W.Va. Gov. Issues State of Emergency, Water Ban for 5 Counties after Leak

[Judi Lynn]

Source: WSAZ

W.Va. Gov. Issues State of Emergency, Water Ban for 5 Counties after Leak
Updated: Thu 7:09 PM, Jan 09, 2014



UPDATE 1/9/14 @ 7:10 p.m.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin has issued a state of emergency for five counties after a chemical leak in Kanawha County Thursday morning.

The state of emergency includes West Virginia American Water customers in Boone, Lincoln, Kanawha, Jackson and Putnam counties.

WVAW customers are told not to use tap water for drinking, cooking, washing, or bathing. You can use the water for toilets and fire emergencies. Boiling water will not get rid of the chemical. This is believed to impact 100,000 customers.

The Kanawha Charleston Health Department, which covers Kanawha and Putnam counties tells WSAZ.com all permit holders in both counties, including daycares, universities, restaurants, and schools need to shut down.

Homeland Security says if you feel sick, seek medical attention at a local hospital or call poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222.

According to a news release, the leak happened at Freedom Industries in Charleston. The leaked product is 4-Methylcyclohexane Methanol, which is used in the froth flotation process of coal washing and preparation.


Read more: http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/Firefighters-Investigating-Strong-Smell-in-Kanawha-Valley--239434751.html

[theHandpuppet]

1. Figured this was going to happen sooner or later

When you drive through the Charleston area all you see are huge chemical plants along the Kanawha.

[ProgressSaves]

2. Coal kills. nt

[EileenFB]

3. My buddy on Facebook is furious

about this situation. I've been following his posts for the last couple of hours as he is directly affected by this. Here are a couple of his updates:

So there's a chemical spill that contaminates the water supply for five counties and the state government doesn't get around to issuing a state of emergency for SEVEN HOURS?!?

Meanwhile people are unknowingly circulating the contaminated water farther and farther all day, not to mention cooking with and drinking it all day at restaurants and in their homes? And your press conference doesn't happen until AFTER dinner?

A chemical hazardous enough that boiling your water still won't make it safe? With my goddamn kids at daycare drinking that shit unknowingly?

ARE YOU MOTHERFUCKING KIDDING ME?!?

People have bought up tons of bottled water and are attempting to sell it online now at horribly inflated prices.

People don't waste time in taking advantage of a bad situation!

[hollowdweller]

4. Company didn't report it.

My poor wife is having to spend the evening in the emergency command center. We work, but do not live, in the affected area.

Methanol is a form of alcohol.

They do use some nasty chemicals in coal prep. Everybody sort of thinks you just mine it and then it's burned but it's washed and processed using all sort of crap that really generates some crappy toxic waste to get it ready to burn.

[hollowdweller]

5. No wait.

Now they are saying we're affected.

Glad I have 2 wells I can switch to.

[theHandpuppet]

6. I don't think most folks have the slightest idea...

... about how coal is mined and processed and the utter devastation it wreaks upon the environment.

[intaglio]

7. Information on this chemical from The Chemical Book

4-METHYL-1-CYCLOHEXANEMETHANOL

Risk Statements
36: Irritating to the eyes
37: Irritating to the respiratory system
38: Irritating to the skin

Safety Statements
26: In case of contact with eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of water and seek medical advice
27: Take off immediately all contaminated clothing
28: After contact with skin, wash immediately with plenty of ... (to be specified by the manufacturer)
29: Do not empty into drains
30: Never add water to this product
33: Take precautionary measures against static discharges
35: This material and its container must be disposed of in a safe way
36: Wear suitable protective clothing
37: Wear suitable gloves
39: Wear eye/face protection

[okaawhatever]

10. Thx for the info. nt

[MyNameGoesHere]

8. My local fish wrapper, an Ogden AstroTurf "news paper"

had breaking news on Jay Gruden being the new coach of Washington within 1 hour of it happening. This? Nothing. You don't bad mouth coal period. It is the unwritten rule.

[hedgehog]

9. kick

[peoli]

11. This is disgusting and wrong and sick!

[dbackjon]

12. Sickening - literally

[durablend]

13. Just a sign of things to come, folks!

WV today, the entire country tomorrow. Because g-ddammit companies need to rake in huge profits and besides "They sell bottled water you can drink in the stores, you know"

[Aerows]

14. What a disaster

It's a good thing all those coal and chemical companies fight so hard against regulation. I mean, regulation might be bad for business. Apparently it's horrible for the bottled water and basic necessities for human life industries, too.

Maybe as residents stand in line to get their water rations, they can gripe about how horrible those commie regulators are and appreciate the irony.

[theHandpuppet]

16. Yeah, but you simply can't get through to these folks

Even this won't have any impact on the love affair with coal. This is the EPA-hating group that is so popular here in WV:
http://www.friendsofcoal.org/

I see the bumper stickers and billboards all the time. Nothing will change.

[MadrasT]

15. Up to 9 counties now, with a federal emergency declaration

UPDATE 1/10/14 @ 4:15 a.m
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Governor Earl Ray Tomblin announced early Friday morning that the White House has approved a federal emergency declaration to assist with the emergency water situation in nine West Virginia counties.

Governor Tomblin declared a state of emergency Thursday evening after a chemical leak in Charleston. The state of emergency includes West Virginia American Water customers in Kanawha, Cabell, Boone, Putnam, Lincoln, Logan, Clay, Roane and Jackson counties.

(Same link as in OP.)

Scary.

[LeftyMom]

24. Apparently almost everywhere else is on boil water notices due to pipe leaks

as a result of the weather.

My best friend lives in Lewis county and just found out she was supposed to be boiling her water AFTER she started showing GI symptoms.

So it's going to be that much harder to shift bottled water supplies from other parts of the state, their stores will have empty shelves too.

[hedgehog]

17. kick!

[hollowdweller]

18. a few years back and a few miles from the current problem

http://scienceblogs.com/thepumphandle/2011/01/21/a-disaster-waiting-to-happen-t/

[Petrushka]

19. K & R

[Jacoby365]

20. Freedom Industries is Koch Industries distributor of coal mining chemicals

I figured with a name like Freedom Industries there would be a Koch connection.

The following link (scroll down to Coal Products) shows that Freedom Industries is the distributor for Koch's coal processing chemicals.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Georgia-Pacific

The following link has information about Koch's coal mining chemicals.

http://www.gp-chemicals.com/Talon_Mining_Depressants

[theHandpuppet]

23. Wow

I guess I shouldn't be surprised at any slimy operation with a Koch connection.

[Brigid]

25. The Kochroaches won't be happy until they've killed us all.

[Petrushka]

21. Petition

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/demand-coal-enforcement-1?source=c.url&r_by=4510024

[Redfairen]

22. 300,000 people are now without water.

They're being told the water is OK for flushing toilets but nothing else.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/09/us/west-virginia-contaminated-water/