Latest news with #WVDEP
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
$2 million in funds announced by Governor Morrisey for environmental cleanup in part of Fayette County
CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) — $2 million in funds for the start of an environmental cleanup in Fayette County was announced by Governor Patrick Morrisey. According to a press release, the $2 million in funds announced by Governor Morrisey will go towards starting an environmental cleanup of the Arbuckle Creek Superfund Site, also known as the former Shaffer Equipment Company property, in the Minden area of Fayette County. Milton man reels in record-setting blue catfish This cleanup is a long-overdue investment in the health and safety of Minden residents. Thanks to the collaboration among federal, state, and local partners, we are taking meaningful steps to protect West Virginians from dangerous chemicals. Governor Morrisey West Virginia House of Delegates member and representative for District 50, Elliott Pritt told 59News that, while some residents may remain skeptical after similar promises from public figures in recent years, the development is a positive step on the path forward for the area. I think anything that we can do for these people is positive. I know that some of them feel like all the different cleanups that have happened over the past few years have been unsuccessful and they may have somewhat of a 'well, we'll see' attitude. But I do think ultimately this is good for them. Elliott Pritt The press release stated that the contamination at the site came from damaged transformers placed by Shaffer Equipment Company between 1970 and 1984 that caused polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to seep into Arbuckle Creek and soil in the area. The press release also mentioned that studies showed that exposure to PCBs can be connected to a higher risk of cancer and reproductive issues. MAP: State-owned shooting ranges that are open to the public in West Virginia According to the press release, although cleanup efforts began in the 1980s and early 2000s, continuous concerns resulted in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assessments in 2017, and the location was added to the EPA's National Priorities List (NPL) in 2019, which helped it qualify for Superfund resources. The press release stated that the $2 million in funding was secured by Governor Morrisey's office and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), and that in April 2025 a formal contract was completed between EPS Region 3 and the WVDEP. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Demolition begins for Fairmont Box Factory
FAIRMONT, (WBOY) — After sitting vacant for more than 30 years, the Fairmont Box Factory is now being demolished to create a facility that city officials believe will be monumental for the city. Monday began the initial process of the demolition, preceded by a ceremony to commemorate the factory's history and its new beginning. The City of Fairmont is planning to construct a community recreational area in place of the factory that will also extend the West Fork Trail into the neighborhood. East-West Stadium set to receive new turf this summer 'This is going to become a community recreation area where people are down here and we're going to be transforming the Beltline neighborhood, not just here, but the old Helmic property site as well. And to sports tourism and recreational tourism, and I think it's just a big day for Fairmont, one of several big days that are coming,' Fairmont City Manager Travis Blosser said. The city plans to pay homage to the factory's history and impact on its community by tying the history of glassmaking into the new facility and utilizing rubble from the demolition as fill aggregate. The demolition is a part of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection's (WVDEP) 'Delap 2' initiative, which awarded Fairmont $450,000 for this site alone. More than $918,000 has already been invested in the city, with 18 structures demolished, although WVDEP Secretary Harold Ward said that five to seven structures are still in the works. 'This is not a profit-based initiative, it's about community improvement and uplifting the community and savings for the community, there's an inherited economic benefit with it that goes along with it. I mean this property that's next to the recreational facility over here on river frontage, it's going to be enormous for Fairmont,' Ward said. Groundbreaking for the recreational area is scheduled to begin this summer and continue into the fall. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Attacks on community air monitoring in West Virginia threaten our democracy
PurpleAir sensors report air quality data in real-time to a publicly available website. (Morgan King | Courtesy photo) Community air monitoring is democracy at work. Over the past year and a half, I have installed air quality sensors on people's homes, private businesses, community centers and government buildings. This work transcends several communities and organizations and is an effort of many West Virginians who believe in the power of science, transparency and community. Democratizing access to air quality data is the primary goal of community air monitoring efforts in West Virginia. Everyone should know the condition of the air they breathe. And, above all, every West Virginian should have access to clean air. Unfortunately this is not the case for every person in our state. Having access to air quality data allows the people who live, play and love our state to make their own informed decisions about their health. Notably, our communities are more vulnerable to air pollution than other states. West Virginians face among the highest rates of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease and diabetes in the country. The sensors report air quality data in real-time to a publicly available website provided by the company who produces these sensors, PurpleAir. The pollution that PurpleAir sensors test for include particulate matter and volatile organic compounds (VOC). Particulate matter is a mixture of solid and liquid particles suspended in the air, like dust, bacteria and pollen, and VOCs are a group of chemicals that can be harmful to human health and the environment. The sensors also test for temperature and humidity, which can be useful for tracking heat disparities across neighborhoods and hyperlocal locations. With only 13 ambient air quality stations monitored by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) and a mere five of those stations active and reporting this week, it is safe to say that there is inadequate air monitoring for our 55 counties and 148 towns. The 16 air quality sensors that I have helped to deploy are more than triple that of the functioning WVDEP air monitors. With plans to deploy at least 50 more in the coming months, community air monitoring offers an affordable and empirical gap-filler where our government failed to step up. Yet, there are impending legislative threats that would limit this program and weaken our democratic system in an already volatile time for our environment and country. Last year, House Bill 5018 intended to limit the uses of data from these programs. While there were questions on the constitutionality of the bill and most speakers at a public hearing were against the bill, the House of Delegates still advanced it by a significant majority. It then went on to die in the Senate Energy committee. If this year's anti-community air monitoring bill is similar to the last, it will pose legislative overreach. A provision dictated what data could or could not be used within courts and violated the sanctity of the separation of powers and the constitutional principle of the three branches of government. Essentially it was our legislature saying that they cannot trust the judicial experts to make the right decision based on the evidence presented before them. Even worse, House Resolution 1 passed on the first day of session to establish the rules for the House of Delegates, including the elimination of public hearings in the people's house. This further threatens our democratic process and suppresses the voices of constituents. Last year, the public hearing on House Bill 5018 brought out residents who found value in knowing their air quality data. This year when the bill is considered through the new committee process, it will be on the whim of the committee chair to decide who gets to testify on the issue. As dismal and unfortunate as it is, I will not be surprised if that means locking constituents out of the legislative process. This should frighten folks — our freedoms are being stripped little by little. If those in power do not want you to know the quality of the air you breathe, then it's worth questioning why. And, if those in power do not want you to be able to ask that question to their face, then it's worth resisting in unconventional ways. One way to fight back is to install your own air quality sensor or get in contact and let me help you install one at your home or business. Community science initiatives can and will build collective power. After all, as much as those in power may try, they can't take the truth or scientific fact away from us. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
