Licorice Smell Possible Again as Excavation Begins

Neighbors might detect the telltale scent of licorice as crews excavate soil contaminated by the 2014 Freedom Industries spill. The excavation got underway Monday at the site, which was the epicenter of a public water crisis for weeks. Residents detected a licorice scent in their water supply after the spill. The excavation is expected to remove up to 10,000 tons of soil. The work and sampling is expected to last several months.
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection approved the excavation, as required by a remediation agreement.