RADFORD, Va. (WDBJ) – The search for chemical totes lost in the New River after Radford Army Ammunition Plant flooding has been suspended, according to the RAAP.
Travis Patton with the RAAP states nine of the thirteen totes still remain unaccounted for and all active searches have been discontinued.
All localities downstream of the RAAP are asked to report any sightings of the totes to local law enforcement or fire department immediately via non-emergency lines.
The Radford Army Ammunition Plant suffered significant flooding from Hurricane Helene. As we’ve reported, it caused dozens of employees to be furloughed.
According to a state report, it also led to potentially thousands of gallons of chemicals being released into the New River. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality said 13 totes of chemicals were unaccounted for after the storm.
The chemical is Dibutyl Phthalate, or DBP. It’s an oily liquid used to make everything from plastics, paints, insect repellents, nail polish and even rocket fuel. The National Library of Medicine says it can cause developmental and reproductive issues in men and women. The DEQ report says each tote contained 275 gallons, about 3,600 gallons total of DBP.
Boats, drones and helicopters have all been used to try and locate them, searching as far as the Bluestone Dam in West Virginia. Since the initial report October 14, at least four of the totes have been found, with different amounts of DBP missing from them. The report says only 225 total gallons have been confirmed to have been released into the environment.
The report also states the plant is looking for a contractor to do sampling and remediation for a release on private property in Parrott, Virginia.
A Virginia Department of Health spokesman told WDBJ7 because there are no intakes in the New River downstream from the plant, there are no concerns that any of the chemicals released are in anyone’s drinking water.
BAE Systems, the company that operates the Radford plant, said they don’t believe there’s a risk to public health or wildlife.
Copyright 2024 WDBJ. All rights reserved.