CHANGE LIKELY IN FLOOD PLAN

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, February 11, 1993                   TAG: 9302110040
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
CHANGE LIKELY IN FLOOD PLAN
The Roanoke River flood-reduction project probably will have to be redesigned in some areas to avoid toxic or hazardous waste in soil near the stream.
The price of the project has risen from $34 million to $38 million because of inflation and the long delay in starting construction.
Kit Kiser, Roanoke director of operations and utilities, confirmed Wednesday that toxic or hazardous waste could be a serious problem for the joint project by the city and the Army Corps of Engineers.
The corps' share of the cost is $20 million and the city's is $18 million. City voters approved a bond in 1989 to help pay the city's share.
Kiser told City Council that he doubts the plan will be derailed, but changes probably will be required.
It was the first time officials have said that changes are likely, although they have warned that the waste materials could be a problem.
It's too early to say what changes will be necessary, but Kiser said the five-mile biking and jogging trail might have to be shortened to avoid some areas.
"We don't know the standards that will apply [for hazardous materials]," he said. "Will we have to use drinking-water standards and have to remove everything?"
Kiser said the city is trying to arrange a meeting with representatives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Solid Waste Management to discuss the standards.
Preliminary tests have identified several sites where toxic or hazardous materials might be buried.
These include: the old American Viscose plant in the Roanoke Industrial Center, the former Tinker Creek landfill and Appalachian Power Co.'s substation near Ninth Street.
There are other sites, but city officials have refused to identify them or the hazardous materials.
Kiser has said that the waste materials do not pose any danger to people who live near the river or use property along the stream.
If there are hazardous materials or underground fuel leaks near the river, they could be uncovered when the stream's channel is being graded and widened.
The city hired consultants to conduct the tests. The second round of tests has been halted until the standards for the waste materials are established.
Construction is scheduled to begin in early 1994 and be finished by 1997. Kiser said it's too early to say whether the timetable will have to be pushed back.
The main part of the project will include widening the river channel and construction of three floodwalls and the bike and jogging trail.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB