Superfund Redevelopment
Emerging in Rural America

By Kelly Novak, Research Manager, NADO Research Foundation

There is a growing interest in hazardous or “superfund” site redevelopment among rural communities across America, as 41 percent of these federally recognized and proposed superfund sites have been located in rural areas (Environmental Protection Agency, Program Office for Superfund Redevelopment). Through careful analysis, cleanup and planning, these sites e.g. former landfills and mines, are being redeveloped into everything from golf courses to high tech-job centers.

Superfund Law

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under the 1980 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), was tasked with the mission to identify, list and respond to superfund sites.

The Act also established a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries to support federal responses and held landowners in liability for cleanup. By 1985, $1.6 billion was collected and put into a trust fund for cleaning up abandoned or uncontrolled sites.

Superfund Listing Process

Sites must be identified and added to EPA’s National Priorities List (NPL), before a response is made. The NPL is EPA’s informational guide to determining which sites need further investigation.

Sites are first proposed for listing via the Federal Register followed by a public comment period. EPA then responds to comments and will place sites that still meet requirements on the NPL. Sites are reviewed and ranked, according to level of actual and potential hazardous releases, to determine if they will be added into the NPL.

A high preliminary ranking evaluation score (PREscore) does not necessarily mean that the site will receive EPA’s first attention, but does determine if the site will be listed. Following listing, the site then is studied and a cleanup plan is prepared and executed or the site is determined to not be a threat.

Reaching Redevelopment

Once a site has been satisfactorily cleaned up or determined to not be a threat, it can be de-listed and made available for redevelopment. In some case, partial de-listing occurs, when portions of a site are satisfactorily cleaned up or determined not to be a threat and not at contamination risk from surroundings.

De-listed superfund sites are eligible to apply for EPA Brownfields funding. In addition, planned or ongoing hazardous removals are considered for loan funds via property-specific determination application, where the applying site applicant is required to ensure that the loan funds would be used to protect human health and the environment, and to promote economic and preservation development.

For more information contact: Melissa Friedland, EPA, Director of Pilots and External Communications, 703/603-8864 or email friedland.Melissa@epa.gov; To view the National Priorities List or check on a site status visit www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/npl.htm.

Avtex Superfund Redevelopment Site

Avtex Fibers facility in Warren County, Virginia has proven that redevelopment is economically stimulating and positive for community development. In 1986 the manufacturing facility was listed on the NPL. Then the owner declared bankruptcy and closed the facility and 50 percent of the county’s working population was left unemployed.

A regional partnership came together and created a response plan. The Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority (Front Royal-Warren EDA) then bought the site. A conceptual reuse plan ensued for the construction of industrial parks and recreational areas.

The commercial facilities have attracted more than 1,000 jobs and creation of a soccer complex is in progress. Local investment has totaled nearly $10 million. The site received a 1999 EPA superfund redevelopment pilot grant.

For more information contact: Stephen Heavener, Front Royal-Warren EDA at 540/635-2182 or email eda@shenvalley.com

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