EPA Whistleblower Alleges Delays and Misconduct in East Palestine Spill Response

Claims suggest EPA's delayed deployment of sensor plane hindered crucial data collection and led to unnecessary actions.

Whistleblower Robert Kroutil criticized the EPA for waiting nearly a week to deploy the ASPECT sensor plane after the East Palestine train derailment.
Kroutil alleges EPA managers ordered the plane's chemical sensors turned off during critical data collection flights.
The delayed deployment may have led to the unnecessary 'vent-and-burn' of vinyl chloride, causing a massive black smoke plume.
EPA's official reports on the incident have been called into question, with accusations of backdating and data manipulation.
Residents continue to report health issues despite EPA assurances of safety, raising concerns about long-term impacts.