Test results show there are chemicals in the groundwater and soil gas at Shawnee Regional Park in Institute, but a Kanawha official says he doesn't expect that to deter plans to build an approximately $15 million sports complex there.
The Kanawha County Commission released the results of the chemical tests during its regular meeting Thursday. CH2M Hill Engineers Inc. did the study, which was paid for by Union Carbide Corporation, a subsidiary of Dow Chemical Co.
Commissioner Ben Salango said officials expected to find chemicals on the property, which is located near a chemical plant.
"Even though there are chemicals there, as we anticipated, there was nothing that was surprising to us and the conclusion from the engineer that studied it was that it's safe to build there," Salango said.
The report from CH2M Hill says that 1,2-DCA, 1,4-dioxane and naphthalene were found in the shallow groundwater of the park and 1,4-dioxane was found in the deep groundwater at concentrations greater than screening criteria. Chloroform was also detected in the soil gas, or the vapor in the air spaces between soil particles. Chloroform was not found in the property's groundwater of the park, the report says.
The commission previously voted to move forward with plans to build the multi-sport complex, contingent on the results of the chemical testing and the county's ability to get funding. Salango said Thursday that with the county's new bond rating of AA/Stable issued Thursday by S&P Global, financing the complex will not be a problem.
Salango said based on the results of the tests, the chemicals that were found at the park are "encapsulated," below the ground surface and as long they aren't disturbed they don't pose a risk. Salango said because Shawnee is already flat, the complex won't require digging very deep.
Dow agreed to fund the chemical tests and an "independent consultant's evaluation" at Shawnee Regional Park after West Virginia State University sued the company alleging that decades of chemical manufacturing at the Institute plant contaminated the groundwater beneath its campus.
University officials say the contamination poses no health risks because the campus does not use groundwater for its drinking water. It says the pollution threatens campus development plans and harms the school's local and national reputation.
Salango dismissed the idea that the chemicals might hurt the reputation of the proposed sports complex. Salango said parents are unlikely to fear having their children play at the complex as long as "appropriate experts" study the results and say the chemicals do not pose a threat.
"Certainly my kids are going to play there," Salango said Thursday.
The commission plans to have another firm, S&S Engineering, analyze the results of the chemical study as well.
"We didn't want to rely upon one analysis," Salango said. "If we're going to move forward with the project, we want to make sure that it's safe."
Salango said he hopes to have the firm look at the results within the next few weeks.
"We will not break ground until we get the results and the data peer reviewed," Salango said.
Commission president Kent Carper said the commission will ask the engineering firm about the results during an open meeting.
In other business:
n The commission agreed to move forward with a stream capacity restoration project for a 1.3 mile section of Hughes Creek in an effort to make the creek less susceptible to flooding.
The Capitol Conservation District of the West Virginia Conservation Agency will pay for the project using the county's vendor for demolition projects, Rodney Loftis & Son Contracting. The conservation agency will also oversee the work, director Brian Farkas told the commission.
n County Clerk Vera McCormick said the county will not have community voting during the Oct. 7, 2017 special election but will have it during next year's May primary election.
Community voting means residents are able to vote before Election Day at polling places throughout the county. Before the county bought new voting machines earlier this year, it was only able to offer early voting at Voter's Registration at the county courthouse.
n The commission approved a request for emergency precinct changes for precinct number 294 from Spirit Life Fellowship Church to Dunbar Mountain Mission activity building at 166 Sixth Street, Dunbar and for precinct numbers 421, 423 and 438 from Elkview Middle School to Elkview Baptist Church, 1150 Main Street in Elkview.
n The commission approved a $90,000 tax-bill exoneration for Keystone Industries.
Reach Lori Kersey
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