NCD980602163_19980328_Warren County PCB Landfill_SERB C_Daily Dispatch article - PCB cleanup cost estimated-OCR

~
~~
Tfr, t(l )}; cl WJ 5llVJ
l'LH cteanu~ ·
cost · estini.aiecl
Projections now at $23 million
By CHARLIE RICHARDS 1
Daily Dispatch Writer
need all i~ormation in mid-
April.
Lancaster reported to the
group that while McDevitt has
· WARRENTON -Ameetingof not taken action on reconstitu-
the Warre.n-State PC13 Wor~g tion of the Working Group, he is
Group here ~ursday produ~ed.. •·looking ·at fomring--an··Enw-on---· ··
a fli1al cost-estimate for cleaning mental Justice·· Council for the
up the PCB Jandfill near here for state which would be concerned
presentation to the legislatur¢. with the PCB issue. Warren and
It also brought out a disagree-the groups have contended the.
ment among those advocating landfill is a justice issue.
the cleanup. In addition to discussing the
_ A prelimJnary detoxification prospects for securing funding
design report, prepared for the for the cleanup from the legisla-
state and the Working Group by ture, the Working Group spent
contractor ETG Environmental, much of its first hour meeting
estimates .a project cost of time to a dispute over budgeting
· $23.975 million, including a con-for independent advisors.
tingency of about $2 million. The budget presented pro~
That is the figure that will be vides $200,000 to continue -a cit-
presented to the legislature, izens · advisory group, possibly
along with reports on how and the Working Group, and the
why the landfill should be detox-office in Warrenton. That item
ified. Some of Thursday's meet-also would provide for indepen-
ing was devoted to planning a dent science advisors.
presentation to the Environmen-Some members, notably
tal Review . Commission, proba-activists Ken and Deborah Fer-
bly April 27. ruccio, argued that is an inade-
Henry Lancaster, Deputy Sec-· quate allocation. J:
retary of the Department of Michael Kelly, deputy director
Environment and· Natural of the Di.vision of Waste Manage-I
Resources, who co-chairs the ment,'who administers the PCB U
Working Group, said-the .part of p~ogram, said with a contractor· /
. Gov. Hunt's. oudget that would:-on site, plus· state officials and
include the PCB cleanup project' others: the'state could ·notjusti-bi
)Vill -be sent to . the General ff siparate fulltime advisors. . s/
. Assembly in. early May. j; The Ferruccios argued the 3:
He said ·secretary. Wayne itate, which created the landfill, i
McDevitt . who will have the has a conflict of interest, and ' . . , most direct contact with the gov-independent scie11tists are need-c:
ernor regarding the budget, will. ed to provide oversight. r
I