When Freedom Industries Inc. sought chapter 11 protection shortly after chemicals leaked from its storage tank into a river, it was expected to face an onslaught of bankruptcy claims from the 300,000 some West Virginians whose water supply was contaminated as a result of the spill, the Wall Street Journal reported today. But as of July 3, just 70 claims were on file in Freedom’s bankruptcy case, court papers show, despite a broad campaign to advertise the Aug. 1 deadline by which individuals and businesses affected by the spill must stake their claims for compensation from Freedom, which has shut down since entering chapter 11. With the deadline fast approaching, the Charleston, W.Va., bankruptcy court this week authorized additional advertisements targeting the areas hit hardest by the spill — the West Virginia counties of Kanawha, Boone and Putnam. James W. Lane Jr., as the court-appointed official in charge of gathering claims, will lead the charge. In court papers, he said he plans to not only continue advertising in local newspapers, at a cost of up to $5,000 but also hit the radio waves. He’s aiming to broadcast 30-second ads with information on how to file claims, with 60 ads running per week for two to three weeks at a cost of up to $5,300.
