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Message
Some new info released on W Va chemical spill
Posted on 1/16/14 at 11:15 am
Posted on 1/16/14 at 11:15 am
Inspectors had visited the spill site five times since 2001.
So the agency wasn't aware of additional inspections by its own air quality division. Which were apparently worthless anyway.
LINK
quote:
CHARLESTON, W.Va—State environmental inspectors visited the site of last week's chemical spill here at least five times since 2001, mainly for routine reviews but once in response to complaints of a strong licorice smell, newly released records show.
In 2010, inspectors traced the licorice odor to storage tanks containing 4-methylcyclohexane methanol, the records say. That is the same substance authorities said leaked from a tank on the site Jan. 9, breached a failed containment wall and entered the Elk River, blanketing the city in the distinctive smell and contaminating the water supply for 300,000 people.
The trove of records from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection contradicts reports from agency authorities soon after the spill that inspectors hadn't been on the site owned by Freedom Industries Inc. since 1991.
Records show DEP inspectors visited the storage facility in 2002 as part of a voluntary cleanup done by the previous owner, Pennzoil-Quaker State Co., which had sold the parcel to a company connected to Freedom a year earlier. Inspectors from the agency's air-quality division also conducted routine reviews in May 2005, June 2009 and February 2012. No violations were found, according to a review of the documents by The Wall Street Journal.
quote:
Tom Aluise, a department spokesman, said Thursday that the agency initially wasn't aware of the additional inspections.
So the agency wasn't aware of additional inspections by its own air quality division. Which were apparently worthless anyway.
LINK
This post was edited on 1/16/14 at 11:16 am
7
Posted on 1/16/14 at 11:24 am to 90proofprofessional
But 90proof, you obviously don't understand that the EPA is here to protect us and prevent such things from occuring.
The government is efficient and get the highest quality employees. In fact, it's very hard for companies like Goldman Sachs and Google to survive because all the Harvard and Duke kids only want government jobs.
We obviously need more regulation.
The government is efficient and get the highest quality employees. In fact, it's very hard for companies like Goldman Sachs and Google to survive because all the Harvard and Duke kids only want government jobs.
We obviously need more regulation.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 11:27 am to ironsides
quote:
We obviously need more regulation.
dunno about more, but they are needed for sure.
All the inspections in the world wont prevent equipment from failing and these things happening all together. Unless you expect regulators to see the future of course.
It does make them look foolish that one department didnt know another department had instpected the site numerous times over the years.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 11:47 am to 90proofprofessional
quote:
leaked from a tank on the site Jan. 9, breached a failed containment wall and entered the Elk River,
So is the tank level monitored in a control room with an alarm? Is anybody watching the tank level? Is the tank in a walled dyke big enough to hold the contents of the tank and is that the containment that failed? Was anybody inspecting the dyke or containment and documenting the inspection? On a daily basis, these are the type of things that are the responsibility of the facility. Environmental inspectors have the responsibility to make sure that at least minimal safeguards are in place and to make sure that appropriate records are maintained. The facility management is really the authority on how to manage the chemical and how to safeguard it and they are there every day. It is their responsibility. Somebody has jeopardized the jobs of the people that work at this facility.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 11:59 am to 90proofprofessional
This is just a huge cluster f***. We worry about terrorists poisoning our water supply, and here a company does it. No containment beams? Last inspection 1997? Come on.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 12:01 pm to ironsides
quote:
the EPA is here to protect us and prevent such things from occuring.
I guess they failed.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 12:05 pm to mauser
Worse than that, it had a small wall, and then was on a bluff nest to the river, so any chemicals that got out of the unit would have gravity on it's side to ensure it went in the water.
Which is a few miles upstream from the main water intake.
Which is a few miles upstream from the main water intake.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 12:18 pm to ironsides
quote:
ironsides
Why are you droning on about the EPA? That was clearly a case of STATE inspectors and a STATE DEQ.
The main failure here is from the plant operator. Are none of you sheep pissed at the operator? Only the govt? Morons.
whatever fits your agenda, I guess.
This post was edited on 1/16/14 at 12:23 pm
Posted on 1/16/14 at 12:21 pm to 90proofprofessional
quote:
4-methylcyclohexane methanol
i live near train tracks and this shite is always labeled as it goes by. it scares the shite out of me.
Its W.Va, you shouldn't be surprised that they just don't care. They have a long history of not giving a frick
Posted on 1/16/14 at 12:23 pm to Hawkeye95
So rex lied? What a shock!!!
Posted on 1/16/14 at 12:25 pm to Hawkeye95
quote:
Its W.Va, you shouldn't be surprised that they just don't care. They have a long history of not giving a frick
EPA's fault brah.......
Posted on 1/16/14 at 12:28 pm to Sid in Lakeshore
quote:
The main failure here is from the plant operator. Are none of you sheep pissed at the operator? Only the govt? Morons.
It's a response to all of the "we need more EPA/the Republicans hate all regulation" threads.
More regulation doesn't mean it is effective regulation.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 12:31 pm to 90proofprofessional
So there are laws already in the books that are not being enforced by the govt and now that these unenforced laws are violated in a very visible manner we need to tack on more laws to the already sufficient laws that weren't being enforced? Kinda sounds like the gun control debate all over again, just a different medium.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 12:40 pm to 90proofprofessional
quote:
So the agency wasn't aware of additional inspections by its own air quality division. Which were apparently worthless anyway.
But the moment anyone mentions doing away with the Alexandria traffic circle, their Spidey Sense kicks off and they start sending out letters about "wetlands protection".
Posted on 1/16/14 at 12:44 pm to wheelr
quote:
More regulation doesn't mean it is effective regulation.
Correct. what we need is tighter enforcement of the existing regulations. Unfortunately the nature of our industry is that the FEDS are basically forced to have the sates take on the roll of day to day inspection (large govt and all). Some states just don't care.
I wonder what liability the previous operators have here. Pretty sure they will be implicated.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 12:45 pm to wheelr
quote:
It's a response to all of the "we need more EPA/the Republicans hate all regulation" threads.
Conservative (small govt) threads outnumber liberal (more EPA) threads 10 - 1 on this site.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 12:50 pm to wheelr
quote:
More regulation doesn't mean it is effective regulation.
right, most of the time the damage is already done by the time the regulator is aware of it.
Even if someone goes to jail, the environment didn't get the protection intended.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 1:08 pm to TrueTiger
quote:
Even if someone goes to jail, the environment didn't get the protection intended.
and it takes decades, or even centuries, to repair the damage that can be made in a few weeks, months or really hours.
Posted on 1/16/14 at 2:17 pm to Sid in Lakeshore
quote:
re regulation doesn't mean it is effective regulation.
shite's gonna break. The question should be, did regulations miss it? or was it something that isnt even regulated? ...or did the company neglect something?
it appears as though we now live in a blame culture where there always has to be someone to blame, and someone always has to pay.
thats just not realistic, unless something was intentionally neglected. Like i said. shite breaks.
This post was edited on 1/16/14 at 2:18 pm
Posted on 1/16/14 at 3:28 pm to 90proofprofessional
The air quality people would find nothing if there was no leak to detect when inspecting.
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