The Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public meeting on Aug. 23 to update the community on the Avtex Fibers Superfund site in Front Royal.

The informal session will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 P.m. at the Santmyers Youth Center on Commerce Avenue, EPA spokeswoman Amy Barnett said Thursday.

People will be able to view exhibits about the cleanup and investigation, of the former, rayon plant and question the site’s remedial project managers, including Andrew Palestini, Philip Rotstein and David Iacono; Kimberly A. Hummel, head of the remedial section for Superfund cleanups in Virginia and West Virginia; and Doug Fox, who is overseeing the cleanup of a leaking oil storage tank at the site.

Ms. Barnett said people sometimes felt uncomfortable asking questions in front of a group and the informal setting should be less intimidating.

Representatives of the FMC Corp., a former owner of the Plant and one of the parties responsible for the cleanup, the Industrial Redevelopment Committee and Friend of the Shenandoah River also will discuss their activities.

Ms. Barnett said the cleanup of a leak from the oil tank is almost complete.

The leak on the 240,000 gallon tank on the south side of the plant was noticed May 31. About 90,000 gallons of water and contaminated oil leaked from the tank through two small holes.

Contaminated dirt was placed on impermeable sheets so it wouldn’t spread.

Five pits were dug and installed with sum pumps to collect the material. About 500 gallons a day were collected by pumps Ms. Barnett said.

The agency now estimates that 20,000 gallons of the material leak from the oil tank is oil and the remainder was water.

The last pump will be taken out today, Ms. Barnett said.

The agency also plans to approve a contract for removal of the oil contaminated soil today, she said. The dirt should be gone by mid-August.