DEP Approves Cleanup Method Submitted by the Town of Webster Springs

 

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has approved a cleanup method submitted by the town of Webster Springs to address environmental conditions through the Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP) at the former Webster Springs Railroad Depot.

The site is located on the southern side of the Elk River on Rt. 20 South in Webster Springs and includes approximately 2.87 acres. The former Webster Springs Railroad Depot was a railroad freight and passenger depot for the old Western Maryland Railroad. A sawmill had also operated on a portion of the site. Combustion byproducts from the burning of coal and diesel fuel were detected in the soil at the site. Residual lubricating petroleum hydrocarbons were detected in the subsurface soil (8 to 10 feet below ground surface) where a truck scale had operated.

An institutional control in the form of a land use covenant will be used to restrict future uses of the site to non-residential activities, as defined in the Voluntary Remediation and Redevelopment Act. The applicant has submitted a final report which includes the land use covenant to the DEP’s Office of Environmental Remediation (OER) for review and approval to confirm that the work meets all applicable remediation standards.

West Virginia’s Voluntary Remediation and Redevelopment Act encourages voluntary cleanups of contaminated sites, as well as redevelopment of abandoned and under-utilized properties, with an objective of counteracting the lack of development on sites with contamination or perceived contamination. The VRP identifies and addresses potential contamination at a given site, sets applicable remediation standards, and ensures that the standards are maintained at the site. By providing financial incentives to invest in brownfields, this approach protects communities and the environment while still promoting economic development in West Virginia.

Questions regarding the Voluntary Remediation Program or this application should be directed to either WVDEP Project Manager Patty S. Perrine (WVDEP—OER, 254 Industrial Drive, Oak Hill, WV 25901; 304-465-1911, ext. 3056) or Licensed Remediation Specialist Dennis L. Litwinowicz, (Potesta & Associates, Inc.), 7012 MacCorkle Ave., SE, Charleston, WV 25305; 304-342-1400.

For more DEP news and information, go to www.dep.wv.gov. Also, be sure to connect with the agency on all social media platforms. Follow @DEPWV on Twitter and find us on YouTube by searching “Environment Matters.” For specific information about our REAP (Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan), West Virginia Project WET (Water Education for Teachers), West Virginia Watershed Improvement Branch, Youth Environmental Program and Human Resources initiatives, connect on Facebook.

Contact:

Jake Glance
(304) 926-0499 ext. 1335
Jacob.P.Glance@wv.gov