Twenty-four days and $250,000 later, Carroll County has lifted an emergency in Lambsburg that was prompted by the discovery of six trailers of acid at 496 Old Pipers Gap Road.

Carroll County officials declared the emergency Oct. 5 after more than 80 barrels of acid were found stored at a Lambsburg business that used acid to remove metals such as gold from dismantled computers. Carroll County Administrator Gary Larrowe lifted the emergency Oct. 29 after a coordinated effort by the Environmental Protection Agency secured the property and removed more than 18,000 gallons of acid from the six trailers. Due to the coordinated actions of the EPA, Department of Environmental Quality and Carroll County, the immediate hazard has been contained and removed from the property, Larrowe said in a press release.

“Carroll County requests the EPA and other state and federal agencies to fully pursue the responsible parties involved in the 496 Old Pipers Gap incident using all avenues possible to recover the Hazardous Materials removal cost expended by the EPA,” Larrowe wrote.

The Lambsburg property is owned by Jim Dixon, who previously stated he leased the property to Gary Parsons, who operated the business. Asked for clarification of who he meant by responsible parties, Larrowe would only say “there is probably multiple parties that would have responsibility.”

“Carroll County continues to be concerned for the health and safety of local citizens for the long-term effects of the hazardous materials incident at 496 Old Pipers Gap Road. Carroll County is appreciative of the quick response of the many agencies involved in the investigation and removal of the hazardous materials and; for EPA to expend the funds necessary to cover the costs of the clean-up activities,” Larrowe wrote. “Drinking water test results have been negative for hazardous levels of contaminants for the wells tested on the site of the hazardous materials.”

The Carroll County Board of Supervisors granted Larrowe the authority to terminate the emergency at its Oct. 13 meeting once federal agencies deemed the action to be appropriate.