DEP inspectors describe early scene at Freedom leak site

[n2doc]

By Ken Ward Jr.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- When state inspectors arrived at the Freedom Industries tank farm late last Thursday morning, they found a 400-square-foot pool of clear liquid had collected outside a white tank marked as number 396.

A 4-foot wide stream of the liquid -- thicker than water, but not as heavy as syrup -- was flowing across the bottom of a containment dike. The flow disappeared right at the joint where the dike's wall connected to its floor.

Freedom Industries had set up one cinder block and used one 50-pound bag of some sort of safety absorbent powder to try to block the chemical flow, state Department of Environmental Protection inspectors say.

"This was a Band-Aid approach," said DEP air quality inspector Mike Kolb. "It was apparent that this was not an event that had just happened."

more

http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201401130118

[jakeXT]

1. Meanwhile:John Boehner On West Virginia Chemical Spill: 'We Have Enough Regulations'

WASHINGTON -- House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Tuesday that no new regulations are needed after a chemical spill in West Virginia last week left more than 300,000 people without safe tap water. He suggested the incident was not the result of less environmental and energy regulation but of the Obama administration's failure to enforce existing rules.

"The issue is this: We have enough regulations on the books. And what the administration ought to be doing is actually doing their jobs," Boehner said at a press conference. "Why wasn't this plant inspected since 1991?"

"I am entirely confident that there are ample regulations already on the books to protect the health and safety of the American people," he added. "Somebody ought to be held accountable here. What we try to do is look at those regulations that we think are cumbersome, are over the top, and that are costing the economy jobs. That's where our focus continues to be."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/14/john-boehner-chemical-spill_n_4595897.html

[n2doc]

2. John Boehner Took Money from the Company Behind the West Virginia Spill

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/116212/west-virginia-chemical-spill-john-boehner-and-freedom-industries

There's a word for him, starting with Wh..., that I am not supposed to use on DU, but I think you get my drift....

[jakeXT]

6. I got it after seeing the price tag..../nt

[malaise]

3. Absolutely irresponsible

They are worst than terrorists

[n2doc]

4. As that one top thread noted -If Al quida had opened those tanks and spilled that poison

we would be at war with Iran or Syria by now. Or maybe Canada, if Ted Cruz got his way.

[malaise]

5. Yep

That's the truth n2doc