We’ve been hearing about the horrible train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that has resulted in concerns about an environmental disaster, despite the government telling people that they have nothing to fear. When the fish in the streams start dying, you just might think there could be a continuing problem. Yet it wasn’t getting the attention it deserved, particularly from the Biden administration and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

As we reported, Buttigieg seemed more concerned about the “problem” of too many white construction workers and joking about Chinese spy balloons.

Buttigieg: "It couldn't be a more exciting time for transportation. It's had its challenges… We've faced issues from container shipping, to airline cancellations, now we got balloons (audience laughs)."

No mention of the Ohio train derailment. pic.twitter.com/WcuVAJV9Dt

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) February 13, 2023

“It’s had its challenges. I mean, if you look at what the American transportation systems have faced in the last two or three years partly because of the pandemic, we’ve faced issues from container shipping to airline cancellations…Now we got balloons,” Buttigieg joked.

Meanwhile, you had this huge problem in East Palestine that he wasn’t addressing — he wasn’t even talking about it.

Even folks on the left were calling him out on it.

He jokes about balloons while ignoring East Palestine, OH.

We deserve better than this. pic.twitter.com/tAcNniSPMQ

— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) February 13, 2023

Buttigieg finally made a comment on Twitter on Tuesday, 11 days after the derailment, where he talked about the bipartisan infrastructure bill that was passed, saying that they were making “historic investments.”

We are making historic investments on rail safety through funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, work that accelerates this year and continue in the years to come.

— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) February 14, 2023

Tucker Carlson interviewed two of the residents of the area on his show on Tuesday night and they gave a stark account of how bad it is there. Nathan and Kelly Izotic live about two miles from where the train derailed. “Are you concerned about being there right now,” Tucker asked the couple. “Yes, we are,” said Nathan. “Very,” replied Kelly.

Tucker Carlson interviews resident of East Palestine, Ohio: "Is there any federal presence? Are you getting the sense that anybody to whom you send your tax dollars every year cares about what happens to you?"

Resident: "At this moment unfortunately not."pic.twitter.com/ZKYWoJU8Io

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) February 15, 2023

Nathan said they were seeing the effects of the chemicals “locally, inside our bodies.” He described the dead fish in the creeks, the oily sheen and coloration in the water, the constant smell of burning and chemicals in the air, and issues with their dog vomiting and acting lethargic. “It’s scary stuff here, Tucker,” Nathan said.

Tucker observed if that had happened in Washington, D.C., “No one would be living there now.” He asked if there was any federal help or federal presence in response, “Is there any federal presence? Are you getting the sense that anybody to whom you send your tax dollars every year cares about what happens to you?” Nathan laughed sadly, and said, “At this moment, unfortunately not.” Nathan also explained that after they came back into the town following the evacuation from the area, they immediately smelled the chemicals in the air and he has gotten a chemical reaction rash on his face.

Nathan Izotic said a lot of the town doesn’t have a lot of money, so they don’t have the resources to go to other places and without any help, they’re stuck there. He believed that they could have addressed this problem better, “There’s a lot of fishy stuff going on.”

Where has the federal government been? They appear to be missing in action.

But just like with the Chinese spy balloon, the Biden team and Buttigieg are a day late and plenty of dollars short when it comes to getting to the town and assessing all the issues to help protect the people there.