With just about 5,000 residents, it's clear that the town itself is not equipped with the resources needed to address a problem that would overwhelm even the nation's largest metropolises. While the situation has finally begun to garner some national attention from mainstream media that initially seemed to blacklist the crisis, the gravity of the situation is still apparently lost upon the Biden Administration. According to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, the Federal Emergency Management Agency ("FEMA") has denied his state's request for federal assistance for the residents of East Palestine.

Governor DeWine spoke with White House officials on Thursday morning to apprise them of developments and concerns surrounding the release of chemicals into the air, soil, and water since the disaster occurred on February 3rd that was exacerbated by a controlled burn of the toxic material. According to a press release from DeWine's office "FEMA continues to tell Governor DeWine that Ohio is not eligible for assistance at this time." No one from New Orleans could be reached for comment.