American activist Erin Brockovich poses for AFP at her home In Agoura Hills, California on March 16, 2021. (Photo by Valeria Macon/AFP via Getty Images) Activist Erin Brockovich says she coming to East Palestine, the site of the freight train derailment where toxic chemicals spilled or were burned off in Ohio more than two weeks ago.
Brockovich is holding a town hall on Friday, Feb. 24 at the local high school. Registration is required to attend for those who live in the area.
Brockovich has been vocal in the weeks since the hazardous disaster. Government officials have been assuring the 5,000 or so people who live near the Pennsylvania state line that the water is fit for drinking and the air is safe to breathe — but residents are afraid and skeptical.
As is Brockovich. "They absolutely must have independent testing going on," she tweeted last week in criticism of how officials have responded. "It’s the only way people in the town and in the immediate area are going to feel safe."Neil Figley, 28, holds his daughter, Harlie, 4, as they wait in line at the Norfolk Southern Assistance Center to collect a $1000 check and get reimbursed for expenses while they were evacuated from East Palestine, Ohio on February 17, 2023. (Photo: RELATED: 'Trust the government' says head of EPA during visit to Ohio train derailment siteIn the aftermath, some have complained about finding their cars covered in soot, their homes filled with overpowering odors and their pets getting sick or dying.The chemicals also spilled into nearby creeks, killing thousands of fish, and a smaller amount eventually made their way into the Ohio River.Ohio Gov.