THE WARREN SENTINEL

Article date: October 18, 2001

Activists distrusts Avtex cleanup work

 Group expresses discontent to U.S. Rep. Wolf

 By: Jay North

 A group of Front Royal residents says they are “sick of Avtex,” both figuratively and literally.  The group, calling itself Coalition for the safe Re-Development of Avtex, paid a visit to Congressman Frank Wolf’s office where they spent much of their time speaking with Dan Scandling and Becky Earl, representing Wolf.

The coalition seeks to have pollutants at the Avtex site removed from the floodplain of the Shenandoah River, saying that if a large flood were to occur, or any disturbance of the pollutants, over 20 counties would be affected on the Shenandoah’s course to the Potomac and eventually the Chesapeake Bay.

Wolf joined the coalition members briefly in his offices after being detained in a meeting. The group expressed their discontent about the cap and cover system which leaves the contaminants in the ground, under a semi-permeable membrane and a thick layer of topsoil.  The coalition suggested to Wolf the use of the Norfolk - Southern railway that runs through the Avtex site as a means to remove the fly ash, zinc sulfate sludge and leftover viscose.  The members also expressed their willingness to simply have the pollutants stored on the site out of the flood plain to the detriment of a potential business park.

Members of the coalition sought Wolf’s help to rectify what they deem, increasing numbers of health problems in the residential areas surrounding the Avtex site.  The Coalition members say they plan to attend, en mass, the Multi-Stakeholder’s Meeting to be held at Randolph-Macon Academy tonight, (Thursday, Oct. 18) at 6: 30 p.m.

The meeting is open to the public, and the EPA has been soliciting public feedback over the past month about the progress of the cleanup.