December 21, 1993

The Environmental Protection, Agency has agreed to expedite the investigation of property at the Avtex Fiber's Superfund site in Front Royal least likely to be contaminated.

The acting chairman of the group pushing for redevelopment of the site called the decision a "major breakthrough."

"It's great news," William Barnett of the Industrial Redevelopment Committee said Monday.

"We understand the need and we want to do what we can," said Kathyrn A. Hodgkiss, chief of the Superfund general remedial branch for the EPA's mid-Atlantic region, said. "There are certain areas we can bend on - and that's what we're doing."

During the summer, the committee picked several sites as prime reuse areas, including the accounting office, which is the building closest to Kendrick Lane; a large shipping warehouse; the former polypropylene plant building; the administrative office area; the dispensary open space to the east and west of the accounting office; open space and gravel parking areas between the accounting building and the warehouse; a gravel parking lot that serves the dispensary and administrative office; and the 10-acre parking lot across Kendrick Lane from the plant.

In a letter to Barnett dated Dec. 13, Ms. Hodgkiss says the accounting office could be the focus of initial redevelopment activity.

Although a chemical inventory hasn't yet been completed, the major environmental problem in the office may be asbestos, which exists in many buildings more than 30 years old, she says.

Ms. Hodgkiss also says the former employment office, which is occupied by the EPA and some of its contractors, would be a "useful" space for the redevelopment effort, even though it wasn't identified as a priority by the committee.

The large parking lot across from the plant is part of the Superfund site but not part of the first phase of the remedial investigation, she says.

But it's possible that the EPA and FMC Corp., a former owner of the plant, could reach an agreement to determine if contamination is present in the area, she says.

It's not known when the warehouse, the polypropylene manufacturing building, the administrative of-rices and the dispensary will be available for redevelopment because the investigation of the hazards in each and in the sewers underneath hasn't been completed, Ms. Hodgkiss says.

The agency is willing, however, to work out an agreement with the redevelopment committee to allow road maintenance to occur, she says. Maintaining the buildings is a major concern of the group.

The agency also has agreed to move up its investigation of the open space west of the accounting office. The area to the east, however, will take more time because its study depends on the study of the plant's sewer system, which runs through it, Ms. Hodgkiss says.

Barnett said getting the EPA to set priorities on the testing and remediation of sites that could be redeveloped was the main reason for forming the committee. He said the group never wanted the agency to cut corners on the cleanup.

"The letter is a clear indication that our efforts have been worthwhile," he said.

Meetings will be held soon to determine the committee's next steps.

Redevelopment of the site still depends on a written agreement by FMC, bankruptcy trustee Anthony Murray, the EPA and Avtex creditors on use of the bankrupt company's property.

Generally, though, there isn't much interest in reusing Superfund sites, according to Ms. Hodgkiss.