IEMA Seeks Civil Penalty, Cost Recovery from Company for Lost Radioactive Source

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) has issued a preliminary order to Wayne County Well Surveys, Inc. of Fairfield seeking to impose penalties totaling $25,500 after the company lost a radioactive well logging source holder last fall. The device has not been located.

IEMA licenses the company’s possession and use of the radioactive source holder, which is part of a larger tool used to assess geological formations in oil and gas, groundwater, mineral and geothermal exploration.

In October 2015, the company notified IEMA that it was unable to locate the device. The notification triggered a search in 18 counties in Illinois and Indiana. IEMA assisted in efforts to find the missing source and is also seeking response cost recovery totaling $52,865.45.

The company can request hearings on both the penalty and cost recovery.

The container shields the radioactive material housed inside and as such, anyone finding it would not be exposed to dangerous radiation exposure. The locked steel container, which houses the well logging source holder, was last known to be in a company vehicle.