EPA and Partners Reach Major Emergency Response Milestone at Fairmont Brine Site
PHILADELPHIA - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in coordination with state and local partners, has completed a phase of time critical removal actions at the Fairmont Brine Site in Fairmont, West Virginia. Work completed over the last three years has helped ensure the safety of the community following a May 2023 industrial fire, marking an important step forward in ongoing efforts to clean the site of contamination.
"Our primary focus was eliminating the immediate threat this site posed to Fairmont residents and the surrounding environment," said EPA On-Scene Coordinator Cole Devine, who is overseeing the response. "By safely removing over 1,000 tons of hazardous solids and dismantling the unstable infrastructure, our team has greatly reduced the risk posed by the site. While this marks an important milestone, we will continue evaluating site conditions and determining what additional actions may be appropriate to protect the community and environment."
Following the fire, Unified Command, including EPA, the West Virginia Department of Health, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, and Marion County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, secured the site and completed perimeter security fencing and containment measures.
In August 2024, EPA authorized $3.1 million in federal funding to eliminate risks associated with technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material (TENORM) on the site, including necessary waste processing, infrastructure decommissioning, and sludge solidification.
This initial removal action ended in July 2026 with the final transport and secure off-site disposal of radioactive TENORM solids.
Major Removal Action Accomplishments
- Radioactive Solids Disposal: Excavated and disposed of 974 tons of contaminated soil, sludges, and filter cake and 125 tons of site debris.
- Radioactive Liquids Removal: Removed and disposed of 72,179 gallons of liquid waste.
- Hazardous Waste Mitigation: Transferred 46,200 gallons of frac tank fluids offsite for secure treatment.
- Infrastructure: Dismantled and removed 9 compromised frac tanks.
- Safety: Maintained 24/7 surveillance and continuous air monitoring with zero safety incidents.
Central to the success of this multi-year cleanup was robust community involvement. Unified Command worked closely with residents, beginning with a dedicated public telephone hotline that was established in the beginning of the response to answer safety questions. Additional early engagement included a public meeting in Fairmont to answer residents’ concerns regarding radiation and public health. Unified Command hosted monthly community calls on the second Wednesday of each month, keeping neighbors informed of site activities in real time. Additionally, fact sheets and data were circulated via the meetings and EPA webpage to ensure the public received clear explanations about technical cleanup data.
What’s Next
With the immediate hazards successfully neutralized, EPA will transition to monitoring and planning for potential future removal actions at the site to ensure the continued safety of the environment and Fairmont community.
Additional information about the Fairmont Brine Site response actions to date, TENORM, and EPA Superfund program are available on EPA’s website at www.response.epa.gov/fairmontbrine.
