DEP Approves Cleanup Method Submitted by BDC of the Northern Panhandle

CHESTER, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) Office of Environmental Remediation (OER) has approved a cleanup method submitted by BDC of the Northern Panhandle. The submission is to address environmental conditions through the Voluntary Remediation Program at the former Taylor, Smith, and Taylor (TS&T) pottery manufacturing facility in Hancock County.

The site is located at 8th and Plutus Streets in Chester, and includes approximately 7.75 acres. The cleanup work will be in what is referred to as Area 1, which consists of the Upland Area that was used for pottery manufacturing from 1900 through 1982 and to support a barge cleaning business from the mid-1980s through the early 1990s. The buildings have been demolished and the property is currently vacant. Industrial redevelopment is planned for the site.

A cover has been placed over the entire 7.75-acre site to prevent possible exposure to pottery waste containing lead. Institutional controls consisting of land use covenants will be placed on the property.

These covenants will prohibit: 
                • Extraction of groundwater at the site for any use except for groundwater monitoring and/or remediation 
                • Excavation, drilling, or penetration at the site without a Health and Safety Plan and Soil Management Plan in place.

The contractor will also be required to remediate the disturbed area in a manner which assures that an equivalent amount of engineering control of the site is achieved at the conclusion of the work. 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. The Voluntary Remediation Program 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.

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