Freedom Industries News

Ex-Freedom Owner Pleads Guilty in West Virginia Chemical Spill Case

A former owner of Freedom Industries pleaded guilty Monday to federal Clean Water Act violations stemming from last year’s chemical spill in Charleston. William Tis, 60, faces up to a year in prison when sentenced June 22 in U.S. District …

Former Freedom Industries Execs Arraigned in West Virginia

Four former Freedom Industries executives have been arraigned on a superseding indictment stemming from a chemical spill last January that turned off tap water for 300,000 people. The indictment contains a new charge against former Freedom President Gary Southern stemming …

West Virginia Water Utility Hit by Chemical Spill Spent $670k on Monitoring, Lab

After chemicals spilled into its supply last January, a water company has built a $400,000 laboratory at its Charleston plant and spent $270,000 for monitoring equipment at nine facilities. West Virginia American Water also said contamination detection systems suggested in …

West Virginia Spill Case Conflict of Interest Arguments Heard

A judge is mulling whether to recuse federal prosecutors from a criminal case against former executives in a massive West Virginia chemical spill. In U.S. District Court in Charleston on Monday, attorneys for ex-Freedom Industries executives Gary Southern and Dennis …

4 Company Executives Indicted in West Virginia Chemical Spill Case

Four former chemical company executives have been indicted on pollution charges over a January spill that triggered a ban on drinking water for days for 300,000 West Virginia residents. The indictment unsealed Wednesday charged ex-Freedom Industries presidents Gary Southern and …

Charges Expected for Freedom Industries President After Spill

A West Virginia executive faces charges of lying to protect his personal wealth from lawsuits after his company spilled chemicals into 300,000 people’s water supply in January, according to a criminal complaint Monday. The complaint unsealed Monday in U.S. District …

Sept. 2015 Hearing Scheduled in West Virginia Chemical Spill Suit

A lawsuit against a water company, chemical producer, airport and others over a January chemical spill won’t get a hearing for another year. The consolidated lawsuit that targets West Virginia American Water, Eastman Chemical, Yeager Airport and others has a …

Judge Worried Freedom Industries May Renege on Spill Remediation

A bankruptcy judge is concerned that a chemical company may abandon the site of a massive January spill without cleaning it up. Judge Ronald Pearson expressed the concern in an order filed last Friday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Charleston. …

Utilty Opposes Freedom’s West Virginia Chemical Spill Settlement

A utility is opposing a $2.9 million bankruptcy settlement that would fund projects to benefit 300,000 people whose water was contaminated in January. West Virginia American Water says Freedom Industries shouldn’t use money from its insurance proceeds to pay for …

Freedom Industries Eyes West Virginia’s Site Remediation Program

Freedom Industries is considering trying to enter a state program to help ease cleanup at the site where a chemical spill polluted the Charleston area’s water supply. The company and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection met last week …