Letter to the Hon Andrew Wheeler, Acting Administrator for the EPA - Manchin Asks Acting Epa Administrator to Support Jefferson County Boe and Rockwool Discussions

Letter

Dear Acting Administrator Wheeler:

I write to discuss my ongoing concerns about the proposed ROCKWOOL facility in Ranson, West Virginia. All West Virginians want and deserve clean air and clean water, and communities surrounding the proposed facility are rightfully concerned about negative effects which the ROCKWOOL facility could have on environmental quality and public health in Jefferson County.

On August 28, 2018, I sent a letter to Mr. Trent Ogilvie, the President of ROXUL, the ROCKWOOL Group's North American subsidiary, outlining my constituents' concerns -which I share. As I stated in the letter, the concerns I am hearing from citizens of Ranson and its surrounding communities are serious, genuine and worthy of thoughtful engagement from all stakeholders, particularly due to the close proximity of the selected facility to four schools. I asked for ROCKWOOL to respond in writing with a detailed plan on how the company will mitigate environmental impacts. ROCKWOOL responded on September 4, 2018 that the company remains "convinced there is an exceptionally robust body of scientific research and analysis" demonstrating the facility will have little consequence. Both my letter to Mr. Ogilvie and his response are attached for your background.

While I recognize that the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) was the issuing agency for the facility's required permit under the Clean Air Act's national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) and maximum achievable control technology (MACT) standards, I believe that, as our nation's leading environmental agency, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should promptly offer its expertise to these communities. In particular, ROCKWOOL has committed to working with the Jefferson County Board of Education to "review the published research forming the basis for the NAAQS and MACT standards as well as the air modeling." I encourage you to offer EPA staff and resources to support and engage in these discussions with the Board of Education. My constituents deserve additional attention to this matter.

I have always believed our economy and our environment can be balanced, and the EPA plays an important role in achieving this. I thank you kindly again for your valuable expertise on this important issue and I look forward to your timely response.

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