Footage of Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) disturbing a creek bed in East Palestine, Ohio, and causing chemical bubbles to rise to the surface garnered millions of views as the nation becomes increasingly concerned about the fallout from the nearby Norfolk Southern train derailment.

Local and state authorities previously evacuated all residents within one mile of the derailment and started a controlled burn of industrial chemicals present on the vehicle to decrease the risk of an explosion, which could have sent shrapnel throughout the small town. Vinyl chloride, a carcinogen used to manufacture PVC, was released from five train cars last week in the form of massive plumes of dark smoke visible throughout eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.

In footage posted by Vance on Thursday afternoon, the newly elected lawmaker stood next to a small creek in East Palestine. Beyond the “dead worms and dead fish” he observed in the water, Vance used a stick to disturb the bottom of the creek; moments later, an oily sheen of chemicals emerged to the surface of the water.

“This is disgusting,” he commented. “The fact that these chemicals are still seeping in the ground is an insult to the people who live in East Palestine. Do not forget these people.”

Visited a local creek in East Palestine today. These waterways are still very polluted. It’s time for Norfolk Southern to finish the cleanup. Check this video out: pic.twitter.com/4lsHBmrMJj

— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) February 16, 2023

The footage comes after federal and state officials insisted that the water in East Palestine is currently potable. The EPA said that “test results from the village’s municipal well sampling showed no water quality concerns,” while Governor Mike DeWine (R-OH) announced that tests conducted by the Ohio EPA revealed “no detection of contaminants in raw water from the five wells that feed into East Palestine’s municipal water system.” He added that the agency is “confident that the municipal water is safe to drink.”

Fox 19 anchor Tricia Macke shared a similar video in which she threw a rock into a creek and caused chemicals to rise to the surface. “Would you stay here? Would you drink that water?” she asked. “Would you bathe your kids when it’s bubbling up and looking like an oil slick?”

You cannot deny – that water is not clean. @FOX19 pic.twitter.com/HjPFEtwijZ

— Tricia Macke (@FOX19Tricia) February 16, 2023

Vance also challenged EPA Administrator Michael Regan, who visited East Palestine on Thursday, to drink the tap water his agency claimed was safe. “If I was living here, I would drink the bottled water for now. Better safe than sorry, especially because it’s being provided for free,” he told reporters. “That’s the advice I would give, and again, the residents are going to make their own decisions on this.”

DeWine spokesperson Dan Tierney said in a statement to Fox News that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, also known as FEMA, rejected the state’s request for federal aid because the incident purportedly did not qualify for assistance. Ohio was able to receive some help through the Department of Health and Human Services to assist residents who need medical care as a result of the derailment and controlled burn.

Beyond concerns with the water, residents have mentioned a lingering smell in the air, deceased wildlife and livestock, and various health issues. One first responder said in an interview with The Daily Wire that he and his colleagues experienced “bad cough, headaches, sore throat, and diarrhea” after assisting community members impacted by the derailment.

The New York Times slammed scores of woke employees who signed onto a letter this week criticizing the newspaper’s coverage of transgender issues.

The nearly 200 employees who signed onto the letter accused The New York Times of “anti-trans bias” and aligning their views with “far-right hate groups,” which was followed by a second letter led by LGBT advocacy group GLAAD and signed by activists and public figures.

Joseph Kahn, the executive editor of The New York Times, responded to the letters in a statement addressed to the company.

“It is not unusual for outside groups to critique our coverage or to rally supporters to seek to influence our journalism,” he said. “In this case, however, members of our staff and contributors to The Times joined the effort. Their protest letter included direct attacks on several of our colleagues, singling them out by name.”

“Participation in such a campaign is against the letter and spirit of our ethics policy,” the letter continued. “That policy prohibits our journalists from aligning themselves with advocacy groups and joining protest actions on matters of public policy. We also have a clear policy prohibiting Times journalists from attacking one another’s journalism publicly or signaling their support for such attacks.”

“Our coverage of transgender issues, including the specific pieces singled out for attack, is important, deeply reported, and sensitively written,” the letter continued. “The journalists who produced those stories nonetheless have endured months of attacks, harassment and threats. The letter also ignores The Times’ strong commitment to covering all aspects of transgender issues, including the life experience of transgender people and the prejudice and violence against them in our society. A full list of our coverage can be viewed here, and any review shows that the allegations this group is making are demonstrably false.”

The letter said that the company understands that transgenderism is a hot button issue and that some employees at the company are transgender.

“Even when we don’t agree, constructive criticism from colleagues who care, delivered respectfully and through the right channels, strengthens our report,” the letter concluded. “We do not welcome, and will not tolerate, participation by Times journalists in protests organized by advocacy groups or attacks on colleagues on social media and other public forums. We live in an era when journalists regularly come under fire for doing solid and essential work. We are committed to protecting and supporting them. Their work distinguishes this institution, and makes us proud.”

Memo from Joe Kahn to NYT staff responding to yesterday's letter re: trans coverage.

Times leadership says the paper "will not tolerate, participation by Times journalists in protests organized by advocacy groups or attacks on colleagues on social media and other public forums." pic.twitter.com/bjLruJVPnf

— Max Tani (@maxwelltani) February 16, 2023