CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. — City of Charles Town officials discovered last night that Rockwool submitted their sewer plan for the proposed facility in Ranson to the state Department of Environmental Protection earlier that day.
The city council met with the Water Utility Board ahead of their actual council meeting to discuss their findings in terms of water usage at the plant. After a presentation, council members wanted more time to go over what was submitted to the DEP as the information was made available just moments before the meeting.
Roughly 20-25 members from Citizens Concerned Against Rockwool attended both meetings and gave public comment about their concerns with the plant. Business owner Jennifer King was among those who were critical of the DEP saying that they haven’t been very transparent during this process.
“We have a lot of questions. They should have been on the ground weeks ago helping us through this process,” said King. “They made things much harder than it needs to be.”
David Tabb told WEPM that he filled on a Freedom of Information Act request and claimed to discovered falsified approvals from state agencies.
“You can’t trust what the DEP, the DAQ (Division of Air Quality), or what Rockwool actually says,” said Tabb. “You have to read it, you have to research it, and you have to put it into context.”
A third reading of a water bond in relation to the plant was tabled at the meeting and will be on the agenda for the next one in two weeks.
Last month, Concerned Citizens Against Rockwool organized a protest outside of a Jefferson County Development Authority meeting during a reading of a water bond for the Rockwool project.
Story by Elias McMillan