Associated Press Published

West Virginia Chemical Spill Lawsuit Trial Moved to October

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The trial for a class-action lawsuit over a West Virginia chemical spill that polluted 300,000 people’s drinking water has been rescheduled for October.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports that U.S. District Judge John T. Copenhaver in Charleston announced the Oct. 25 trial date Thursday.

In the lawsuit, individuals and businesses impacted by the January 2014 chemical spill claim the water company, West Virginia American Water, didn’t adequately safeguard against a potential spill.

The lawsuit also targets Eastman Chemical, claiming the company didn’t test its manufactured chemical properly or warn about possible impacts to human health or to the type of tanks used to store it.

In January 2014, Freedom Industries in Charleston leaked coal-cleaning chemicals into the Elk River, tainting the company’s water supply for days. Freedom filed for bankruptcy.