STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA 

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR 

I 900 K A NAWHA BouL E V ARD , EAs T 


CHAR L E STON, WV 2 5 30 5 


(304) 558- 2000 


EARL R AY TOMBLIN 

GOV E RN O R 

January 5, 2016 

Shawn M. Garvin, Regional Administrator 

USEP A Region 3 


1650 Arch Street 


3RAOO 

Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029 

RE: 	 State of West Virginia's concurrence for United States Environmental Protection 

Agency to add the North 251

h Street Glass and Zinc site to the National Priorities 

List 

Dear Mr. Garvin, 

The State of West Virginia concurs with the United States Environmental Protection 

Agency (USEPA) that the North 251

h Street Glass and Zinc site in Clarksburg, Harrison County, 

West Virginia should be added to the National Priorities List (NPL), pursuant to authority under 

Section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act 

(CERCLA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. Section 9605. This property is considered a high priority site 

requiring investigation and remediation to address contamination on-and off-site in order to 

protect human health and the environment. The property, located on the banks ofthe West Fork 

River, was used for glass· manufacturing from 1915 through 1975 and for zinc ore processing 

from 1911 to 1916. Harrison Warehouse Services Company, Inc. currently owns the property 

and uses a large warehouse for the storage of recycled paper for a pulp facility. Another area of 

the property is leased to an automobile repair service, and one parcel of the site containing a zinc 

slag pile is owned by a private citizen. 

Lead, zinc and arsenic are present in onsite soils due to past glass and/or zmc 

manufacturing operations. The zinc slag pile is accessible to the public and is also eroding into 

the West Fork River which is used for drinking water, recreation and fishing. There may also 

have been offsite migration of contaminants from the site into residential areas due to historical 

air releases from the smokestacks during the time of operation. Also, the Harrison County Parks 

and Recreation Commission leases an area on the western boundary of the property for use as a 

rails-to-trails bike path. The site is accessible from the bike path. 
OF F ICE OF THE GOVERNOR 

Garvin 


January 5, 2016 


Page 2 


Investigations by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) 

in 2009 determined the presence of contaminants associated with the former glass manufacturing 

and zinc processing operations, both on site and along the adjacent Rails to Trails recreational 

trail. In 2010, USEP A performed a removal action to address the contamination along the 

recreational trail, clearing the trail and applying a road bed/asphalt encapsulating layer to the trail 

to prevent human exposure. Further investigation has determined that contamination remains 

onsite and offsite, including impacts to the West Fork River. Additional investigation and 

remediation is needed to mitigate these concerns. WVDEP believes that the site is eligible for 

proposed listing on the NPL by virtue of the nature of the heavy metal contamination that 

remains at the site and the potential threat this contamination poses to the community. 

Should the site be listed on the NPL, WVDEP will continue to assist USEPA in making 

the necessary cleanup decisions designed to protect public health and the environment in 

Clarksburg and on the West Fork River. West Virginia will collaborate in the development of a 

Superfund contract to provide West Virginia the assurances required by CERCLA, including but 

not limited to, the State's statutory cost share of 10% for the remedial action and assumption of 

operation and maintenance responsibilities. 

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Patricia Hickman, Director, WVDEP 

Division of Land Restoration, at (304) 926-0499, extension 1263. 

Sincerely, 

~~~~· Earl Ray Tomblin 

Governor