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Cleanup Resumes at the Kentucky Wood Preserving Site in Winchester, KY

Release Date: 09/02/2009
Contact Information: Laura Niles, (404) 562-8353, niles.laura@epa.gov; Art Smith, (502) 905-7559, smith.art@epa.gov

(Atlanta, Ga. – September 2, 2009) Cleanup activities at the Kentucky Wood Preserving Site in Winchester, Ky., resumed on August 17, 2009, following a January 2009 agreement between EPA and CSX Transportation Inc. (CSXT) to have CSXT perform the remaining cleanup work necessary at the site to protect human health and the environment.

The Kentucky Wood Preserving site is located at 200 Magnolia Street in Winchester, Ky., where wood products were formerly pressure treated by copper chromated arsenate (CCA). EPA and the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP) conducted a site evaluation at the facility in April 2007. As a result of the evaluation, EPA determined that a time-critical removal action was necessary and began cleanup activities in July 2007. EPA’s cleanup work was completed in October 2008 and included off-site treatment and disposal of more than 60,000 gallons of CCA solutions and 1,200 tons of hazardous waste solids. An additional 2,000 tons of arsenic-contaminated soils and debris were also removed and disposed of, the majority of which was from a residential cleanup at a property adjoining the site. EPA spent a total of approximately $1.6 million for the cleanup.

CSXT’s contractors are performing the current removal activities under EPA oversight. Current operations involve removal of equipment and other material left on-site when Kentucky Wood Preserving abandoned the site in 2006, as well as the demolition of all existing structures. The scope of work includes solidification of arsenic-contaminated soils on-site. The solidification process will prevent leaching of arsenic into surface water and groundwater and eliminate the potential for off-site migration of contaminants. Completion of removal activities required by EPA is targeted for the end of 2009. Cleanup of additional off-site areas by KDEP is also planned to be completed by the end of the year. Following completion of on-site construction work, CSXT will apply for a restrictive covenant with KDEP to ensure that future land use is compatible with environmental conditions at the site.

Additional information about the site can be found at http://www.epaosc.net/kywood.