Spill of MCHM in West Virginia Barred 300,000 Residents from Using Tap Water / After Chemicals Shipped to Armstrong County, Casey Asks DHS to Take Steps to Protect State’s Drinking Water Systems, Food and Prepare First Responders
Washington, DC- Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that he has sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson calling for oversight of chemicals that were shipped to Pennsylvania following a massive spill in West Virginia. The recent spill of 4-Methylcyclohexanemethanol (MCHM) in West Virginia barred 300,000 residents from using tap water and still has residents concerned. Following the spill, MCHM from West Virginia was shipped to Armstrong County. In his letter to the Department of Homeland Security, Casey calls for the agency to take appropriate steps to protect Pennsylvania’s drinking water, food supply and to work with emergency responders on preparedness for any event that should arise.
“It’s essential that all precautions are taken to ensure the safety of the residents in Armstrong County, and the mistakes that occurred in West Virginia do not repeat in Pennsylvania,” Senator Casey said. “I’m calling on the Department of Homeland Security to make sure the right plans are in place to prevent a spill in Pennsylvania, protect our drinking water and food and coordinate with emergency responders in the event of a crisis.”
The full text of Senator Casey’s letter can be seen below:
The Honorable Jeh Johnson
Secretary
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
Dear Mr. Secretary:
I am writing to urge you to ensure the safety of Pennsylvania’s critical infrastructure in regard to the relocation of 4-Methylcyclohexanemethanol (MCHM) from West Virginia to Pennsylvania. MCHM was the main chemical responsible for the recent contamination of water resources in West Virginia. Over 3,000 gallons of this chemical was recently transferred to a facility in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania.
As you know, the Department of Homeland Security plays a central role in protecting and preserving our nation’s critical infrastructure, including our waterways, our food and agriculture sector, and our emergency services capabilities. I am concerned about potential threats to these sectors of our critical infrastructure in Armstrong County and the region if there is a repeat of the spill that occurred in West Virginia. The incident in West Virginia barred 300,000 people from using their tap water in order to prevent adverse health events. Armstrong County is home to numerous waterways in the Allegheny River watershed, which connects to other major rivers and serves as an important source of drinking water for many Pennsylvanians.
All appropriate steps should be taken to safeguard our critical infrastructure. To that end, I urge you to ensure the protection of Pennsylvania’s drinking water systems, as well as to safeguard its food and agriculture sectors. Additionally, I urge you to ensure that our emergency services sector is prepared in the event of an incident, such as the one in West Virginia. As part of that effort, I request that you respond to me with information about what training and grant programs are available for Armstrong County’s first responders and public officials, so they can access all available resources to prevent and prepare to respond to such a disaster.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I ask you to keep me updated as to what steps the Department of Homeland Security will take to ensure the safety of critical infrastructure in Pennsylvania and its residents. I look forward to working together to continue protecting Pennsylvanians.
Sincerely,
Robert P. Casey, Jr.
United States Senator
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