The toxic water crisis in Flint, Michigan has some in South West Virginia wondering about pollution hazards here that may also be underestimated by authorities.
In light of what’s been revealed in Flint they say it’s time to take a closer look at air and water in this region that has been deemed ‘safe,’ but may not be.
The outcry against the practice of open burning of toxic waste from explosives at the Radford Army Ammunitions Plant has largely fallen on deaf ears. But the sound of testimony from a Virginia Tech water expert is being heard by activists and by legislators.
Professor Marc Edwards heads the team that exposed the real problem of toxic lead levels in Flint City water after claims to the contrary by the Environmental Protection Agency. Edwards testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Investigations last week.
U.S. Representative from southwest Virginia Morgan Griffith isn’t on that committee, but he got special permission to be there and ask some questions.
Representative Griffith: “Up to this point in time, if somebody made a complaint to me, while I had other battles with the EPA, if it dealt with air or water I would say, well, the EPA hasn’t said there’s a problem. Am I to take from the testimony here today, in your opinion, that maybe I need to go beyond relying on the EPA when it comes to whether or not the water supply in my district has been affected?”
Marc Edwards: “I wish I could say otherwise but events have proven you correct.”
Griffith says in light of what happened in Flint, his office is going to take closer look at the situation at the Radford Arsenal. Environmental Patriots of the New River Valley, a watchdog group, has long called for more oversight by the Environmental Protection Agency.
“In the case of the Radford Army Arsenal, the EPA has been telling us that everything is fine and it’s hard for some folks to believe I relied on the EPA in that situation figuring, that as aggressive as they’ve been with everything else, that they’ve been aggressive there too.”
Griffith says he instructed his team to re-open everything they’ve looked at in the past concerning the issue at the Arsenal. They’re looking for an outside expert who can examine the data to see if anything has been missed after years of assurances to the public, that there’s no danger to the public.
Wednesday's meeting on the arsenal will be happening at Radford Public Library, Community Meeting Room, 30 W Main Street, Radford, VA 24141
