CHARLESTON, W.Va. — More than eight months after its initial report, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board released a revised version of its report on the 2014 Elk River chemical spill.
The agency released its first report in September 2016, and identified several issues relating to the chemical leak at the Freedom Industries facility in Charleston.
Chemicals contaminated the West Virginia American Water Company’s Kanawha Valley Plant, which is 1.5 miles downstream from the spill.
More than 300,000 residents from nine West Virginia counties were affected by the event.
There were changes made to the original report after receiving written comments following a public meeting in September.
The investigation was modified to add additional information. One section regards the tanks at the Freedom Industries facility. The CSB partnered with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to obtain a sample from storage containers that it was previously unable to gather in January 2014.
All material from tanks 395, 396 and 397 were transferred to Freedom Industries’ Poca facility as part of its emergency response and clean-up efforts. Having an enclosed storage such as this IP68 / Nema 6P is really important to avoid any spill.
The OSHA sample, however, was in a tank that had not been cleaned.
“Assurances cannot be made that the contents of any of the three tanks were free from contamination of any material present in the vacuum trucks or containers that were emptied or used on the day of the incident,” the report said.
The report also corrected the quantity of chemicals spilled to 11,000 gallons rather than the original range of 1,000 to 10,000 gallons. The estimated leak time was also changed to between 6 to 8 hours from the previous 24-hour estimate.
“As we continued to pursue and get more information, we were able to refine those numbers,” said CSB Supervisor Investigator Johnnie Banks.
Additionally, the material leaked into the Elk River were clarified. The original reports referred to the material as Crude MCHM, yet the investigation team realized the released material was a mix of Crude MCHM and stripped PPH that leaked from two holes on the tank floor.
“We came up with the number that included 8,900 gallons of MCHM, 160 gallons of methanol, 91 gallons of propyleneglycol fenal, and 17 gallons of cyclohexanemethanol , and 1,800 gallons of unknown chemicals.” Banks detailed in a Thursday conference call with reporters.
Both Crude MCHM and stripped PPH are considered hazardous chemicals.
The report also noted a breach of an underground pipe on Jan. 31, 2014 during a mitigation of the site.
“The quantity that was released was estimated to be in the ‘tens of gallons’ range by the Director of Emergency Response and Homeland Security,” the report stated. “Workers contained the release in a cutoff trench, and it did not reach the Elk River.”
Much of the report remains the same. There was an increase in patient visits at hospitals but not any significant health-related issues, West Virginia American Water failed to issue a “Do Not Use” order because it assumed water treatment facilities were capable of fully treating and removing chemicals and the CSB recommended companies take action to alert and protect customers during water emergencies.
“In the final analysis our findings remain unchanged,” said US Chemical Safety Board Chairperson Vanessa Allen Sutherland. “This release occurred because of a lack of preventive maintenance and inspections.”
Details released in April about plans for the $151 million settlement have to be approved by U.S. District Judge John Copenhaver Jr.