Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Carcinogen Among 3 New Toxic Chemicals In Ohio Train Incident
The Hill: 3 More Chemicals Discovered In Ohio Train Derailment
Three more chemicals have been found on the Norfolk Southern train that derailed in Ohio just over a week ago, and they are being described as dangerous. ... The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sent a letter to Norfolk Southern stating that ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate and isobutylene were also in the rail cars that were derailed, breached and/or on fire. ... Sil Caggiano, a hazardous materials specialist, said ethylhexyl acrylate is especially concerning since it’s a carcinogen and contact with it can cause burning and irritation of the skin and eyes. (Rodriguez, 2/13)
NBC News: Residents Near Ohio Train Derailment Report Dead Fish And Chickens
For days, authorities have been telling residents of the area around East Palestine, Ohio, that it is safe to return home after a 150-car train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed Feb. 3. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources said the chemical spill resulting from the derailment had killed an estimated 3,500 small fish across 7½ miles of streams as of Wednesday. (Bendix and Li, 2/14)
In other environmental health news —
Houston Chronicle: Katy Chemical Leak: Businesses Discuss Lack Of Warning, City Response
Some business owners affected by a chemical leak at the 99 Cent Only Store warehouse in Katy that resulted in a shelter in place said Monday that authorities mishandled how the public was alerted to the safety concern. (Goodman, 2/13)
St. Louis Public Radio: Ameren Is The Source Of Toxic Chemicals In St. Charles Wellfield
After the Environmental Protection Agency confirmed Ameren as the source for two toxic chemicals found in St. Charles groundwater wells, the city is demanding the power company bear the cost for cleanup. The city already had known the power company’s Huster Road Substation was the source of vinyl chloride and dichloroethene, which are linked to cancer and other negative health effects. These chemicals are byproducts of a cleaning solvent for heavy metal equipment called TCE (trichloroethylene), according to the EPA. (Cordera, 2/13)
New Hampshire Public Radio: UNH Research Shows Well Water Bacteria Levels Could Be Higher In Summer
The time of the year a private well’s water quality is tested can make a difference in the results, according to new research from the University of New Hampshire. A new study co-authored by Ranjit Bawa, a visiting assistant professor at the University of New Hampshire, investigated water samples from wells across the state of North Carolina and found that the highest level of bacteria in those wells was found during warm spells. Bawa said the bottom line for homeowners is that they should test wells in summer months, when the risk is highest. (Hoplamazian, 2/13)
AP: Hypothermia Death Exposes Hole In Fairbanks' Homeless Care
The case of a homeless man who froze to death in Alaska’s second-largest city of Fairbanks has exposed a hole in the safety net of care provided to a vulnerable population in one of the coldest places in the country. The city has no low-barrier shelter to provide help and a warm place to stay on an unconditional basis. The body of Charles Ahkiviana, 55, was discovered frozen in a snowbank near a busy department store, the Anchorage Daily News reported. The day his body was found, two days before Christmas, it was minus 32 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 35 degrees Celsius) and at one point, the wind chill was minus 54 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 47 Celsius). Ahkiviana died of hypothermia, Alaska State Troopers said. (2/14)
Los Angeles Times: L.A. Temperatures In 30s Expected; Winter Shelters Available
A winter storm is passing through Los Angeles on Tuesday evening with fierce winds of up to 70 miles per hour in the mountains and perhaps a smattering of precipitation. The storm will move out early Wednesday morning, leaving clear but cold weather in its wake, according to the National Weather Service in Oxnard. (Goldberg, 2/13)
More health news from across the U.S. —
Stateline: States Scramble To Replace Ripped-Off SNAP Benefits
Last September, when Baltimore resident Tzu Yang went grocery shopping for his intellectually disabled daughter with a food benefits card that he thought was worth about $300, he discovered at the checkout that the card had no value left. The same thing happened in October, November and December. (Povich, 2/13)
NPR: Tennessee Medicaid Pursues Felony Charges Against Some Members
Life was upended for LaShonia Ingram over the last year, and a shadow still follows her around. Search her name online, and the first result includes the words "fraud" and "most wanted." "It was horrible. I couldn't get a job," says the 42-year-old mother from Memphis, Tennessee. "All doors were being closed in my face." (Farmer, 2/13)
North Carolina Health News: Services Delay Has Disability Activists Scrambling
Disability Rights North Carolina wasted no time in developing a new plan after suffering a setback last week in the organization’s six-year court battle to push the state to provide more home and community services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. (Blythe, 2/14)
KHN: It Takes A Village: Foster Program Is A New Model Of Care For Indigenous Children
Past a gravel road lined with old white wooden buildings is a new, 8-acre village dotted with colorful houses, tepees, and a sweat lodge. The Simply Smiles Children’s Village, in this small town on the Cheyenne River Reservation, is home to a program aimed at improving outcomes and reducing trauma for Indigenous foster children. All foster programs seek to safely reunite children with their families. The Children’s Village goes further. (Zionts, 2/14)
