A routine groundwater sampling conducted at Cedarville University this spring revealed elevated levels of arsenic, iron, manganese, and other contaminants, according to a newly released report from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

KENTON, Ohio — The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to the City of Kenton this week, citing serious deficiencies in the city's aging water treatment infrastructure and high water loss rates that threaten drinking water safety for the community of nearly 8,000 residents.

The impending closure of Pixelle Specialty Solutions' paper mill in Chillicothe by August 10, 2025, represents a critical juncture for the long-term environmental management of the former Howmet Wear-Ever Facility. This closure will cease the operation of Pixelle's high-capacity collector wells, specifically PW-17 and PW-18, which have been instrumental in maintaining hydrodynamic control over a significant volatile organic compound (VOC) plume originating from the Wear-Ever site.

WAVERLY, Ohio — The Pike County Land Reutilization Corporation (PCLRC) is seeking assistance from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency's (Ohio EPA) Targeted Brownfield Assessment (TBA) program to redevelop the former Stockdale School property. The project, located at 56 State Route 335 in Stockdale, Ohio, involves the demolition of the existing building and preparing the 4.89-acre site for future use.

A Philadelphia-based law firm has opened an investigation into the June 11 chemical release at the Austin Powder Company’s Red Diamond explosives facility in Vinton County, Ohio.

A deadly explosion at the Austin Powder Company's Red Diamond Plant in July 2009 foreshadowed ongoing safety and environmental challenges at the Vinton County facility, which was again at the center of controversy this week after a significant chemical leak prompted evacuations.

VINTON COUNTY, OHIO — A dangerous chemical leak at the Austin Powder Plant has escalated into a regional emergency after a 5,000-gallon tank of nitric acid released the chemical early this morning. Approximately 3,000 gallons of the highly corrosive substance into the environment. The release generated a massive toxic plume of nitric oxide, prompting a 3-mile evacuation radius and flight restrictions over a 39-mile zone.

A potentially hazardous chemical release at the Austin Powder Plant in northern Vinton County sent an orange haze billowing into the morning sky, forcing emergency officials to evacuate nearby communities and warn residents of significant environmental risk.

For over two centuries, the Chillicothe paper mill, now operating as Pixelle Specialty Solutions, has cast a long shadow over its community, not just as an economic pillar but as a persistent source of environmental contamination. Despite numerous ownership changes, from Mead to Glatfelter and finally Pixelle, a disturbing pattern of pollution and regulatory non-compliance has plagued the site. The most recent and definitive proof of this enduring toxic legacy came on April 16, 2025, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) levied a $234,440 federal civil penalty against Pixelle Specialty Solutions for eleven distinct Clean Air Act violations. This significant fine, issued just two days before the company's abrupt announcement of the plant's closure, strongly suggests that the cumulative burden of environmental remediation and regulatory pressure ultimately rendered continued operation untenable.

A new watchdog report, based on an Ohio EPA investigation, paints a grim picture of Jeffersonville’s Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) No. 2, revealing a pervasive pattern of environmental non-compliance, operational neglect, and significant infrastructure decay that poses substantial risks to public health and the ecological integrity of Sugar Creek.

PIKE COUNTY, OH - The Village of Beaver's community water system has resolved several violations identified by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, but two significant deficiencies related to facility maintenance remain outstanding.