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CDC hears details of brownfield site plans
Thursday, October 18, 2012
By Wendy Lynn Brion Staff Writer
CURWENSVILLE - The Curwensville Development Corporation did not have a quorum again yesterday, but still discussed several items for informational purposes.
The CDC also heard from Rob Swales, director of the Clearfield County Economic Development Authority, concerning the brownfield site at the former Howe's Leather, currently owned by the Howe's Leather Liquidation Trust.
Swales brought aerial maps of the area and explained there is about 26.5 acres to the site, made up of three parcels. He said the CCEDC is looking to do a transfer agreement with the trust and clean up the site.
There is a slurry, or sludge pond of gelatinous nitrate material, which needs to be cleaned. The slurry contains material suitable for fertilizer and is currently seeping into the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. Swales said when the material is removed there are several companies interested in it and they will have no problem disposing of it.
He said they are also proposing cleaning up the exposed foundations and pulverizing them, and then using that material to backfill the sludge pond.
The CCEDC will be showcasing the site at a "Brownfield Makeover Challenge" being held next week at the Brownfields Conference in Pittsburgh. The conference is sponsored by the state Department of Environmental Protection and The Engineers' Society of Western Pennsylvania. The challenge consists of three projects being reviewed by those attending the conference and voting on which gets grant money for clean up. The CCEDC made a three-minute video on the site and proposed plans, and then they will give an additional three-minute presentation at the conference.
CCEDC is focusing the presentation on children and families. Swales said the site is located across the street from the Curwensville schools. There is broken fencing around the site, a pond that had been created in the event of a fire for suppression, and a couple of pits that are 8 cubic feet and currently filled with rain water, along with other hazards.
CCEDC is also applying for federal Environmental Protection Agency funds to assist with the cleanup. When it is all said and done, the CCEDC will own the property and will be able to market it for industrial use. Swales said it would be a good place for a company with the oil and gas industry since it is near a railroad, the river and close to Interstate 80.
"We're optimistic we can make this project happen," he said.
The board members also discussed the Spinneli building on State Street. One of the reasons it is difficult to sell the property is it is rumored there are old fuel tanks under the building and perhaps under the street as well, and none of the potential buyers has wanted to pay the extra money to investigate. Swales said resolving such a situation would be both difficult and costly.
Swales also reported that Helios Scientific is nearly finished renovating the old distribution building in the industrial park and he understands they are planning to begin research as early as November. Their work will be in the field of cellulosic ethanol which comes from wood chips, switch grass, etc.
It was also announced the CDC will make the following community donations this year of $1,000 each: Curwensville Community Center, Curwensville Library Renovation, Curwensville Christmas Lighting Fund and Rescue Hose and Ladder ambulance fund.
The next meeting of the CDC will be Jan. 23, 2013 at 8:15 p.m. at The Smokehouse.
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