Paden City residents recently voiced their displeasure over the closure of Paden City High School. (File Photo)

PADEN CITY — The West Virginia Department of Education is asking questions of Wetzel County Schools concerning Paden City standing on environmentally compromised land.

The Wetzel Board of Education met April 3 in a special meeting after Superintendent Cassie Porter received a letter from the WVDE raising questions about Paden City High.

In the letter, the WVDE expressed concern that it had been made aware that Paden City High School is located directly over a site that is designated as a Superfund Site by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and is on the National Priorities list.

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, commonly known as Superfund, was passed by Congress in December 1980. The law created a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries to, among other things, identify and respond to sites from which releases of hazardous substances into the environment have occurred or could potentially occur.

The WVDE’s letter also raised questions regarding the safety of the Paden City site and the potential threats surrounding the Superfund designation and its effects on Paden City students and staff.

The letter states that the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Health Consultation report, dated Jan. 31, provides some insight into the status of the Superfund site and, more specifically, the ground soil under Paden City High School. The ATSDR has issued multiple recommendations and cautions. These cautions include the fact that the vapor exposure pathway from the source of pollution through the groundwater and subsurface soil into the indoor air of structures above or near the contaminated area has not been eliminated.

The report from the ATSDR states that vapor intrusion indoor air concentrations are variable due to seasonal weather changes. Also of concern is the report’s indication that structural changes to the building slab and foundation can increase vapor intrusion. The report indicates that climate controlled facilities such as Paden City High School typically keep their windows and doors closed at all times. This lack of ventilation may lead to higher levels of vapor intrusion and requires additional monitoring or vapor mitigation systems.

The EPA indicates that significant weather changes, such as drought or flooding, may lead to changes in the vapor intrusion levels.

The WVDE letter also mentioned concerns with the Paden City Municipal Water Works recent failures, resulting in Paden City High School not having acceptable water quality. It also made note of the ongoing investigation by the Public Service Commission into Paden City’s Water Works operations.

The WVDE is seeking answers to those issues, plus answers to whether the county is aware of what will be required to mitigate the Superfund site and its impact on the school’s operations, and whether Paden City High School can continue to operate while the Superfund site is cleaned of contaminants, or if the school will be forced to relocate.

The school district is being asked if there are other schools in the district with the ability to house PCHS’s staff and students and, if so, if an analysis of the time and financial costs to accomplish this has been conducted. Another question posed to the school district is how such a move would impact the services and opportunities provided to students at PCHS or the receiving school.

In the letter, the WVDE stated continuity of services is critical to providing students a thorough and efficient education, while two of the school district’s most essential functions are mitigating the loss of educational time and, most important, mitigating healthy and safe student learning environments. It then asked whether the district has completed an analysis regarding the choice between the proactive and planned action of moving students and staff to another location or the potentially ill-timed action of only moving students when and if the authority having jurisdiction requires PCHS to be vacated.

According to the letter, the school district had seven days to respond. Porter said she would meet with her staff to gather the information needing to be submitted. Two school board members will be part of that committee.