diesel fuel Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

CSX Builds Zero-Emission Hydrogen Locomotive In Huntington

CSX No. 2100 was repowered from a kit developed in Canada by Canadian Pacific. It emits only water vapor and no carbon dioxide, depending on how the hydrogen was produced.

CSX unveiled a hydrogen-powered locomotive this week, rebuilt from a diesel locomotive at its Huntington Shop.

CSX No. 2100 was repowered from a kit developed in Canada by Canadian Pacific. It emits only water vapor and no carbon dioxide, depending on how the hydrogen was produced.

“The successful debut of our first hydrogen-powered locomotive stands as a testament to the exceptional skill and dedication of our employees at the CSX Huntington locomotive shop,” CEO Joe Hinrichs said in a statement.

Emissions from transportation are the largest single source of carbon dioxide emissions, and major railroads are looking for opportunities to repower diesel locomotives with alternative fuels.

In addition to hydrogen, some locomotives operate with liquefied natural gas or run on batteries.

Thanks to a federal grant, CSX will replace a small fleet of diesel locomotives with battery powered ones at the Curtis Bay coal export terminal in Baltimore.

W.Va. Among States Suing Volkswagen

States suing Volkswagen are focusing on the car maker’s advertisements dating back to the 2009 model year describing its vehicles as “clean diesel.”

As part of their legal strategy, attorneys general say each ad that aired or was published represents a deceptive or misleading business practice. Each carries a fine of $5,000 or more.

Volkswagen’s pitches described its diesel cars as good for the environment. They are at odds with the company acknowledging that it put stealth software in millions of vehicles worldwide to cheat on emissions tests. A Volkswagen spokeswoman declined to comment on the claims.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia have joined to investigate Volkswagen. California, Texas and West Virginia are pursuing their own lawsuits. The Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission are also involved.

Weather Moves Water Distribution Indoors in Greenbrier County

Update Monday January 26, 2015 at 9:11 p.m.

Water samples taken from the Greenbrier River did not show dangerous levels of diesel, the Charleston Gazette is reporting.

This means the water intakes will be turned back on to refill the tanks and restore water pressure.

Earlier today, Al Whitaker said that after the intakes are turned on, residents will be boil water advisory for at least three days.

The pending weather is moving water distribution sites in Greenbrier County indoors. About 12,000 residents in the Lewisburg area don’t have access to water in their homes. Residents in need of water should bring their own containers to fill up at the following sites:

Monday Until 7 p.m.

Fairlea, W.Va. – West Virginia State Fairgrounds

Ronceverte, W.Va. – Island Park

Tuesday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Ronceverte, W.Va. – Island Park

National Guard Armory close to Lewisburg Airport on Industrial Drive

Weather Moves Distribution Center

Al Whitaker, Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for Greenbrier County, says the weather is pushing distribution indoors.

The two tanks at the West Virginia State Fairgrounds are being moved to the National Guard Armory, which sits close to the Lewisburg Airport on Industrial Drive.

Greenbrier residents without drinking water should bring their own containers to the Armory beginning Tuesday at 7 a.m. Water will be distributed from 7 in the morning until 7 at night throughout the crisis.

Folks can also find water at Island Park in Ronceverte from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., again bring your own containers.

Whitaker says he’s received donations from organizations in Kentucky, North Carolina, and Virginia as well as the Red Cross.

The Lewisburg Water Department intakes was shut down after a truck spilled diesel into Anthony Creek, a tributary to the Greenbrier River. The intakes were shut down while officials wait on water quality tests from a laboratory. If the tests are clean, the intakes will reopen. After pumping begins, it’s expected to take 24 hours for the water to reach homes.

Whitaker says residents can expect a boil water advisory of 3 days when service is restored.

Tanker Truck Wrecks in Bartow, Leaks Diesel Fuel into Greenbrier River

Megan Moriarty with Allegheny Mountain Radio reports that on Tuesday afternoon a tanker truck carrying 7,800 gallons of diesel fuel overturned at Hermitage Bridge in Bartow, West Virginia. The driver was uninjured but the truck caught on fire and some of the diesel fuel has spilled into the Greenbrier River.

The truck was owned by Petroleum Carriers, LLC, based in Richmond Virginia. A private environmental clean-up crew hired by the trucking company is now on the scene.

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection remains at the site, with crews working to remove diesel fuel from the river. According to Tom Aluise from the DEP, the spill was contained and not evident beyond a quarter mile downstream from the spill site.

A similar tanker truck accident happened in July of 2012, where a tanker truck full of gasoline flipped onto its side in a field one-quarter mile south of the Route 250/Route 92 intersection in Bartow. This is the third tanker accident Pocahontas County has seen since 2009.