Tomblin starts review of water crisis response

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin is seeking public comment in connection with his After Action Review of the state’s response to the Jan. 9 chemical leak on the Elk River and resulting water emergency in parts of nine West Virginia counties.

The governor kicked off the review Monday. He said it would highlight what the state did in the hours, days and weeks after learning of the spill of MCHM.

“The Elk River chemical spill was an unprecedented disaster that affected the lives of hundreds of thousands of West Virginians, and has launched a national dialogue about the safety of our nation’s water supply,” Gov. Tomblin said in a prepared release. “As this dialogue continues, West Virginia’s emergency response will act as a blueprint for other states across the country. The thoroughness of the Review depends in large measure on citizen participation. It is critical we receive an honest assessment of the emergency response including what we did well, opportunities for improvement, and concrete solutions for improving future response efforts.”

The responses are due May 26.