Norfolk Southern removes contaminated soil
BY PHILL BARNETT
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
GREYEAGLE, W.Va. — Norfolk Southern Corporation is currently removing contaminated soil from a site along the Tug Fork River in Greyeagle. The site, which connects to the Warfield railroad trestle, was previously leased from the company by Kermit Lumber & Pressure Treating Company owned by Harrison Jude.
A 1987 compliance inspection by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) found high amounts of chromium and arsenic had been deposited by Kermit Lumber’s activities on the site.
According to a 1997 decision by the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, “inspectors concluded that the contamination was a result of the pressure treatment process used by Kermit Lumber to treat the lumber. The inspectors also concluded that multiple spills had occurred at the business site over a period of time.”
The soil was stained green by chromium and arsenic contamination around the edge of the business site and down a steep embankment leading into the Tug Fork River, upstream of Martin County’s Turkey Creek water treatment plant and raw water intake.
In October 1987, the West Virginia DEP ordered Kermit Lumber to remediate the affected area and pay a penalty.
While Kermit Lumber initially agreed to remediate the area, a follow-up inspection in 1988 showed that nothing had been done to remedy the problem. Instead, Kermit Lumber had simply moved their lumber treatment operation to another area and regraded the soil in an attempt to cover up the contaminated soil.
Inspectors concluded that the company had also dumped potentially hazardous chemicals into the river in the time since the previous inspection.
The DEP filed a civil suit against the company, and Jude was charged with illegal storage and transportation of hazardous chemicals.
Jude was found guilty, fined $75,000 and placed on a three-year probation. Kermit Lumber agreed to hire and follow the advice of an environmental consultant to remediate the affected soil.
DEP inspections in 1992 and 1995 found continued violations.
Kermit Lumber eventually ceased business under that name and moved across the river to Inez in 2002 as Big Sandy Hardwoods, eventually becoming Coalfield Lumber.
Jude passed away in 2021.
According to Norfolk Southern spokesperson Connor Spielmaker, Jude’s company was in the process of remediating the soil contamination when they ultimately left the site.
Responsibility fell to Norfolk Southern, which is now voluntarily removing the contaminated soil, according to Spielmaker.
According to Kermit clerk Rhonda Muncy, a representative of the construction crew referred to the soil as “highly contaminated” and stated they would be there for “quite a while.”
Spielmaker could not comment on what prompted Norfolk Southern to begin excavation at this time.
Jeffers Excavating and Transportation of Milton, W.Va., has been contracted to remove and haul away the contaminated soil.
According to Kermit Mayor Charles Sparks, the contaminated soil will be hauled away to multiple locations, including as far as Indiana.
Attempts to reach the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection for comment were unsuccessful.
