NORTHERN VIRGINIA DAILY

Article Date: July 29, 2003 

Wolf visits Avtex, offers Iraq Policy views

On Superfund tour, representatives sees federal dollars at work

By:  Jonathon Schcat

Ten day after the U.S. House of Representatives approved an additional $5 million in federal funding to finish the demolition of buildings at the Avtex Superfund site in Front Royal, Rep. Frank R. Wolf, R-10th, toured the former rayon manufacturing facility Monday.

The $5 million included in the 2004 energy and water appropriations bill approved on July 18, coupled with the $6 million included in the 2004 defense appropriations bill that was approved July 8, makes a total of $11 million for the project.  The Senate has not acted on either measure.

“I think it shows you there’s a lot of progress taking place,” Wolf said after his visit.  I’ll be excited to see the final day, but it’s moving along.  Fifteen years has been a long, long time, but we have the resources now, we have the money, they have the team in place, so it’s going to get done”.

The Avtex Fibers plant was at one time the world’s largest manufacturer of rayon, which was used for NASA’s space shuttle program and for parachutes and jump suits during World War II.  The plant was open from 1940 to 1989.  The riverside property was declared an Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site in 1986.

The Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority currently owns the property, which is being prepared for redevelopment.  When the work is complete, it will be the home to a 160-acre business park, a 240-acre conservancy park, a 30-acre soccer complex and a 10-acre retail commercial development in the old Avtex parking lot.

Previously, more than $12 million in federal funds was provided to clean up the Superfund site, through the Formerly Used Defense Sites program in 2000 and through civil works funding under the 1999 water and energy bill.  The anticipated additional $11 million is needed because the environmental cleanup was much more expensive than expected, according to Al Opstal, project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Wolf said it was “very tough” to get the additional funding through the House this time.

“The last one, it was sold as, this was the last one, and everyone said this is how much money is going to be needed,” he said.  “The last time we did this, was the last time.  So when they come back and said we need more, not just a little more, we need a good bit more, it was very difficult... This is the last time.  We could never go back and get it now.”

However, Wolf added, the federal government had a responsibility and a moral obligation to fund the project because the facility was kept open for its use.

Stephen A. Heavener, executive director of the EDA, said the project merits being written about in a book or case study because of its success.