Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
Kanawha County and the City of Charleston, West Virginia have filed a civil suit against the parties responsible for the 2014 Elk River chemical spill. The action was filed in Kanawha County Circuit Court last week naming West Virginia American Water, Eastman Chemical Company and several affiliated parties.
The county and city seek to recoup the costs associated with their response to the emergency, including activation of the Kanawha County Emergency Operations Center. The chemical spill interrupted drinkable tap water to 300,000 people.
Commissioner Dave Hardy was quoted as saying: “The County has an obligation to the public to see to recover all costs relating to the Water Crisis. The responsible parties, not the taxpayers, should be held accountable and made to pay for the damages caused to our county and state.”
