Associated Press Published

Rockwool Developers Cited for Violating Environmental Rules

Anti-Rockwool signs like this one can be seen throughout the Eastern Panhandle. Photo taken in Aug. 2018.

Developers of a coal and gas-fired manufacturing plant that’s under construction in West Virginia have been cited by state regulators for violating environmental regulations.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported Thursday that the Danish company building the plant, Rockwool, received the citation last week from the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The inspector wrote in the notice of violation that the citation was a result of a September inspection at the Jefferson County site where a sink hole was found. The inspector also noted other issues, such as Rockwool violating the terms of its water pollution control permit by not implementing controls.

The vice president for group communications at Rockwool, Michael Zarin, says each of the noted issues was fixed, but the company wasn’t required to stop construction.