West Virginia is dealing with another coal-related toxic spill, and people are finding out the hard way about the real dangers of fossil fuels. Yesterday, news broke that the West Virginia's Department of Environmental Protection is investigating a coal slurry spill in Kanawha County. Residents are still dealing with the effects of the Freedom Industries' chemical spill that happened a month ago, and now they're learning that a broken pipe at the Kanawha Eagle Prep Plant has spewed more toxic sludge into one of their waterways.
A West Virginia DEP spokesperson told the Charleston Gazette that the slurry spill can be characterized as “significant,” although they say that there is no immediate threat to drinking water. Considering that residents are still feeling the effects of the first spill, and fighting to get complete and accurate information, it's unlikely that they're going to trust risk assessments from state officials.
According to Eco News, the coal slurry contains a chemical called Flomin 110-C, which in turn contains MCHM. That is the same chemical that contaminated the Elk River, which provides drinking water for hundreds of thousands of West Virginia Residents. This is the third coal-related spill in a single month. How much more evidence do we need before we end our addiction to fossil fuels?
