May 16, 1995

The Environmental Protection Agency is doing a poor job of informing the community about its plans for cleanup work at the former Avtex Fibers site, the Front Royal Town Council was told Monday night.

Frederick W. Foster, president of the Warren County Redevelopment Corp., said he was surprised to learn recently that the 30 acres of former factory buildings that the EPA wants to tear down may end up being stored at the site.

It's not known whether the buildings are contaminated, he said, and residents aren't being told enough about EPA plans.

"If its safe and environmentally clean, should we as a community accept it being buried on site? I don't know," he said. "We should strive to make this thing work. But at whose expense do we make this thing work?"

Foster said a meeting will soon be held on the cleanup that will be attended by representatives of the town, EPA, FMC Corp., which is a former owner of the plant, and other parties. If the demolition debris were stored on site, it would fill an area 15 feet deep, two football fields wide and four football fields long, Foster said. The area, located between the railroad tracks and the Shenandoah River, would be lined with two feet of fill material on every side, he said.

Tearing the buildings down, and keeping the wreckage at the site would cost $24 million and take 2.5 years to complete, Foster said. The project would cost $130 million if the debris were removed, he said.

In either case, the EPA doesn't know where the money will come from, he said.

EPA Remedial Project Manager Andy C. Palestini hasn't given him a copy of the engineering study that recommends tearing down the buildings, Foster said. And when EPA, state and FMC officials toured the plant in April, local officials weren't told about it, he said. Also, EPA officials haven't responded to letters from an environmental lawyer working for the redevelopment corporation, he said.

"I don't mind asking why the community's not involved at least in listening to what's going on," Foster said.

Palestini said last month that the buildings need to be torn down because they're deteriorating and could fall down on their own, possibly causing more damage because chemicals may be stored inside. The redevelopment corporation wants to make the other 35 acres of buildings available for industries.

Councilmen said they want to know whether the buildings scheduled for demolition pose a toxic threat. If they don't, they could-renovated, Councilman Walter M. Duncan said.

Also, the State Water Control Board should have a say in how the debris storage is handled, he said.

At their work session, councilmen also decided to put on next week’s meeting agenda a proposal to erect 27 parking signs on downtown streets.

Timothy S. Harlan, a member of Front Royal Experience Downtown, said the signs are necessary to combat the misconception that little parking is available downtown.

The group wants at least $951 from the town to cover sign costs and is seeking town labor to erect them, but Planning Director Kimberly P. Fogle said no ordinance needs to be amended for the installation of public direction signs.