State investigators have already
launched a full scale investigation into what could be the third slurry spill
in recent years at Patriot Coal’s Kanawha Eagle prep plant near Winifrede in
eastern Kanawha County
The latest spill, which happened in
the early morning hours on Tuesday, involved as much as 100,000 gallons of
slurry — a waste product from coal production — that blackened Fields Creek, a
tributary for the Kanawha River.
“It happened and we are doing
everything that we can to, first of all, get the environment cleaned up as
quickly as possible and, then, to investigate and take the appropriate measures
with the company,” said Governor Earl Ray Tomblin on Wednesday.
Reports
indicated the spill was reported to state officials before 8 a.m. on
Tuesday morning, more than two hours after the line, running from the
prep plant to a disposal site, was disconnected and the slurry flow stopped.
The
flow into Fields Creek might have continued for several hours.
Early
indications are the spill may have started with a broken valve. Randy
Huffman, secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection, said an
alarm system, designed to warn of equipment failures, was not working.
“The
safeguards that were in place to prevent the mechanical failure from becoming
something that has an environmental impact broke down and I’m not sure why
yet,” said Huffman.
“As with any kind of a situation
like this, there will be a series of violations issued and those violations
typically include penalties so there will be violations and penalties.”
He said the investigation will require additional evaluations because of at
least two previous spills at the site in 2010.
In a Tuesday statement, Patriot
Coal said the following: “Mine personnel provided notification to the West
Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and all pumping related to the
slurry line was promptly discontinued and the discharge ceased.
Containment activity began immediately at the site and is continuing in Fields
Creek and is our top priority.”
The containment measures were
implemented on Fields Creek.
Dale
Petry, director of Kanawha County Emergency Services, confirmed some of that
slurry did make it to the Kanawha
River
“It
traveled down the river about 6/10 of a mile,” Petry said. “I’m sure
there’s been some particles that’s went on further down the river, but they
could no longer be seen after approximately 6/10 of a mile.”
