RANSON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Department of Environment Protection found themselves back in the Eastern Panhandle Monday night.
The DEP held a public hearing at the Ranson Civic Center on the draft permit modification regarding the City of Charles Town’s request to accept non-domestic wastewater from the Rockwool insulation plant.
A fair majority in attendance were against the DEP accepting the permit, citing inaccurate numbers in terms of water usage at the plant and environmental concerns.
67 Dist. Delegate John Doyle said November’s general election showed that the people in Jefferson County do not want the plant to open. Doyle believes that voice is starting to be heard in Charleston.
“This county does not want Rockwool and I think Charleston should listen to the voices of the people in this county,” said Doyle. “People from all over the state have marveled at Jefferson County rising up against Rockwool.”
Delegate Sammi Brown was also in attendance and said the DEP not accepting the permit is a part of the process of protecting her home town.
“We chip away at the infrastructure that they need to process,” said Brown. “If we continue to go about it this way and we continue to protest the very infrastructure they need to build, they will not have the means to build their corporate interest here in the most marginalized portion of my community.”
Others who spoke stressed that the DEP should take their time in making a decision. It was noted that the Charles Town City Council tabled a discussion on the water and sewer bond in relation to the plant until next month.