ACS working to address environmental conditions at Marmet site

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has accepted an application submitted by American Chemical Services Co. (ACS) to participate in the agency’s Voluntary Remediation Program.

ACS will work with the DEP’s Office of Environmental Remediation to address environmental conditions on its property, located at 11201 MacCorkle Ave., in Marmet. Current activities at the facility being conducted by ACS consist of receiving, storing, blending and shipping of specific chemical mixtures to be used as antifreeze compounds, surfactants, or dust suppression for coal transfer facilities. The facility stores a variety of chemicals, including glycerins, calcium chloride, and additives.

ACS purchased the property in 1987 from Carbon Fuel Co. Carbon Fuel used the property as a railing shakeout facility, where coal was removed from railcars, shaken out, and transferred to a coal load facility. Contaminants of concern on the site are volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, petroleum hydrocarbons and metals.

Under the Voluntary Remediation Agreement with the DEP, ACS will work with the agency to identify human health and ecological risks associated with current and potential future uses of the site; establish applicable remediation standards; and ensure that standards are maintained at the site.

The project falls under West Virginia’s Voluntary Remediation and Redevelopment Act, which encourages voluntary cleanups of contaminated sites, as well as redevelopment of abandoned and under-utilized properties, with an objective of counteracting the lack of development on sites with contamination or perceived contamination.

Questions should be directed to either WVDEP Project Manager Patty Perrine (WVDEP—OER, 254 Industrial Drive, Oak Hill, WV 25901; 304-465-1911, ext. 3056) or Licensed Remediation Specialist David Carpenter (Environmental Resources Management (ERM), 204 Chase Drive, Hurricane, WV 25526; 304- 757- 4777.