull to try to protect Americans, assuming that’s even a top priority for them. Unfortunately, pulling one level to relive one pressure invariably adds pressure from another direction. This is why prices keep going up even as inflation reportedly slows.
For retirees and pre-retirees, that’s a perfect storm. The dollars you’ve worked hard to save lose value, and your cost of living increases while your investments lag behind.
If you’re relying solely on paper-based assets—stocks, bonds, or mutual funds—you’re essentially tied to the same system that’s creating the problem. It’s a system that was designed to work well in the 20th century, not in today’s world with people living longer and the dollar rapidly losing value.
This is why the 3-minute report, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now,” is so important.
The Precious Metals Hedge
Thousands of Americans are looking for a tangible, time-tested hedge: physical gold and silver.
Unlike paper assets, precious metals aren’t dependent on government policy or the stock market’s mood swings. They’re real, finite resources that have maintained value for thousands of years through wars, recessions, and inflationary periods.
In fact, during times of high inflation and fiscal instability, gold often performs its best—because it’s seen as a store of value when faith in the dollar weakens. This is why prices have skyrocketed this year and are expected by many economists to continue going up in the future.
Take Control with a Gold IRA
One of the most effective ways to protect your retirement from national debt fallout is through a self-directed Gold IRA. This IRS-approved account lets you hold physical gold and silver within your retirement portfolio, giving you:
- Direct ownership of your assets
- A hedge against inflation and dollar decline
- The control to diversify beyond Wall Street
Augusta Precious Metals specializes in helping Americans just like you take this step with confidence. The company has earned a strong reputation for transparency, education, and personalized service—making it one of the most trusted names in the industry.
The Next Step: Secure Your Financial Future
Augusta Precious Metals has helped thousands of Americans with at least $50,000 to invest from their IRAs, 401(K)s, TSPs, and other retirement accounts safeguard their savings through precious metals.
If you’re concerned about what the rising national debt could mean for your future, now is the time to act.
Read this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“ and learn the simple steps you can take to protect your retirement.
Erin is a hack that doesn’t pay her bills.