EAST PALESTINE – Vice President JD Vance visited the Village of East Palestine on Feb. 3 to mark the second anniversary of the Norfolk Southern train derailment. He was joined by his wife, second lady of the United States Usha Vance Esq., Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, U.S. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Senator Jon Husted, and Senator Bernie Moreno. The group met with East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway, Fire Chief Keith Drabick, and other local leaders to discuss the community’s ongoing recovery efforts.

During the visit, officials toured key redevelopment sites, including the East Palestine Historic Train Depot, and received updates on environmental monitoring, infrastructure improvements, and economic revitalization efforts. They also met with residents, first responders and town leaders to hear firsthand about the progress made and the challenges that remain. Conaway and Drabick expressed their appreciation for the ongoing attention and resources directed toward the village.

Conaway reflected on the community’s resilience, “We’ve faced a lot, but East Palestine continues to move forward. Our focus is on rebuilding and making this town stronger than ever.”

Drabick highlighted the importance of ongoing support, “Our first responders have been here from day one, and we appreciate the commitment to keeping East Palestine safe and supported.”

To watch the video, visit epohio.org/news/videos. To learn more about East Palestine, Ohio, visit epohio.org.