Page Content
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Oct. 19, 2018) – The Office of Environmental Remediation (OER) at the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) has accepted a Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP) application submitted by ESC Harrison County Power, LLC (VRP #19002) to address environmental conditions at the Harrison County Power site in Harrison County.
The site is located on PeeKay Road in Clarksburg and includes approximately 16.5 acres. Beginning in the early 1900’s, the property was previously operated as an underground and surface coal mine through the 1950’s. The site also had an active rail line and tipple at that time. The property has operated as a metals recycling facility since the 1970s to present. Contaminants of potential concern include metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), and/or PCBs in soil, groundwater, surface water, and/or sediments.
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.