WVDEP Issues Order to Peoples Cartage Requiring Detailed Remediation Plans and Timelines

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) has ordered Peoples Cartage to develop and implement detailed plans and timelines for the cleanup and remediation of its Camden Avenue warehouse site in Parkersburg following this week’s fire.

Under the order, Peoples Cartage must submit plans addressing debris removal and disposal, site characterization and sampling, and the remediation of any areas found to contain contamination above applicable regulatory limits. Each plan must include specific timelines for completing the required work.

The order also requires additional runoff controls to prevent cleanup and remediation activities from impacting waters of the state.

“This order puts clear requirements and timelines in place to make sure the site is properly cleaned up and any environmental impacts are addressed,” said WVDEP Cabinet Secretary Harold Ward. “We are using our regulatory authority to require the company to tell us how it will complete this work, establish timelines for getting it done, and carry out the cleanup under our oversight.”

Peoples Cartage is authorized to continue remediation activities while the required plans are developed and reviewed. WVDEP must approve the submitted plans and continues to maintain a presence at the site to oversee cleanup activities.

WVDEP also continues in-stream sampling in the Little Kanawha River. All preliminary results to date have met applicable water quality standards. The agency will continue sampling downstream locations and monitoring conditions.

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) continues collecting information from farmers, gardeners, and agricultural producers who believe their operations may have been affected by debris fallout through the

Additional WVDA personnel will be deployed as needed in the coming days to assist with sampling efforts. Samples will be analyzed using WVDA’s laboratory and EPA’s mobile laboratory.

WVDEP will continue coordinating with local, state, and federal partners as the cleanup phase continues. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

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