Community Involvement Plan

NORTH 25TH STREET GLASS AND ZINC SITE CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN

TABLE OF CONTENTS North 25th Street Glass and Zinc Site ...... ii Clarksburg, West Virginia ...... ii Community Involvement Plan ...... ii Superfund Overview ...... 1 What is Superfund? ...... 1 Preliminary Assessment/Site Investigation (Site Discovery and Site Evaluation) ...... 3 National Priorities List (NPL) Site Listing ...... 3 Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study ...... 3 Record of Decision ...... 3 Remedial Design and Remedial Action ...... 3 Operation and Maintenance ...... 3 National Priorities List Deletion ...... 3 Reuse ...... 4 Community Involvement in Superfund ...... 5 The Site ...... 6 Site Location ...... 6 Site History ...... 7 Contaminants of Concern ...... 8 The Community ...... 9 Community Involvement Plan ...... 9 Community Profile ...... 9 Key Community Concerns ...... 10 Background ...... 10 Communications ...... 11 Health Concerns...... 11 Resources for the Community ...... 12 Contacts ...... 13 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III ...... 13 West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection ...... 13 U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry ...... 14

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Governor of West Virginia ...... 14 City of Clarksburg ...... 14 Harrison County Commission ...... 14 West Virginia Legislature ...... 14 United States Senate ...... 14 United States House of Representatives ...... 14 Local Media ...... 15 Meeting Locations ...... 15 EPA’s Documents and Information Repository ...... 16 Appendix A: Glossary and acronyms ...... 17 Appendix B: Sample ads and postcards ...... 18

SUPERFUND OVERVIEW

What is Superfund? The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Superfund program, created in 1980 under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and amended in 1986 by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), is responsible for cleaning up some of the nation’s most contaminated land and responding to environmental emergencies, oil spills and natural disasters. To protect public health and the environment, the Superfund program focuses on making a visible and lasting difference in communities, ensuring that people can live and work in healthy, vibrant places.

The Superfund cleanup process is complex and involves many steps. The Superfund Site Assessment program determines if sites pose urgent risks needing immediate, short-term actions that should be taken by EPA’s Superfund Removal Program or if sites pose less critical risks and should be placed on the National Priorities List (NPL). Some sites require no further action or may be referred to state agencies, but sites placed on the NPL, like the North 25th Street Glass and Zinc Site, undergo extensive investigation before appropriate cleanup plans can be determined and implemented. This long-term process is conducted by EPA’s Superfund Remedial Program. However, even during Remedial Program activities, the Removal Program can take immediate actions at any time, if needed or beneficial. While investigating or addressing sites, EPA may also take actions to enlist or enforce the cooperation of those who may have contributed to site contamination or to recover costs from them. These parties are called Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs). EPA also partners with the states and takes steps to keep affected community members involved. It is important that community members know that EPA will work to ensure that cleanup actions are conducted safely and provide long-term protection of human health and the environment.

Site Discovery

Site Evaluation

NPL Listing

Remedial Investigation

Feasibility Study

Proposed Plan

Remedy Selection

Remedial Design

Remedial Action

Operation & Maintenance

NPL Deletion

2 Reuse

PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT/SITE INVESTIGATION (SITE DISCOVERY AND SITE EVALUATION) This stage includes a review of historical information and includes visiting a site to evaluate the potential for a release of hazardous substances. EPA’s Site Assessment program determines if the site poses a threat to people and the environment and whether hazards need to be addressed immediately or additional site information will be collected.

NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST (NPL) SITE LISTING The NPL is primarily an information resource that identifies sites that warrant cleanup. It is a list of the worst hazardous waste sites identified by Superfund. The list is largely based on the score a site receives from the Hazard Ranking System.

REMEDIAL INVESTIGATION AND FEASIBILITY STUDY This stage involves an evaluation of the nature and extent of contamination at a site and assessing potential threats to human health and the environment. This stage of the process also includes evaluation of the potential performance and cost of the treatment options identified for a site.

RECORD OF DECISION Leading up to the issuance of the Record of Decision (ROD), the EPA recommends a preferred remedy and presents the cleanup plan in a document called a Proposed Plan for public comment. Following the public comment period, the EPA issues a final remedy selection in a Record of Decision.

REMEDIAL DESIGN AND REMEDIAL ACTION Detailed cleanup plans are developed and implemented during this stage. Remedial design includes development of engineering drawings and specifications for a site cleanup. Remedial action follows design, and involves the actual construction or implementation phase of site cleanup.

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE After EPA determines that the physical construction at a site is complete, activities are put in place to ensure that the cleanup actions will protect human health and the environment over the long-term. For example, these activities may include routine maintenance at the site, such as making sure signs and fences are intact, ensuring treatment systems are running smoothly, and enforcing any long term site restrictions.

NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST DELETION Once cleanup goals have been achieved and sites are fully protective of human health and the environment, EPA deletes them from the NPL.

REUSE EPA's goal is to make sure site cleanup is consistent with the likely future use of a site. Consideration of reuse and redevelopment at a site can occur at any point in the Superfund cleanup process, from site investigation activities to deletion from the NPL. EPA works with communities to make sure sites or portions of sites are used safely and in a beneficial way for the community.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN SUPERFUND Community Involvement is the process of engaging in dialogue and collaborating with community members, in order to advocate and strengthen early and meaningful community participation during Superfund cleanups. CERCLA and SARA establish Community Involvement in Superfund and the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (National Contingency Plan, or NCP) describes EPA’s process.

The foundation of Superfund’s Community Involvement program is the belief that the members of the community affected by a Superfund site have the right to be informed and involved in EPA’s decision-making process. The primary objective is to not only enable, but to encourage, the members of an affected community to get involved and participate in the Superfund process. EPA’s goal is to provide accurate, timely, accessible, and understandable site- specific information to the public. The Community Involvement program strives to maintain a consistent community presence, build relationships with the community and local stakeholders, as well as local, state, and other federal government agencies.

For more information, please see A Community Guide to EPA’s Superfund Program.

If you have questions about this document, the site, or the Superfund process, please contact the Community Involvement Coordinator (CIC) for the site.

THE SITE

Site Location The North 25th Street Glass and Zinc Site is located in the Northview neighborhood of the city of Clarksburg, in Harrison County, West Virginia. The approximately 20-acre, four parcel site encompasses an approximately one- quarter mile long portion of the banks of the West Fork River. The Site is bound to the north by woodland and the West Fork River, to the east by residential and light commercial properties and North 25th Street, to the south by the West Fork River and residential property, and to the west by the West Fork River. A Rails to Trails path begins alongside the site and continues north beside the river.

The site is the location of a former glass manufacturing facility and a zinc smelter. One current owner of the property is Harrison Warehouse Services Company, Inc., which uses the large warehouse on the property for the storage of recycled paper for a pulp facility. Part of the property is leased and operated by King’s Tire Service, Inc., which sells a variety of tires and conducts automobile repair and maintenance work. One parcel of the site containing a slag pile is owned by a private citizen.

Site History The site, and the City of Clarksburg, have a long history of glass manufacturing. From 1899 to 1989, the site was the location of window glass manufacturing operations. While in operation, the facility was operated by various companies. Beginning in 1899, one glass manufacturer, the Lafayette Window Glass Manufacturing Company, was located on the southern portion of the property. By 1905, an additional glass manufacturer, Peerless Window Glass Company (owned by the Rolland family), was located north of the Lafayette Window Glass Manufacturing Company. The facilities all continued to grow in size and by 1950, all operations on site merged into Rolland Glass. The company became Fourco Glass by 1972. The Northview facility was just one of the Fourco facilities in the area.

In addition to the glass manufacturing operations conducted on the property, the Clarksburg Zinc Company operated a zinc smelter on the northern portion of the property from approximately 1907 to 1918.

The past industrial facilities and operations contaminated the site. The soil on the property, the groundwater near the property, and the sediments in the adjacent West Fork River have been found to contain contamination from the processes and waste, or slag, piles. Lead, arsenic, and zinc have been detected. These contaminants could pose public health and environmental risks and have led to EPA’s involvement at the site.

In early 2010, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection requested assistance from the EPA in cleaning up and addressing the hazardous chemicals and constituents remaining at the Site in order to assist with the opening of a Rails to Trails recreation trail. A Removal Action began in October 2010 to install an asphalt encapsulation barrier and assist in clearing and grading the recreational trail. Trash and debris that was in the path of the recreational trail was placed into a roll-off for disposal. EPA and its contractors completed the Removal Action on October 25th, 2010. For more information on the EPA Removal action, please see https://response.epa.gov/wforkriver.

The state of West Virginia referred the site to the EPA for long-term cleanup. Other federal and state cleanup programs were evaluated, but were not viable because they would not address the entire site, including the contaminated river sediments. The EPA received a letter of support for placing this site on the NPL from the governor of West Virginia in January 2016.

In April 2016, EPA proposed listing the North 25th Street Glass and Zinc Site to the National Priorities List (NPL) of hazardous wastes site. The NPL proposal was published in the Federal Register on April 7, opening a 60-day public comment period. EPA Region 3 also announced the Site’s proposal with a postcard mailed to residents within 1 mile of the site and with an advertisement in the Exponent Telegraph on May 22, 2016. On May 24, 2016, EPA held a public information session, describing the site and the Superfund program and process. The public was encouraged to submit formal public comments and information was distributed on how to do so. Few comments were received on the proposal. On September 9, 2016, EPA published another Federal Register notice to finalize the addition of the North 25th Street Glass and Zinc Site to the NPL. A postcard was sent to update the community of the listing and request input for the Community Involvement plan.

Contaminants of Concern Soils on the property, groundwater, and sediments in the West Fork River are contaminated with lead, arsenic and zinc from the former glass and zinc manufacturing processes. There is a large zinc slag pile on the property and other smaller piles of waste material scattered throughout the site. The waste and slag piles are eroding into the West Fork River which is used for recreation and fishing. There may also have been migration of contaminants from the site into residential areas due to historical air contaminant releases from the smokestacks during the time of operation. In addition, the Harrison County Parks and Recreation Commission leases an area on the western boundary of the property for use as the Rails to Trails path. The site is fenced and signs are posted to prevent public access.

THE COMMUNITY

Community Involvement Plan The Community Involvement Plan (CIP) is EPA’s site specific strategy for informing and engaging community members in the Superfund process. This CIP is intended to provide general Superfund program information, describe the site and the community, identify the needs and concerns of the community, as well as help to identify the many participation opportunities and options available throughout the cleanup process. Last but not least, this CIP is also intended to be a resource for EPA staff, our partners at the state and local level, and the community. The Superfund process may span several years, and site team members may change. The CIP will inform new team members about the community, identify community concerns, and list community resources for planning meetings and communicating with residents and officials. The CIP is a “living” document that will evolve and be modified as the investigation, design, and cleanup processes continue and as input is received from the community.

Community Profile Preparing a community profile can assist EPA in gaining an understanding of the community. The data collected can help inform a targeted outreach plan. The community profile is only one tool and will never take the place of “on the ground” community involvement and communications. Community statistics are compiled from the US Census Bureau and their American Communities Survey for Clarksburg (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Clarksburg city, West Virginia).

The population of the city of Clarksburg was 16,578 at the 2010 census. A large majority, almost 94% of the population, list their race as white. Less than 2% of the city population identify as having Hispanic or Latino origin. The community is predominantly English speaking. Community interviews also anecdotally confirmed there is no apparent need for translation services.

Approximately 85% of homes in Clarksburg were built before 1970. Housing units are over half owner occupied, with about 35% renter occupied and about 14% vacant. The average household size is 2.37. In considering sensitive populations, 26% of households have one or more people under 18 years old and 29% of households have one more people 65 years and over.

In Clarksburg, about 88% of residents have at least graduated from high school, with almost 20% with a bachelor’s degree or higher. About 60% of the residents of Clarksburg are in the labor force. The top industries are educational services and health care and social assistance (23%), retail trade (15%) and professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services (10%). About 14% of the families in Clarksburg are below the poverty level, slightly above the national rate of 11%.

Key Community Concerns As discussed above, one of the main goals of the Community Involvement Plan is to identify the community’s needs and concerns, as well as the activities and outreach strategies EPA will use to work with the community. In order to learn more about the community and their concerns to develop the CIP, EPA conducts Community Interviews. The interviews are held in person or over the phone, with residents, local officials, and other stakeholders to gather information, identify key community needs, concerns, and questions.

To identify an initial list of interviewees, sign-in sheets from the May 2016 the public information session were used. The CIC contacted residents who expressed interest in being interviewed. Also, the postcard mailed to nearby residents in November 2016, updating the site’s addition to the NPL, offered residents the opportunity to be interviewed by contacting the Community Involvement Coordinator, via email or telephone. Some residents heard about the interviews from friends or family and contacted EPA.

A total of 8 interviews were conducted. The interviewees included 7 residents (representing 6 households), 1 city official, and 1 stakeholder group representative. Six interviews were conducted in person in Clarksburg in late 2016. Joining EPA for the interviews were two representatives of the Agency for Toxics Substances and Disease Control (ATSDR). ATSDR also gathers information from communities affected by Superfund sites to inform their work. Two additional interviews were conducted via phone later in 2016 and into 2017. All interviews are kept confidential to encourage candidness and interviewees were asked to give complete and honest answers to questions asked.

This section is intended to summarize, record, and reflect the issues and concerns expressed to and interpreted by EPA. This is a collection and summary of thoughts, observations and, in some cases, opinions of residents, officials, and others interviewed during the community interviews.

BACKGROUND The Northview neighborhood of Clarksburg, WV is an established community, which overall has a low level of concern about the North 25th Street Glass and Zinc site. There is a portion of the population from an older, close-knit generation who remember the history of the factories and are interested in the cleanup. These folks have been reminded about the site and its legacy by EPA’s involvement at the site, but overall it is not a concern in the forefront. There has also been a significant turnover of residents in the community, due to the age of the community and economic downturn. The newer folks are reported to have less “sense of community” meaning they are less involved and active in community happenings. The children and grandchildren of longtime residents of Clarksburg are moving away to find better employment. Many interviewees do not feel that the community is well informed, or actually interested, in the site.

The city management is enthusiastic about the potential for advancement through cleanup of this and other contaminated sites. A few residents also spoke about the prospect and benefits of redevelopment, but more generally for the city, not at the North 25th Street Glass and Zinc site specifically. Interviewees were generally glad for the site cleanup and hopeful for action, but do not have expectations that the cleanup will be completed quickly.

One interviewee represented the Harrison Rail Trails, Inc., which is a local non-profit organization supporting Harrison County Parks and Recreation Commission on the rail-trail project. This organization has a committed interest as the trail runs adjacent to the North 25th Street site. Harrison Rail Trail's organizational goal is to revitalize the community through encouraging healthy recreational activities on the trails, to help create a healthier community, and to promote economic development in Harrison County; so they are encouraged by the cleanup of the site. The interviewee suggests the community may not be well informed about the site which borders the rail-trail, but has been educating Rail-Trail users about the site during events and outreach. It was requested that appropriate messaging continue to educate the community that the Rail-Trail does not pose a risk. The Harrison Rail Trails organization will be a beneficial partner to EPA to help disseminate information and educate the community. They have offered the use of their information kiosk at the Rail-Trail head at North 25th Street and their avenues of social media to promote EPA updates & offer educational information in which trail visitors and neighbors can review.

COMMUNICATIONS Most residents and stakeholders spoken to learned about the site and EPA’s involvement via the postcard mailed by EPA. Most residents interviewed did not attend the public information session when the site was proposed to the NPL, but all agree that the Saint James Parish Hall is a very convenient and easily accessible location for future meetings. All interviewees discussed that the current method of disseminating information, mailings and ads or articles in the Exponent Telegram newspaper, are preferred. Email is also an option for many community members to receive updates. The postcards mailed in 2016 were on yellow cardstock and a few residents commented that the bright color was eye catching and would be noticeable if used consistently. Residents indicated that updates should be provided at milestones in the cleanup process, but the EPA should not let too much time pass without providing at least a brief update or check in on site progress. Community members expressed interest in using the Site webpage https://www.epa.gov/superfund/north25 to get updates.

HEALTH CONCERNS The community is not overly concerned with risks from the site, although they do see a benefit from cleanup and redevelopment type of activities, generally. Interviewees were not aware of reports of health problems from the site specifically, but many commented that health problems in the glass factory workers were common. Residents reported that in the past, the site may have been home to vagrants or susceptible to trespassing, but currently there are no such issues. The fencing and signs constructed with the trail would continue to deter access. Many residents reported that the area had been used, generations ago, as baseball fields and for community events, in particular the circus, and expressed slight concern over being exposed earlier in life to the site.

Many of the interviews conducted with community members discussed fishing in the West Fork River. There is anecdotal evidence that fishing does occur in the river, near the North 25th Street site, form various access points on both banks of the river. Fishing licenses are required in West Virginia, so any necessary outreach to fisherman may be coordinated with the licensing department. None of the interviewees personally have fished and therefore no one was sure what fish are caught and if the catches are eaten.

RESOURCES FOR THE COMMUNITY

EPA offers many opportunities and resources to facilitate the community’s involvement in EPA’s cleanup process and support healthy communities. Technical assistance refers to the provision of services focused on increasing community understanding of the science, regulations and policy related to environmental issues and EPA actions. EPA provides additional assistance to communities through a variety of technical assistance resources and tools, listed below. Which tools are used and how many activities occur usually reflects the level of interest expressed by the community. For further information, please see https://www.epa.gov/superfund/technical-assistance-communities

Community Advisory Group (CAG) A CAG is a self-governing stakeholder group that meets regularly to learn about EPA’s cleanup process, discuss their issues and concerns, and provide feedback to EPA. EPA is able to provide support to the CAG by attending meetings, making presentations, procuring meeting rooms, advertising the meetings and providing copies of site-related documents. A CAG has not been formed at this site. Interested members may notify the Community Involvement Coordinator to request assistance.

Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) A TAG is a competitive federal grant awarded to an incorporated nonprofit organization of community members affected by the Site. Recipients contract with independent technical advisors who review and evaluate site-related documents. For more information, click on the link above or contact Region 3 TAG Coordinator Gina Soscia at 215- 814-5538.

Technical Assistance for Communities (TASC) TASC is a program that provides independent educational and technical assistance to communities affected by hazardous waste sites regulated by the Superfund and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) programs. Such assistance helps communities to better understand the hazardous waste issues confronting them and to be well- informed while participating in the decision-making process. For more details, click on the link above or contact Region 3 TASC Coordinator Gina Soscia at 215-814-5538.

CONTACTS

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, REGION III 1650 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19103

North 25th Glass and Zinc Site Profile page https://www.epa.gov/superfund/north25

Community Involvement Coordinator (CIC) Cathleen Kennedy 215-814-2746 [email protected]

Remedial Project Manager (RPM) Anthony Iacobone 215-814-5237 [email protected]

On Scene Coordinator – Removal Program (OSC) Raj Sharma 215-814-3260 [email protected]

Human Health Risk Assessor Martin Gehlhaus 215-814-3359 [email protected]

State and Congressional Liaison Mark Ferrell 304-542-0231 [email protected]

WEST VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 2031 Pleasant Valley Road Fairmont WV 26554 Jake McDougal, Division of Land Restoration 304-368-2000 EXT: 3701 [email protected]

U.S. AGENCY FOR TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND DISEASE REGISTRY 1600 Clifton Way NE, Atlanta, GA 30329

Health Assessor Jill Dyken 770-488-0768

Regional Representative Ana Pomales 215-814-5716

GOVERNOR OF WEST VIRGINIA Jim Justice

CITY OF CLARKSBURG Mayor of Clarksburg: Catherine Goings City Manager’s Office City Manager, Martin Howe Assistant City Manager, Anthony Bellotte Administrative Assistant, Kelly Lanza City Council meets in regular session on the first and third Thursdays of each month at 7:00 p.m.

HARRISON COUNTY COMMISSION 301 Main Street, Clarksburg, WV 26301 Harrison County Commission Meetings are held every Wednesday at 10:00 AM

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE House District – 48 (Harrison, Taylor (part)) Richard Iaquinta (D - Harrison) Timothy Miley (D - Harrison) Danny Hamrick (R - Harrison) Ben Queen (R - Harrison)

Senate District – 12 (Braxton, Clay, Gilmer (part), Harrison, Lewis) Douglas Facemire (D - Braxton) Mike Romano (D - Harrison)

UNITED STATES SENATE Joe Manchin III Shelley Moore Capito

UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES David McKinley - 1st District

LOCAL MEDIA Newspaper: Exponent Telegraph, Pamela Kendall, 304-626-1448 Television: WBOY 12 News www.wboy.com

MEETING LOCATIONS St James Parish Hall, 2101 Pride Avenue, Clarksburg, WV Contact: Patty Gonzalez, 304-623-4085

EPA’S DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION REPOSITORY EPA is required by law to establish an administrative record (AR) at or near a Superfund site. The AR is a file which is maintained and contains all information used by the lead agency to make its decision on the selection of a response action under CERCLA. This file is to be available for public review and a copy is to be established at or near the site, usually at one of the information repositories. Also, a duplicate file is held in a central location, such as a Regional or State office.

By providing the public with greater access to these records, we hope that they will be better equipped to comment constructively on site activities and to understand the issues relating to the selection of the response action at the site. The North 25th Street Administrative Record and other site documents and associated material can be found at:

 Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library 404 Pike Street Clarksburg, West Virginia

 US Environmental Protection Agency 1650 Arch Street, Phila, PA. 19103 Contact: Paul R. Van Reed, M/S 3HS42 Telephone: 215-814-3157

 Online at https://semspub.epa.gov/ Select Region “03.” Select Collection Type “Special Collections” for NPL listing and Community Involvement documents (or “Administrative Record” for decision documents, once available) Select State “West Virginia” Select Site “North 25th Street Glass and Zinc” Click the Submit button. The Superfund Records Collections page lists all of the available Collections for the site.

APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY AND ACRONYMS

For more definitions and acronyms, please refer to Superfund Glossary. AR: Administrative Record Definition: A file which is maintained and available to the public that contains all information used by the lead agency to make its decision on the selection of a response action under CERCLA. CERCLA: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act Definition: Enacted in 1980 and nicknamed Superfund, this law provides the authority through which the Federal government can compel people or companies responsible for creating hazardous waste sites to clean them up. It also created a public trust fund, known as the Superfund, to assist with the cleanup of inactive and abandoned hazardous waste sites or accidentally spilled or illegally dumped hazardous materials. CIP: Community Involvement Plan Definition: EPA’s site specific strategy for informing and engaging community members in the Superfund process. NCP: National Contingency Plan Definition: The National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan, more commonly called the National Contingency Plan (NCP), is the federal government's blueprint for responding to both oil spills and hazardous substance releases. The National Contingency Plan is the result of our country's efforts to develop a national response capability and promote overall coordination among hierarchy of responders and contingency plans. PRP: Potentially Responsible Parties Definition: Any individual or company potentially responsible for, or contributing to, contamination at a Superfund site. SARA: Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act Definition: Enacted in 1986, reauthorized and amended CERCLA to include additional enforcement authorities, technical requirements, community involvement requirements, and various clarifications.

APPENDIX B: SAMPLE ADS AND POSTCARDS