Tucker Carlson, an honorary board member of the Daily Caller News Foundation and a host on Fox News, raised alarm over the Biden administration’s handling of the Ohio train derailment incident. The incident occurred on February 3rd when a train transporting toxic chemicals derailed near East Palestine, Ohio, causing toxic smoke to emanate from the site. As authorities took steps to deal with the chemical release, evacuations and shelter-in-place orders were put in place. Despite a controlled burn being conducted, officials cautioned that there was still a danger of a potentially devastating explosion. Carlson expressed concern about the administration’s nonchalant response to the situation.
Following the train derailment and chemical spills, a water utility took action by enhancing its treatment systems and developing contingency plans. One of the chemicals involved in the incident is said to have carcinogenic properties. Nonetheless, an Environmental Protection Agency representative stated that although chemicals from the derailed train did enter the local water supply, leading to the death of fish, the drinking water is completely safe.
Carlson expressed dissatisfaction with the response given and voiced his concerns over the Biden administration’s lack of urgency regarding the Ohio train derailment. He went on to criticize Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg for diverting attention from the situation by discussing his worries over an alleged overrepresentation of white males in the construction industry at a National Association of Counties conference on Monday. Carlson contended that Buttigieg should have prioritized essential infrastructure needs such as transportation, food, energy, and water.
The Fox News host concluded by stressing that these are essential components for a country to function and that the Biden administration should be paying more attention to them. He also noted that Donald Trump received 71% of the vote in the nation in the last presidential election and suggested that this could be why the administration is not taking the situation more seriously.
The Environmental Protection Administration did not respond to a request for comment from the DCNF. Carlson’s comments have sparked a debate about whether or not the Biden administration is taking the necessary steps to address the situation in East Palestine, Ohio. It remains to be seen if any further action will be taken in response to Carlson’s criticism.
The preceding article is a summary of an article that originally appeared on The Daily Caller