![]() ![]() Southern has been ridiculed for drinking from a bottle of water during the interviews in which reporters questioned him about the loss of drinking water for over 300,000 WV residents. Southern is criticized for giving misleading information and vague responses to questions, including the extent of the spill and a timeline for its cleanup. However, the night after the chemical spill, acting president Gary Southern addressed reporters on site. Following the spill, Freedom has made few comments to the press. Industries reported the incident to the WV Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). At 12:05, after investigators had discovered the spill, Freedom However, when investigators arrived that day at 11:15, Farrell (who claimed to be the president), indicated that he was not aware of any problem. Response to the Incident Freedom Industries įreedom Industries president claims in interviews that his company became aware of the spill at 10:30 AM. Three tanks contained the chemical 4-methycyclohexanemethanol (MCHM). On site were 14 storage tanks capable of storing 4 million gallons of chemicals. It was purchased from Pennzoil in 1992, and its gasoline storage tanks converted to hold chemicals used in processing coal slurry from mining operations. The storage facility stands approximately 1.5 miles up stream from the river's confluence with the Kanawha River and the American Water company water treatment plant. The Elk River spill originated at the Etowah Terminal Facility, a chemical storage location owned by Freedom Industries. 31, 2013, 10 days before the chemical spill, Freedom Industries was acquired by Cliff Forrest, a Pennsylvania coal magnate, and merged with Delaware company "Crete Technolgies". In 2013, Southern took over as president of Freedom Industries, and Farrell became a "top executive". ![]() By his own account, Farrell nearly ran the company out of existence during his time as president. Kennedy was replaced in 2006 as president by an old friend named Dennis Farrell, with whom Kennedy had partnered in a number of other ventures, including opening a sports bar in downtown Charleston in 2002. Kennedy served 22 months in prison, being released early from a 40 month sentence for aiding in a drug investigation. Kennedy served as president of Freedom Industries until 2005 when he was indicted for funneling federal tax withholdings (summing over $1 million) to his own accounts. 4.1 National Toxicology Program's Findingsīackground Freedom Industries Key Figures įreedom Industries was founded by Carl Kennedy II and Gary Southern in 1986 (according to the company website, though filings with the WV secretary of state indicate the business was formed in 1992 ), and includes the storage facility on the Elk River and a chemical mixing facility in Nitro, WV.3.3.1 Required Testing of New Chemicals.3.3 Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976.3.2 Dissemination of Stored Chemical Characteristics.3.1 Facility Inspections and Condition of Storage Tanks.2.3 West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. ![]()
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