Town of Addison working with DEP on old railroad depot

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Environmental Remediation (OER) has accepted a Voluntary Remediation Program application from the Town of Addison in Webster County to address environmental conditions at the Webster Springs Railroad Depot.

The site is located on State Route 20 and includes approximately 2.87 acres. The property is a former railroad freight and passenger depot for the old Western Maryland Railroad. A sawmill had also operated on a portion of the site. Industrial use of the property ceased in the late 1990s. Environmental sampling and analyses of the various site media was conducted in 2008. The results were used to assist the Webster County Economic Development Authority (WCEDA) in establishing whether the site met its requirements for purchase and redevelopment. The results of the site assessment have been submitted to the DEP. The Town of Addison wishes to remediate the former railroad depot in compliance with applicable state regulations and use the property as public space for recreation.

OER is currently negotiating a Voluntary Remediation Agreement (VRA) with the Town of Addison. Under the VRA, the applicant will work with the DEP 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.

The project falls under West Virginia’s Voluntary Remediation and Redevelopment Act, which 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.

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; 304-465-1919, ext. 3056) or Licensed Remediation Specialist Dennis L. Litwinowicz (Potesta & Associates, Inc., 7012 MacCorkle Avenue, SE, Charleston, WV 25304; 304- 342- 1400).