Article date: October 24, 2000

Richard Kuhn

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

By Ben Orcutt

Area residents will be given an update on plans for the cleanup and redevelopment of the Avtex Superfund site during a workshop and multi-stakeholders group meeting Thursday night at Randolph-Macon Academy in Front Royal, according to Richard Kuhn of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Along with the EPA, other stakeholder sponsors of the cleanup and redevelopment of the Avtex site in Front Royal include FMC Corp., the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Kuhn said.

Additional stakeholder members include local government officials, area businesses, site neighbors, Avtex retirees, local residents and the Front Royal-Warren County Chamber of Commerce, Kuhn said.

"The stakeholders meeting gives us the opportunity to conduct an update (of) site matters, which includes the closure of the waste basins," he said.

There are 11 sulfate sludge and fly ash basins along the North Fork of the Shenandoah River of the Avtex site that will be closed, Kuhn said.

Kuhn said he and other sponsor representatives "also look forward to discussing upcoming issues such as future cleanup and redevelopment" of the Avtex site.

Thursday’s workshop and meeting is open to the public, Kuhn said. The workshop is scheduled from 6 to 7 p.m., followed by the stakeholders meeting, which is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m., he said.

The agenda for the educational workshop is set to include the schedule and design of the closure of the basins, according to a press release. The process and results timeline for ground water monitoring also will be discussed, the release states.

A conservation easement for the site will be the last topic to be discussed during the workshop, according to the release. The conservation easement will be defined and meeting scheduled for conservation easement holders also will be scheduled, the release states.

The multi-stakeholders meeting will include an overview of who its members include and what the group’s mission statement is, according to the release.

A progress report will be given on ground water monitoring and also a demolition and debris update as part of the cleanup phase of the site, the release says.

EDA Executive Director Stephen A. Heavener is scheduled to provide an update on the green design concept of the redevelopment phase of the project, the release says. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also is scheduled to discuss its role and schedule in the redevelopment process, the release states.

Warren County Administrator Douglas P. Stanley and County Parks and Recreation Director Dan Lenz are scheduled to provide an update on the proposed state- of- the- art soccer facility planned for the site, the release says.

The final portion of Thursday night’s meeting will include an archaeological overview of findings at the site presented by archaeologist Cindy Auman, the release says. Also on tap will be a presentation by the Historical Committee and discussion of civil design and sustainable covenants, the release states.

Those who seek additional information are encouraged to call Kuhn at (800) 553-2509 or FMC consultant Rick Goss collect at (202) 408-1000.