The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has ordered Peoples Cartage to prepare and submit detailed cleanup and remediation plans, including specific timelines, for its fire-damaged warehouse on Camden Avenue in Parkersburg.
The directive requires the company to address debris removal and disposal, site characterization and sampling, and remediation of any areas that test above applicable regulatory limits. Plans must include clear schedules for completing the work, the agency said.
What residents need to know
State officials said Peoples Cartage may continue remediation work while the required plans are developed and reviewed, but the Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) must approve the plans and will continue to oversee activities at the site.
WVDEP also said it is continuing in-stream sampling in the Little Kanawha River and that "all preliminary results to date have met applicable water quality standards," though testing will continue downstream to monitor conditions.
"This order puts clear requirements and timelines in place to make sure the site is properly cleaned up and any environmental impacts are addressed," said WVDEP Cabinet Secretary Harold Ward.
The agency additionally ordered enhanced runoff controls to prevent cleanup and remediation activities from impacting waters of the state.
State and local coordination
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture is collecting information from farmers, gardeners and other agricultural producers who believe their operations may have been affected by debris fallout. Those impacted are asked to submit information through the WVDA online portal. The department said additional personnel will be deployed as needed in coming days.
WVDEP officials emphasized ongoing oversight at the scene and continued testing as cleanup proceeds. The department did not provide a public timetable for when the approved plans will be completed or when remediation will be finished.
- Who must act: Peoples Cartage must submit plans for debris removal, sampling and remediation with timelines.
- State role: WVDEP must approve plans and will oversee cleanup; WVDA collecting agricultural impact reports.
- Water testing: Preliminary Little Kanawha River samples have met applicable standards; downstream monitoring continues.
| Action | Current status |
|---|---|
| Submission of cleanup plans and timelines | Required of Peoples Cartage; pending |
| On-site remediation activities | Allowed to proceed while plans are developed |
| In-stream water sampling | Ongoing; preliminary results meet standards |
Residents with concerns about water quality, agricultural fallout or debris impacts are advised to follow updates from WVDEP and the West Virginia Department of Agriculture. The agencies continue to monitor the situation and will release further information as tests and plan reviews proceed.
News Block will continue to report on official approvals, sampling results and any changes to cleanup timelines as they become available.
