JimBowie1958
Old Fogey
- Sep 25, 2011
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West Virginia: Governor Declares State of Emergency After Coal Chemical Spill | TIME.com
Methylcyclohexanol - National Library of Medicine HSDB Database
So who fell asleep at the wheel on this one?
The federal government joined West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin in declaring a state of emergency following a chemical spill along one of the states major rivers. The spill has caused authorities to issue a water ban in nine counties that could affect an estimated 100,000 residents.
The emergency and accompanying ban were issued after the toxic chemical 4-methylcyclohexane methanol, which is used to process coal, leaked from a tank at a Freedom Industries plant in the capital city Charleston and spilled into the Elk River. The full extent of the spill remains unknown.
Until we get out and flush the actual system and do more testing, we cant say how long this [advisory] will last, West Virginia American Water president Jeff McIntyre told the Associated Press.
The chemical is not lethal even its most concentrated form, McIntyre said, but according to the AP it is a skin and eye irritant that can be harmful if swallowed or inhaled.
Methylcyclohexanol - National Library of Medicine HSDB Database
So who fell asleep at the wheel on this one?