East Palestine Resident on CDC Allegations and Ongoing Health Concerns Two Years Later

Allegations Against the CDC

• 🎯 Jess Connard, a resident living 2 miles from the East Palestine train derailment, alleges the CDC told healthcare providers not to treat residents exposed to chemicals.
• ⚠️ Connard states the CDC claimed they could do nothing about chemical exposures but that resulting cancers would be treatable, a claim she disputes based on her own experiences.

Ongoing Health and Environmental Issues

• 🏥 Connard describes recurring rashes and other health issues since the derailment, noting that doctors often fail to connect these symptoms to the incident.
• 🔬 She highlights that without a robust epidemiological response, residents cannot definitively link their symptoms to the derailment.
• 💧 Despite the passage of time, EPA reports indicate heavy sheen in the creek as of April 2025, and academic studies show ecological changes downstream.

Calls for Action and Unmet Needs

• 🏛️ Connard criticizes agencies like FEMA and the EPA, stating that promised resources and a finalized consent decree for remediation and community benefits are still pending.
• 📢 She reiterates her past calls for a public health emergency and criticizes the lack of progress in rail policy, emergency preparedness, and organized medical response.
• 💰 Connard expresses concern that resources provided may need to be paid back under settlement terms, indicating a lack of true support.

Personal Impact and Broader Implications

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Connard shares how she relocated her family due to health concerns and navigates daily life with the constant awareness of environmental dangers.
• 🌍 She emphasizes that the East Palestine incident is not an isolated event and could happen in any community, urging people to pay attention.
• 🗣️ Connard has chosen an advocacy route, like many others, to address the ongoing issues, while acknowledging that some residents have chosen to ignore the problems.