Letter to Freedom Industries President Gary Southern - Regarding Chemicals Stored at the Elk River Facility
Letter
Today Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman and Environment and the Economy Subcommittee Ranking Member Paul Tonko sent a letter to Freedom Industries President Gary Southern seeking information and documents related to the potential health and environmental risks posed by the chemicals stored at the company's facility on the Elk River. The letter also requests information on steps Freedom Industries took before commencing operations to ensure the company's ability to pay for any future cleanup of contamination at the site.
This week, Freedom Industries revealed that a second toxic chemical was leaked during the spill, in addition to MCHM. The Centers for Disease Control noted that the data on potential health risks posed by both chemicals is "very limited."
The full text of the letter is available below and online here.
January 23, 2014
Mr. Gary Southern
President
Freedom Industries
P.O. Box 713
Charleston, WV 25323
Dear Mr. Southern:
Since January 9, 2014, state and federal health officials have scrambled to respond to the leak of 4-methylcyclohexane methanol (MCHM) from Freedom Industries' Charleston storage facility on West Virginia's Elk River. On January 22, almost two weeks later, you informed the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection that the leaking tank had contained yet another chemical, PPH. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, data about the potential health risks posed by both chemicals are "very limited."
You also testified yesterday before a federal judge about Freedom Industries' Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. We are concerned that when all is said and done, taxpayers will be left to pay for any long-term costs of cleaning up contamination from your Elk River facility.
In order to help us understand the potential risks posed to human health, the environment, and taxpayers, please provide the following information by January 31, 2014:
(1) Provide all documents related to the identity of the chemicals stored at Freedom Industries' Charleston facility on the Elk River and the potential risks posed by these chemicals to human health and the environment.
(2) Describe any financial responsibility requirements that Freedom Industries and/or its parent company or companies had satisfied before commencing operations at the Charleston facility on the Elk River, such as obtaining insurance or posting bonds, to ensure the company's ability pay for any necessary cleanup of contamination at the site.
Sincerely,
Henry A. Waxman
Ranking Member
Paul D. Tonko
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy
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