Springtime is spoiled by toxic fumes & chemicals
Proctor Residents Suing Williams Ohio Valley Midstream
From an Article by Drew Parker, Wetzel Chronicle, March 22, 2017
Proctor, WV — An energy company is facing a lawsuit for allegedly disrupting the daily lives of local residents.
On January 4th, Proctor residents Glenn Whisler, Sandra Whisler, Gary Hall, James McKinney and Jennifer McKinney filed a lawsuit against Williams Ohio Valley Midstream LLC, claiming the company caused noise disruptions, exposed them to toxins and devalued their properties.
Williams operates a compressor site in close proximity to the homes in question, located near Rines Ridge in Marshall County.
According to the complaint, the lawsuit alleges the Williams operations caused fumes, dust, dirt and noise and bright light to be present on the properties during all hours of the day and night. The complaint also cited fear of risks such as possible explosions near the site, as well as constant traffic surrounding the homes.
Attorney Jim Bordas of Bordas & Bordas Law Offices said the alleged damages have caused fear and concern in the affected community.
“In all cases like these the damages are a result of these big factories being put in put in people’s backyards, which is not what they bargained for when they bought their homes. Now, they’re concerned not only about the noise, smell and toxicity but the value of their property. When you move to the country, you figure you’re getting away from the effects of industry,” Bordas said. “We’re seeking for them to pay damages for the annoyance, aggravation fear and diminishment of property value, which will be up to a judge to determine. We think they’re looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars each. Their whole lives have been disrupted.”
Bordas & Bordas attorney Jeremy McGraw said the case follows several other similar suits filed against Williams, which include about three dozen local plaintiffs. Other suits involve the energy company’s main facilities in Oak Grove on Fork Ridge Road and at Fort Beeler on Waynesburg Pike Road, both in Marshall County.
The series of litigation began in late 2015.
“One of the things that worries us about the industry is that they put a lot of lobbyists in Charleston this past year (pushing for legislation) that would make them not responsible for these incidents,” McGraw said.
Officials with Williams Energy could not be reached for comment.
See also: www.Marcellus-Shale.us
Point Your RSS Reader to FrackCheckWV.net/feed/
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Marshall County residents sue Williams Ohio Valley Midstream for pollution, noise
From the West Virginia Record, January 28, 2015
MOUNDSVILLE – Marshall County residents that live near Williams Ohio Valley Midstream LLC’s oil and gas processing plant are suing the company after they claim the plant has made it unbearable to live in their homes.
Curtis Allen and Karen Allen; Kenneth Allen and Mary Lou Allen; Randall Clark and Wendy Clark; Robert Conner and Janet Conner; Robert Conner and Rosemary Conner; Ronnie Goodrich; James Marsh Jr. and Helen Marsh; Calvin Moninger; Tracylyn Sheedy and Charles Sheedy Jr.; and Debbie Sheedy all own property that is located near land used by Williams for oil and gas processing, according to ten complaints filed December 18 in Marshall Circuit Court.
The plaintiffs claim Williams’ operations have caused fumes, dust, noise and bright light to be present on the plaintiffs’ property during all hours of the day and night.
The continuous and constant smell of the fumes and odors have frequently made it unbearable for the plaintiffs to be outside on their property, according to the suits.
The defendant’s operations have caused air pollution, dust, dirt and debris to travel onto the plaintiffs’ property, which frequently made it unbearable for the plaintiffs to be outside on their property.
The plaintiffs claim the defendant’s operations include large flares, which have caused bright light to enter into their homes throughout the day and night.
The defendant’s actions have caused the plaintiffs to have a reasonable apprehension and risk of explosion and apprehension and risk of exposure to dangerous and toxic substances, compounds and chemical mixtures in the air, according to the suits.
The plaintiffs claim Williams’ continuous and constant traffic, construction and operation of the oil and gas processing plant has caused noise pollution on their property throughout the day and night.
Williams’ actions have caused the plaintiffs annoyance, inconvenience, emotional and mental anguish, stress, anxiety, and marital strife for the married plaintiffs, according to the suits.
The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory, general and punitive damages. They are being represented by James G. Bordas Jr. and Jeremy M. McGraw of Bordas & Bordas PLLC.
The cases are assigned to Circuit Judges David W. Hummel Jr. and Mark A. Karl.
Marshall Circuit Court case number: 14-C-199, 14-C-200, 14-C-201, 14-C-202, 14-C-203, 14-C-204, 14-C-205, 14-C-206, 14-C-207, 14-C-208
Source: http://wvrecord.com/stories/510588332-marshall-co-residents-sue-williams-ohio-valley-midstream-for-pollution-noise
CONTACT: http://www.FrackCheckWV.net
Subject: Noise pollution risking animals’ survival in protected green spaces: study | CTV News
Noise pollution risking animals’ survival in protected green spaces: study
Human noise is polluting more than half of natural protected areas in the United States, to such an extent that it could interfere with animals’ ability to hunt and survive, researchers said Thursday.
Sounds were recorded at 492 sites meant as havens for biodiversity across the country, said the report in the journal Science.
Researchers found that background noise exceeded three decibels (dB) in 63 per cent of protected areas, it said.
In 21 per cent of areas, background noise was 10 dB higher than it would have been without the influence of humans.
This meant between “a doubling and tenfold increase in sound levels above natural,” said lead author Rachel Buxton, a conservation biologist at Colorado State University.
Another way to look at it, Buxton said, is that human-caused noise has reduced the area where natural sounds can be heard by 50 and 90 percent.
“So if you could have heard something at 30 meters away, now you can only hear it from three to 15 metres away,” she said.
A computer algorithm was used to estimate the baseline for natural sounds in an area, based on its unique features.
The sources of the extra noise include oil and gas exploration, fracking for natural gas, timber and mining activities, motorcycles and vehicle traffic, and just general human development.
The impact of the added noise could be vast.
“Birds may have a harder time finding a mate, or a prey species may not be able to hear the approach of a predator and may be more likely to be eaten,” Buxton said.
“Even if only one species is actually being affected by noise directly, these impacts may cascade through an ecological community.”
Researchers said the study shows that human noise pollution, while often considered a city problem, is much more far-reaching than previously understood.
Source: http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/noise-pollution-risking-animals-survival-in-protected-green-spaces-study-1.3398553#