PIQUA — Firefighters stopped burning lithium batteries in Piqua, but people there are still not happy.
News Center 7 first reported on this story in September after people came to us with concerns about the training.
>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Ohio EPA: Piqua lithium-ion battery burning a ‘nuisance’; Fire dept. not on scene for burning
We reported Wednesday that the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined the lithium-ion battery testing performed by Energy Safety Response Group (ESRG) was beyond the scope of the permissions the city was granted.
In its report, the Ohio EPA also called the burning of the batteries a “nuisance.”
News Center 7′s Malik Patterson reached out to Piqua’s fire department and city manager Friday for comment. While they declined an on-camera interview, they did send a statement, which was also posted to the city’s website.
“On September 19, 2023, it was discovered that ESRG had expanded its operations beyond the limitation of the air permit. Once identified, swift action was taken to notify the Ohio EPA and RAPCA. Because the operations had exceeded the scope of the issued permit, the Ohio EPA issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to ESRG on September 27, 2023,” the statement read in part. “All ESRG operations ceased on September 22, 2023, and ESRG agreed to vacate the site. Access to the site is now being controlled by City personnel and ESRG has been given until November 22, 2023, to relocate. At no point since 2018 has the Ohio EPA or RAPCA reported any concerns regarding our community’s air, soil, or water related to the site.”
>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Firefighter training program involving burning of lithium-ion batteries coming to an end in Piqua
Still, some residents have more questions and concerns for the agency and city.
“That’s a start but we also need our soil tested and water tested, so I’ll feel better once they do all of that,” Diana Park said.
Others, like Jeff Grimes, say they’re skeptical about what’s going on and have trouble trusting the city.
“So will everybody in Piqua that ever gets sick again, will they have it in the back of their mind because we’ve been exposed to this stuff for 5 or 6 years?” Grimes said.
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