Public will have voice on cleanup
Cleanup will begin in one to two years.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU
FARRELL, Pa. -- The Environmental Protection Agency is poised to start work on the former Sharon Steel Corp. plant, but members of the agency first want to now what the public thinks.
A public meeting to talk about the proposed cleanup efforts is slated for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Stey-Nevant Public Library on Roemer Boulevard.
Residents are encouraged to attend to learn more about the cleanup and voice their opinions. Those not able to attend the meeting can submit comments in writing through Aug. 14.
The proposed plan is the what EPA officials believe would be the best way to clean up the slag dump, said Carrie Deitzel, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator, said.
The EPA has already determined that heavy metals are in the slag and pose risks for cancer and other health problems.
Rushmi Mathur, renewal project manager, said they hope to start cleanup within the next one to two years. The timetable depends on several other steps' being approved after the public comment period ends, she said.
Work is expected to be done in phases with the northern end above Ohio Street being cleaned first.
The site will be regraded to prevent erosion into the Shenango River, and then a biosolid protective cover will be put over the contaminated soil. There will have to be long-term monitoring of the site after the work is done.
Future use
Mathur said local public officials have inquired about building a road on the site in the future. She said it could also be used as green space, but would never be suitable for homes or other buildings.
The second phase will involve similar work south of Ohio Street.
Farrell Slag will be allowed to continue its operation from a portion of the site, according to the plan. That company started work in 2000.
The entire site is about 400 acres about one mile southwest of Farrell.
The industrial plant was founded in 1900 where a variety of steel products were manufactured. Throughout its history, waste and byproducts of the manufacturing process were transported on rail cars across the Shenango River and piled onto large mounds in several areas adjacent to the river, according to the EPA.
From 1949 to 1981, acids and oils were poured onto the hot slag wastes.
That practice was stopped by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. However, the company did continue to stockpile slag until the plant closed in 1992 and Sharon Steel filed for bankruptcy.
Federal site
The slag dump was declared an EPA Superfund site in 1998, which means the federal government will pay for the cleanup costs.
Deitzel said if there is significant resident opposition to the proposed cleanup plan, other alternatives will be explored.
"We really do take the public's opinion into consideration," she said. Deitzel noted there will be a stenographer at Wednesday's meeting to keep an official record of the comments.
cioffi@vindy.com