Charleston, W.Va. (WVDN) – Today, Governor Patrick Morrisey announced $2 million in funding for the start of the long-awaited environmental cleanup of the Arbuckle Creek Superfund Site in Fayette County. The federally-matched funds were provided for as part of the 2025 budget and will go toward cleaning up decades-old contamination stemming from industrial activity at the former Shaffer Equipment Company property in Minden, W.Va.
“This cleanup is a long-overdue investment in the health and safety of Minden residents,” said Governor Morrisey. “Thanks to the collaboration among federal, state, and local partners, we are taking meaningful steps to protect West Virginians from dangerous chemicals.”
Contamination on the site stems from damaged transformers placed by Shaffer Equipment Company between 1970 and 1984, resulting in polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) leaking into the surrounding soil and Arbuckle Creek. Exposure to PCBs have been linked through numerous studies to a heightened cancer risk and reproductive issues.
While initial cleanup actions were taken in the 1980s and early 2000s, ongoing concerns led to renewed assessments by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2017. In 2019, the site was added to the EPA’s National Priorities List (NPL), making the site eligible for Superfund resources.
Governor Morrisey’s office, in coordination with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), successfully secured the required $2 million state match, ensuring the project will move forward. A formal contract between WVDEP and EPA Region 3 was finalized in April 2025.
Learn more about the Arbuckle Creek Superfund Site here.
