Update on Aliceville Bakken train wreck.

The Rest Of The Story

 

When I thought about this blog, it was just after the North Dakota train wreck in Casselton, ND. Since then so much has happened that I can hardly keep up.

After Casselton, there was another explosion and derailment of another train in Canada and a coal washing plant that spilled toxins in the drinking water of some 300,000 people.

While I wish I could cover all of these events, I can not. I will however try to keep you up to speed on what I can cover, such as...
On 11/08/13, .4 miles South of Aliceville Alabama there was a fiery crash when a train load of explosive Bakken Crude derailed and caused massive explosions that rocked the community.

This is a story that many wish would go away. It is one that I refuse to allow to be put to bed yet!

First misunderstanding of facts was right after the wreck when ADEM issued a statement that it was almost cleaned up, just a small "mop-up operation" was still ongoing. I flew over the site with the help of SouthWings pilot Tom Hutchings.You take a look and decide if ADEM was being truthful in it's report of no environmental impact to surrounding wetlands.  Take a look and decide for yourself.

Several weeks later The Alabama Department of Environmental Management proclamation that their program was successful was somewhat premature.

That story ran 7 weeks after the wreck. Since then I have returned a number of times only to find no one around, boom and screens down or flapping in the breeze. It was quite obvious that no one had been to the site to maintain or inspect anything. Oil everywhere and ADEM not in site.

I went back the next week only to find even more deplorable conditions 8 weeks after the wreck. More screening was down, more oil in the water and not a sole in sight.

 Now, some 9 weeks after the wreck, ADEM is still claiming that the "ongoing cleanup operation" is seen as a success. I beg you to look at these photos and video below. Is this cleaned up? Is ADEM telling the truth or is this just another ADEM fabrication to make them look like they are doing something?

Oil boom and screens I saw weeks ago that were failing are in even more deplorable condition this week.

This statement was in a letter from Lance LeFleur, ADEM director.
 
"The fire was suppressed over several days, oil containment was achieved timely, and NO oil was released into the wetland. Aggressive recovery operations are ongoing"

This is a statement by a man who obviously hasn't seen the site. He instead takes the word of his underlings which sometimes can be misleading.

Here are some shots from 01/11/14, showing the attempt by ADEM to contain, and or maintain it's "aggressive recovery efforts that are ongoing"  Again, I ask you to be the judge.