CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Crews worked to contain a sheen on the Kanawha River after the smell of oil was reported in Charleston.
Anthony Verdoni, who walks in the area, said, “Oh man, that’s nasty, that’s bad, I mean, where’s it coming from?”
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection said crews started sampling and containing the area near Kanawha Boulevard on Thursday night, still unsure of where it came from.
“I would just like to know who’s responsible for that. for real. You know, people out here fish in it, it’s gotta affect something,” Verdoni said.
Crews placed booms in the water, specifically designed to absorb petroleum and they’ve seen no impact to wildlife, but it’s a still a concern for people who walk to work, including Verdoni.
“That’s a jogging path, so people are out there with their kids, you know their wives, husbands and animals out there, so you know not only that, it’s an eyesore on top of the wildlife,” he said.
The sheen is contained at a storm drain, and DEP crews are working with the city on drainage mapping to eventually find a cause.
“I would definitely like to track down where it came from, so it doesn’t occur again,” Verdoni said.
DEP crews will keep monitoring the area through the weekend. They said the discharge has decreased in the river.
DEP Spokesperson Terry Fletcher also said, “No impacts to aquatic life have been observed, and no impacts to drinking water sources are expected.”
No other information has been released.
For previous coverage >>> WVDEP: Report of sheen, petroleum odor in Kanawha River
Copyright 2026 WSAZ. All rights reserved.