Michael S. Regan 16th Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency | Official Website
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a Record of Decision (ROD) to address contaminated soil at the former Shaffer Equipment Company (SEC) property in Minden, West Virginia. This ROD pertains to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) located at the SEC property within the Shaffer Equipment/Arbuckle Creek Area Superfund Site.
“EPA’s Record of Decision is a significant step forward in protecting the community and waterway from the threat of contaminants like PCBs, and there is still more work to be done,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Administrator Adam Ortiz. “EPA will continue to investigate and study the remaining portions of the site and will work with our partners at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to prepare for the cleanup of the property.”
The site includes the SEC property, Arbuckle Creek sediments, and several other areas where related contamination may exist. Historically, soils and sediment were contaminated with PCBs used by Shaffer Equipment Company from 1970 to 1984 for manufacturing electrical substations for the local coal mining industry.
The SEC property cleanup plan involves excavation, removal, disposal of contaminated soil, capping, and backfilling with clean soil as needed. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will design this cleanup method. Once designed, remedial action can commence.
Additionally, EPA continues its detailed investigation into contamination in Arbuckle Creek and adjacent properties within the New River watershed.
In response to community concerns about residual contamination, EPA resampled the site in 2017 and held public meetings in 2017 and 2018 to review results. Testing revealed low PCB levels that did not pose an immediate threat to human health but indicated most contamination had moved down creek floodplains into land parcels along Arbuckle Creek. Consequently, EPA listed this site on its National Priorities List in 2019.
EPA released its proposed SEC property cleanup plan for public comment in March 2023 and held a public meeting during this period to inform residents about the plan and gather feedback. The ROD along with responses to public comments can be accessed at www.epa.gov/superfund/shaffer.
EPA has also launched a new ArcGIS Story Map highlighting infrastructure investments totaling $500 million across West Virginia. This tool illustrates how these funds benefit communities and environmental resources through various projects.
For further details on EPA activities in West Virginia, visit their new public Story Map via their website.
