Tag: Downstream Strategies

Hearing on Capitol Hill Considers Lessons Learned from Elk River Chemical Spill

The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works had a hearing Thursday in Washington that focused on improving chemical safety. Committee members heard about the recent water crisis in the Kanawha Valley from a West Virginia expert.

Panelists included representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Chemical Safety Board as well as authorities from communities that have witnessed recent chemical strife.

Evan Hansen, president of the Morgantown-based environmental consulting firm Downstream Strategies, spoke about the water crisis in West Virginia where a chemical leak into the Elk River recently polluted the drinking water of some 300,000 residents in the Kanawha Valley.

Hansen made some recommendations:

  • Spill Prevention, Control, and Counter (SPCC) measures as they exist for oil containment, should be extended to chemical storage facilities.  
  • Develop safe drinking water laws. Public water systems should create protection plans, and both the assessment reports and the protection plans should be periodically updated as well as accessible to all downstream water systems.
  • Make individual National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for chemical facilities mandatory within zones of critical concern (above drinking water intakes).

Hansen also took advantage of the opportunity to point out that weaknesses in enforcement undermine any meaningful regulations.
Chairwoman Barbara Boxer—a democrat from California—stressed the importance of new legislation in the process of being drafted, saying that a bill to address new chemical concerns brought to light by the chemical spill in West Virginia was forthcoming.

Solar Talks Take Place in Wheeling and Morgantown

A recent report—Using Solar PV to Create Economic Diversity in West Virginia, Five Policy Recommendations—was written by The Mountain Institute and…

A recent report—Using Solar PV to Create Economic Diversity in West Virginia, Five Policy Recommendations—was written by The Mountain Institute and Downstream Strategies. Among its recommendations are: creating tax incentives for individuals and businesses, third party financing for nonprofits and local governments and  the expansion of net metering where owners of solar energy sell what they don’t use to the power company.

This report caught the attention of Robin Mahonen, founder of a group called Wheeling Water Warriors. It inspired her to organize a public event for the Wheeling community to learn more about solar options.

Mahonen says the Warrior group was created to bring attention to the issues related to hydraulic fracking practices, particularly the possible dangers to public health and the environment. But they also want to promote sustainable ideas to the community.

One of the report’s authors, Aaron Sutch gave the presentation at the event, which took place at Wheeling Jesuit University. Sutch is the energy program manager at the Mountain Institute—an organization with a mission to promote economic development in mountain regions that include West Virginia and Nepal.  He says solar power is a practical option to mitigate rising energy costs.

He says Wheeling, for example, gets about 80% of the solar resource that Miami does. He also points to the world leader in solar power, Germany, which has 5 times the amount of installed solar that we do in the US despite the fact that we get nearly twice as much solar resource. 

“Solar is just a tremendously strong resource that is capable of being captured in a lot of different climates and WV is no exception,” Sutch says.

He says with proper policy incentives, and some public enthusiasm, solar is pretty-well set to soar in West Virginia.

“You have to remember with solar that you’re actually pre-paying your electricity for as long as the system lasts,” Sutch says about investing in solar panels. “Solar is estimated to last as long as 35 years. And you’re also paying for the benefit of being able to produce your own electricity, and that independence.”

As for Robin Mohonen, of the Wheeling Water Warriors? She says she and her husband Ed are jumping on the solar bandwagon as soon as possible.

“Eddie and I will be looking to put solar power on our house this late spring, early summer—as soon as the ice melts we’ll get those panels up there. We’re really excited about that.”

Development Committee of Wheeling’s City Council will hear a similar presentation on March 4th, at 12:30PM. Sutch says he’ll also be speaking with community members in Morgantown scheduled for February 20th.

West Virginia Needs More Solar Jobs, Report Says

A new report by two independent organizations says West Virginia is lagging behind in bolstering solar energy programs and providing solar energy jobs.The…

A new report by two independent organizations says West Virginia is lagging behind in bolstering solar energy programs and providing solar energy jobs.

The report points out surrounding states are benefiting from past investments into this renewable energy technology.

Two groups that support sustainable economic development, Downstream Strategies and The Mountain Institute, teamed up to compare West Virginia’s solar energy job growth to surrounding states.

The report, “Using Solar PV to Create Economic Opportunity and Energy Diversity in West Virginia” suggests West Virginia is not doing nearly enough to promote the solar industry, or create solar jobs.

These jobs include electricians, people responsible for placing solar panels on buildings, even regulators who are involved with solar jobs. The report says neighboring Ohio, Virginia, and Pennsylvania have taken some steps, creating more than 6,000 jobs related to this industry. Aaron Sutch is a co-author, who works with the Mountain Institute as Energy Program Manager.

“West Virginia is really lagging woefully behind. We’re fifty-first in per capita solar jobs, including the District of Columbia,” said Sutch.

The report suggests that West Virginia should adopt new energy standards and tax incentives as other states have done to encourage industry growth.  The report also promotes what’s known as third party financing, in which private sector partners get involved, and provide financing to these projects.

Found Formaldehyde Begs Basic Questions, Expert Says

Marc Glass is a principal researcher in charge of evaluation and remediation of environmental contamination in soil and water for the environmental consulting firm Downstream Strategies. He’s been testing water samples for private residents affected by the Elk River chemical spill. While his results haven’t turned up any traces of formaldehyde, it is something they’ve been testing for.

How long did the Freedom tank leak?

Glass says the MCHM process of breaking down starts pretty quickly. The half-life is approximately 14 days—meaning about half of the chemical compound will have broken down into other products (like formaldehyde and formic acid) in about two-weeks’ time.

“But the more breakdown products you find,” Glass says, “the longer ago it makes you feel the spill started.”

That’s the big question burning in Glass’s mind: What kind of a time frame are we really talking about? Glass says it shouldn’t be difficult to find out. He says it should be a simple matter to reconcile the inventory for Freedom Industries to compare what they purchased to what they sold or used.

“I think we should start looking at that and I think we should start looking at a much longer term than just a few hours or days prior to the spill. I think we should for starters look at maybe a three-year period.”

What are the adverse health effects?

Glass says the Environmental Protection Agency, under the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control, has determined that small exposures to formaldehyde, about one part per million in drinking water, is not expected to cause adverse health effects.

“They further determine that they don’t think that ten parts per million consumed in drinking water for a day, or five parts per million for 10 days is expected to cause any adverse health effects. That’s why the concentration and the amount of time that somebody’s had exposure to that is relevant to assessing the health impacts.”

That’s not the only question Glass has.

What other chemicals should we be testing for?

“I’m also curious about what’s in the soil at the site because this was released from a tank and went across or through soil prior to getting into the Elk River. So maybe there were other contaminants.”

Glass points out that the Freedom site is a storage place that’s had products stored for decades. So accidental spills and releases could be present in the soil. He says if those are present in the soil and you put a solvent like MCHM into the mix, you risk mobilizing contaminants.

“So I’d really like to get a characterization of that site vertically and horizontally to know really what we should be looking for,” Glass says.

Glass says it’s frustrating to have so many unanswered questions when he’s asked by residents if the water is safe. He says basic information key to safeguarding the community is simply out of reach.

Downstream Strategies Pres. Critical of Governor's Proposed Source Water Protection Act

The President of Downstream Strategies is in Charleston presenting his organization’s report on the Elk River chemical spill to lawmakers. Meanwhile,…

The President of Downstream Strategies is in Charleston presenting his organization’s report on the Elk River chemical spill to lawmakers. Meanwhile, lawmakers are debating a proposal from Gov. Tomblin. Hansen is concerned about some aspects of the bill.

Hansen’s concerns involve several aspects of the bill. One aspect of the proposed legislation would require public water systems to present in-depth reports to the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Department of Health and Human Resources Secretary, about contingency plans should spills occur from tanks, as well as identifying secondary water sources, and management plans. If passed, that information would have to be passed along 90 days after passage. Hansen says that’s a tight deadline.

“In order to write solid plans, that have community support, that integrate information from local elected officials and industry and citizens, it’s going to take community meetings, it’s going to take a long time,” he said.

“I think if these are rushed too fast, they may not be meaningful reports that are going to do any good.”

Hansen is also concerned the legislation is too limited, focusing too much attention on chemical storage tanks above ground, and not other places that might inadvertently contaminate water supplies.

State Sen. John Unger, a Democrat, is also proposing legislation on the issue.

Unger says his bill is more broad than the governor’s bill. His proposal would regulate all above-ground storage tanks.

Downstream Strategies: New Regulations Are Only First Step to Prevent Future Spills

Downstream Strategies President Evan Hansen has worked on a report called "The Freedom Industries Spill: Lessons Learned and Needed Reforms." Hansen says…

Downstream Strategies President Evan Hansen has worked on a report called “The Freedom Industries Spill: Lessons Learned and Needed Reforms.” Hansen says new regulations on storage facilities, like the one involved in the Elk River spill, are only a first step towards prevention.

Hansen also suggests:

  • Additional funding to the state Department of Environmental Protection, to add staff to its enforcement ranks;
  • A harsh tone from the state government on all extraction industries, that lax enforcement and shoddy storage won’t be tolerated,
  • A reformation of the permitting system, which includes holding storage facilities to more stringent permits, that would require public comment.

A copy of this report is now available.

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