Early Testing Indicates Low Levels Of Toxicity
County, Hospital Officials Meet With Attorneys To Discuss Decades Old Site;
Early Testing Indicates Low Levels Of Toxicity
By David Howell
Editor
WATER VALLEY – County supervisors and top officials from Yalobusha Health Services met with Grenada attorney Reid Stanford and attorneys with a Texas law firm in executive session Tuesday morning to discuss the recent activity from a decades old contamination site in Water Valley from the former Colt Industries /Holley Carburetor facility.
The meeting follows activity law week by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) that included a public hearing to make citizens in an area north of BorgWarner aware of possible vapor intrusion, or the process when vapors from underground solvents travel upward through the soil. MDEQ officials identified the possible contaminated area in a plume that could encompass 28 residential buildings and 11 commercial buildings on portions of South Main Street, Frostland Drive and Champion Circle. The area also includes the county-owned property where the jail and health department are located, as well as hospital property.
Board of Supervisors President Cayce Washing-ton told the Herald after the closed session that no action took place. Both Washington and Board Attorney John Crow explained the meeting with the attorneys, who represent plaintiffs in similar cases in neighboring Grenada County, was strictly a fact-finding mission.
Washington also told the Herald county officials learned during the meeting from the MDEQ that initial testing results taken in the vicinity of hospital property indicate the level of contamination is well below the threshold that would trigger a problem with vapor intrusion.
The contamination stems from the spill of a tricholoroethylene at Holley Carburetor in 1988. At last week’s public hearing, MDEQ Executive Director Gary C. Rikard explained the contaminated area does not affect drinking water, as there are not wells in the area. Rikard also said MDEQ was checking the area after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued new guidance last summer regarding vapor intrusion.
An industrial conglomerate, EnPro Industries, Inc., assumed liability in 2002 for the contamination of the area.
Washington said the current sentiment of the board following the meeting with the attorneys was not to pursue litigation.
“But if we thought for one minute anyone’s health was jeopardized, we would be on the front end of that,” Washington added.
