A budget compromise bill that includes $5 million for the redevelopment of the Avtex Fibers Superfund site in Front Royal was filed Friday in Congress, and one representative said he will seek an additional $1 million for the project in another appropriation bill.

"I made that commitment to the constituents and I delivered," Sen. John W. Warner said of the $5 million.

Warner had earlier pushed through legislation authorizing, but not appropriating, up to $17 million for the project.

He said he and other lawmakers sought the $5 million, which is included in the Defense Department appropriations bill conference report filed Friday. The money would be available in the current fiscal year.

Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority Director Stephen A. Heavener said the timing is perfect because the authority expects to take over nearly 600 acres at the Avtex site and the adjacent Allied Chemical plant site by the end of the year.

Over the next 20 years, it will redevelop the site as a business park, recreation and wildlife refuge areas.

But before any businesses can move to the site, a number of deteriorating , but not polluted, buildings must be cleared of asbestos and demolished, which will cost about $17 million.

"Excellent," Heavener said Friday when told of the appropriations bill. "That’s the news we’ve been waiting for 10 years. This is definitely good news."

The authority can now coordinate the building demolition with FMC Corp.’s cleanup of the site. FMC, a former owner of the site, will spend $63 million to clean up pollution at the site, Heavener said.

"The timing here is wonderful," he said. "There will be substantial cost savings if we can do the work simultaneously."

Warner credited local people with paving the way for the funding.

"The community has made a strong case and the community is a bunch of brave souls who have weathered the storm so many years," he said. "They did the work to get this, and the check’s in the mail."

"We pledged to work to find the money," Sen. Charles S. Robb said. " I want to be back for the first soccer game."

The site, which has sat empty since Avtex closed in 1989, has received a flurry of money in the past few months.

The U.S. Soccer Federation Foundation gave a $100,000 grant to build soccer fields at the 25 acre Ed Stump Park on the Avtex land. The Environmental Protection Agency has given the authority a $100,000 grant to help clear the site.

Heavener said the $5 million will help get that project going. He said the building demolition will start early next year. Removing the asbestos will cost about $5 million, while demolishing the buildings will cost $7 million to $12 million, he said.

A $275,000 federal grant pushed through by 10^th District Rep. Frank R. Wolf can be used to remove asbestos from the front office building, he said. Renovation of that building is first on the list of projects once the authority takes over the site.

Heavener said the $5 million will pay to clean and clear one-third to one-half of the building site so that "two years from now, when you drive by half or a third of the buildings will be all down."

Wolf, who also helped to get the $5 million appropriation, said getting the money wasn’t easy because money is "very tight" and because clearing a Superfund site "is not exactly a normal (Defense Department) thing."

"But on the other hand, this plant did stay open for the government," he said. "It’s a matter of fairness."

Wolf said he’s seeking an additional $1 million in federal economic development grants for asbestos removal and building demolition.

"We’ve got to get as much as we can to resolve this issue as fast as we can." he said.

Warner was among those who helped keep the Avtex plant open after it was declared a federal Superfund site in 1986 because the plant was the only producer of rayon used by the Department of Defense and the space program.

He said Friday that he doesn’t regret his role because "they were performing work that was essential to national defense."

Warner said he will try to get more money for the project in fiscal 2001.

"Next year’s another battle, but I’m ready to undertake it," he said.

The House and Senate are expected to vote on the conference report within the next two weeks.