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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Office of Environmental Remediation (OER) at the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) has accepted a Voluntary Remediation Program application submitted by Hypar Machine Company to address environmental conditions at the Hypar Machine Company Richwood Facility in Nicholas County.
The site is located at 1 Commercial Avenue in Richwood and includes approximately 0.26 acres. The site served as an automotive service garage from the 1920s through the 1960s. The facility then served as a motor rewind shop from the 1960s through early 1970s. Hypar has conducted chrome plating operations at the site from January 1976 to present. On January 3, 1990, WVDEP Office of Waste Management (OWM) personnel conducted an inspection of the Hypar facility and noted an area of potential chromium contamination behind the machine shop building. In response to the WVDEP inspection, Hypar excavated an area of approximately 10 feet wide by 10 feet long by four feet deep and the resulting excavation was limed and filled with gravel. Analytical results for soils removed indicated that adsorbed phase chromium was reported above the WVDEP Industrial Soil DeMinimis Standard (660 mg/kg). The site and adjacent parking lot are anticipated to be utilized for commercial/industrial purposes in the future.
OER has negotiated a Voluntary Remediation Agreement (VRA) with the applicant. Under the VRA, the applicant will work with the WVDEP to identify human health and ecological risks associated with current and potential future uses of the site; establish applicable remediation standards; and ensure that standards are maintained at the site. Upon completion of the remediation, a final report will be submitted to OER for review and approval.
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. By providing financial incentives to invest in brownfields, this approach protects communities and the environment while still promoting economic development in West Virginia.
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