At 11:04 am today, February 17th, the EPA released an update on East Palestine, Ohio's air quality and drinking water, following the areas train derailment and toxic chemical spillage. In the statement, the EPA claimed that "The Village’s municipal well sampling shows no drinking water quality concerns," and that Governor Mike DeWine "has stated that the municipal water is safe to consume." They also say that the Ohio Department of Health "encourages those with private wells to use bottled water until their test results are returned." 38 private wells have allegedly been tested.

While the announcement is encouraging, this Tweet from yesterday, February 16th, shows that at the very minimum, natural water remains excessively contaminated. The visual of oil bubbling to the murky water's surface is alarming to say the least. This video from East Palestine High School shows that water fountains there remain closed. The long term effects of East Palestine's contamination remains unknown, and it will take some time for organizations like the EPA to regain the trust of Ohio citizens.