Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 21, 1995 TAG: 9501230031
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: SALTVILLE LENGTH: Medium
The Olin Corp., which operated a chlorine manufacturing plant that used large quantities of mercury until 1972, would pay for the cleanup.
A public hearing on the plan is scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 1 in the auditorium of Northwood High School in Saltville. Olin and the public have until Feb. 17 to submit comments on the EPA's plan, which could be modified.
The chlorine plant site, which had mercury levels three times the threshold requiring an emergency cleanup, has been covered by a clay cap to keep rainwater from washing the mercury into the North Fork of the Holston River.
Olin, which has spent more than $20 million on the cleanup so far, diverted the river to remove a 1,000-foot stretch of river bottom heavily contaminated by mercury seeping from the old plant site.
Olin officials say the cap has been effective, and no more mercury is leaching into the river.
The EPA proposal, however, calls for excavation of 2.1 acres to the depth of 15 feet. The soil would be heated and the mercury removed.
Jerry Odom, the project manager for Olin, said he had not received the EPA proposal, but he expressed concern that the agency chose the most extreme option.
``They want us to dig this whole thing up,'' he said. ``We capped it 10 years ago and did a very good job. All of our records show we do not have a problem there. ... Now they want us to dig it back up and heat treat it.''
Fish in the North Fork of the Holston River, which passes by the plant site, have been declared unsafe for human consumption for decades.
Staff writer Cathryn McCue contributed to this story.
by CNB