Article date: September 28, 2000

Wolf: Negotiators OK bill with money for cleanup efforts

By: Richard Nash

Congress is on the verge of approving a proposed spending bill that contains $7 million to continue cleanup efforts at the Avtex Fibers Superfund site in Front Royal.

Rep. Frank R. Wolf, R-10th, announced Wednesday that House and Senate negotiators have approved an appropriations bill for energy and water programs in 2001, which contains funding for the Army Corps of Engineers to complete an ongoing demolition project at the 500 - acre Avtex site.

The project is a key component of the joint effort between federal and state governmental agencies, local officials and former Avtex owner FMC Corporation to clear the abandoned rayon factory of environmental pollutants and redevelop the land as a white collar business park and outdoor recreation area, he said.

Wolf has been working with Sen. John Warner, R-Va., to secure approval of the bill and its Avtex funding component, which they expect to pass into law by next week, Wolf said.

"I am pleased that the landmark funding for this important project has been included in the energy and water appropriations bill," he said. "This community has worked hard to recover from the Avtex shutdown and the resulting job loss that followed. The cleanup is critical for job creation and economic development. These funds will help continue the important progress in cleaning up the property and returning it to productive use."

The Avtex site, which sits on Kendrick Lane in Front Royal, was abandoned for nearly a decade after it closed in 1989 and left hundreds of area residents without work.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and FMC have been working in recent years to clear the Avtex property of pollutants left in the wake of the plant closing.

At the same time, the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority has been working to clear the site of old buildings and debris in preparation for the redevelopment project.

FMC spokesman Bill cutler said funds from the congressional appropriation will allow the Army Corps to clear 30 acres of abandoned buildings remaining on the Avtex site and help maintain the momentum in the cleanup.

"This is great news," he said. "We need everything we can get and Frank Wolf has been very supportive of us. I want to thank him."

Wolf spokeswoman Rosanne Dupras said the $7 million Wolf and Warner secured for Avtex this week is just the latest in a number of federal funding packages the two legislators have won for the cleanup project.

In the last two years, Wolf and Warner have worked together to secure more that $13 million in funds for Avtex, she said.

The project appeals to the lawmakers because it allows them to promote both environmentalism and economic development while helping constituents improve their community, she said.

"It’s been a real fight for Mr. Wolf to get this money for Avtex," she said. "I want you to know how hard he has worked for this."

Officials in Front Royal began calling the Daily to comment on the funding package immediately after Wolf’s announcement.

Front Royal Mayor Clifford L. "Clay" Athey Jr. said Front Royal residents appreciate Wolf’s efforts on the community’s behalf.

"On behalf of the citizens of Front Royal, I want to thank Frank Wolf for shepherding this $7 million appropriation through Congress," he said. "He has spearheaded the fight to redevelop Avtex at the federal level and I know the citizens of Front Royal and Warren County want to thank him for it."

EDA Chairman Richard M. "Rick" Novak said Wolf’s efforts have been indispensable in the effort to redevelop Avtex.

"Of coarse, we are thrilled to have the money," he said. ‘I think it’s going to get us pretty close to where we need to be in terms of the building demolition and that’s going to allow the whole project to continue to move forward. I especially want to thank Frank Wolf for helping us with this and hope we can count on his continued support in the future.