NORTHERN VIRGINIA DAILY

Article Date: August 15, 2003

Few residents attend Avtex cleanup meeting

By:  Ben Orcutt

Only a handful of area residents attended Thursday’s U.S. Environmental Protection Agency public hearing on a proposed plan for the cleanup of a portion of the Avtex Superfund site in Front Royal.

The plan includes closing the existing landfill and eight viscose basins, and cleaning up contaminated soil around the plant.

Bonnie Gross, the EPA’s remedial project manager for the site, gave a presentation on the agency’s preferred methods of handling the cleanup, which included improving the existing soil cover on the basins by adding two feet of vegetated soil.

The viscose basins cover a 15-acre area that was used for the disposal of viscose, construction debris, sludge, unprocessed fiber and rayon yarn.

Also, leachate, which is contaminated water, will be collected and treated at an on-site wastewater treatment plant.

The EPA has determined that these methods of cleanup pose no serious health risks and will have a minimal impact on the environment.

Maya Whitesparks, of the Coalition for the Safe Redevelopment of Avtex asked why the contaminated material in the basins could not be loaded on railroad cars and hauled away.

Bob Keating, a contractor with FMC, the responsible party for the cleanup efforts, said that while rail would be cheaper than hauling the material away in trucks, that method  also is not economically feasible due in part to loading stations that would have to be built at Avtex and at the point where the materials would be delivered.

Alan Sandeford, who lives beside the Shenandoah River in Warren County, asked what would happen if a major storm were to cause flooding over the viscose basins.

“I know that’s a big concern for a lot of people, “ he said.

Gross said that the covering of the basins will be designed to withstand most storms and sloped to allow for runoff of some water.  Keating added that whatever water would penetrate the basins should not be a threat to the groundwater table.

Doug Bement of FMC told on concerned questioner that there are no health risks associated with the foul smell that occurs sometimes during the cleanup process.

Gross said the EPA will continue to accept written comments that are postmarked by Aug. 30.  She said the agency is scheduled to make its final decision on the cleanup methods by Sept. 30.

Comments can be sent to Megan Dougherty at 1650 Arch st., Philadelphia, PA19103.

To get more information about the Avtex site, call Dougherty at (800) 553-2509, or visit www.epa.gov/arweb or www.avtexfibers.com/HomeMain.htm on the Internet

To get more information about the Avtex site, call Dougherty at (800)553-2509, or visit www.epa.gov/arweb or www.avtexfibers.com/Homemain.htm on the Internet.