U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region III
Sharon Steel Corporation Fairmont Coke Works Superfund Site
Fairmont, West Virginia
Project Overview
Cleanup Continues - Redevelopment Plans Underway
May 2009
ExxonMobil Environmental Services Company, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
and West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WV DEP) continue coordinated efforts to
clean and return the Sharon Steel Corporation - Fairmont Coke Works Site in Fairmont, West Virginia to
productive use (see site map, below). The site looks very different than it did during its nearly 60 years of
operation. Old, dilapidated buildings have been torn down, and a comprehensive environmental
assessment and cleanup is moving toward completion. The three project partners have worked for more
than a decade to prepare the property for redevelopment. Much of the work is being carried out under
EPA's Project XL, a program developed to test innovative environmental management strategies. A key
element of the site work is the recycling of waste materials from two historical landfills. The material is
excavated, mixed with coal and other materials, then shipped off-site for use as fuel in a local power plant.
This recycling work is continuing and is expected to be complete in 2009. Work in several areas of the site
has already been completed, which allows for future site plans to move forward. Through the City of
Fairmont, the master plan for revitalizing the property includes construction of a hotel, indoor water park,
and a convention center.
The Sharon Steel Corporation-Fairmont Coke Works Site
(site) is located on the eastern bank of the Monongahela
River in the northeast portion of the City of Fairmont,
Marion County, West Virginia (see site map). The site is
being cleaned under the Federal Superfund Program, which
is administered by EPA. The site covers about 97 acres, 55
of which were used for coke production processes as well
as waste disposal and treatment operations. The
remaining 42 acres include a wooded hillside that
descends to the Monongahela River at the western
portion of the site. Land surrounding the site is a mixture
of industrial, commercial, and residential properties.
There are four areas at the site that have been the focus
of the remediation efforts. Efforts in the By-Products
area are nearly finished, and work in the South Landfill
continues. ExxonMobil has completed work in the
North Landfill as well as another area of the site,
referred to as the coal-storage and coke-handling area,
near the entrance to the facility. EPA is currently
reviewing an assessment that concludes no further
action is necessary in this area. The remaining efforts
include completing the South Landfill and addressing the
Light Oil Storage area.
Operational History
The Fairmont Coke Works facility was originally built in
1918 by the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey (the
corporate predecessor to Exxon) for the production of
coke, fuel derived from coal, and for the refinement of its
associated by-products. In 1948, Sharon Steel Corporation
purchased the property and continued coke production
operations until closing the facility in May 1979.
While the plant was in operation, wastes generated during
the coke and by-product production process were
disposed at various locations on the site property. During
normal plant operations, two ponds were used to store
accumulated waste sludge, and the wastes were
periodically excavated from the ponds and stored in two
nearby pits. These ponds and the other waste disposal
locations at the site have been the focus of the extensive
cleanup work completed to date.
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Cleanup History and Progress
Cleanup efforts have been underway at the site for nearly
two decades. The first significant effort was completed in
August and September 1990, when Sharon Steel removed
2.2 million pounds of waste tar from the on-site sludge
disposal areas and transported the materials to a certified
off-site landfill.
In 1993, EPA initiated the comprehensive environmental
cleanup effort at the site. During a three-year period, EPA
stabilized the site and addressed a number of hazards by
removing in excess of 55,000 tons of sludges and debris
and more than 330,000 gallons of wastewaters and other
liquids. In addition, EPA stabilized acidic tar sludges from
both on-site waste ponds, graded the site to effectively
collect and treat rain water before it enters the
Monongahela River, and covered the North Landfill with a
temporary soil cover.
Although EPA's efforts were extensive, more work was
necessary. The site was included in the Superfund Program
in 1996, making the property eligible for federal attention
during cleanup. Since Sharon Steel was liquidated in
bankruptcy court in 1991, EPA identified ExxonMobil as
the potentially responsible party for remedial work- EPA
and ExxonMobil signed an agreement on September 17,
1997 to implement a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility
Study. This agreement outlined the process to be carried
out at the site and identified a range of appropriate actions.
In November 1997, ExxonMobil approached EPA with a
proposal to conduct a Project XL pilot at the site.
Project XL was created by EPA to test the idea that
innovative environmental management strategies, which
allow more flexibility in scheduling and technical
approach, could result in a faster and more thorough
cleanup. In May 1999, EPA approved ExxonMobil's
proposal, making it the first Superfund Site in the country
to be addressed under Project XL. EPA, the WV DEP,
ExxonMobil, and the Fairmont Community Liaison Panel
signed the Final Project Agreement, which outlined the
process for the project.
As part of Project XL, ExxonMobil committed to
completing the cleanup of the site under a phased
approach to achieve the overall goal of releasing the
property for redevelopment.
Fairmont Community Liaison Panel
The Fairmont Community Liaison Panel was established
to serve as a forum for open discussion of topics related
to the Fairmont Coke Works Site. Members of the
Fairmont community and representatives of theWV DEP,
EPA, and ExxonMobil all participate on the panel.
The panel meets to foster interaction, the exchange of
facts and information, and the expression of individual
views of participants, leading to consensus input. Through
the panel, those overseeing and performing the work seek
direct and meaningful input regarding the cleanup of the
site and its return to productive use.
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Recent Progress
ExxonMobil started the current
phase of the cleanup work in
February 2003, and the focus has
been on the North and South
Landfills. In these areas,
ExxonMobil's contractor ARCADIS
is excavating waste and processing
recovered material by blending it
with coal and other materials. This
reprocessing results in a reusable
fuel product. Approximately 9,800
to 10,000 tons of material are
shipped off-site each month - more
than 472,000 tons to date - and
consumed at a local power plant. So far, the fuel
produced in the recycling effort has been used to
generate nearly 505,000 megawatts of electricity, which
is enough to power more than 38,600 typical West
Virginia homes for one year. The landfill recycling effort
is scheduled to be complete in 2009. Material that
cannot be recycled is shipped for disposal offsite.
In other areas of the site, rain water that comes into
contact with contaminated soils continues to be
collected and treated.
Investigations to determine the amount of
contamination at the Light Oil Storage area were
completed in February 2008. A cleanup plan for this
area was submitted to EPA and VW DEP in October
2008. Remediation of the Light Oil Storage area was
initiated in November 2008, and the cleanup efforts will
be complete in late spring 2009.
View of remediated North Landfill
Redevelopment Plans
While the primary goal of the cleanup efforts is to protect
human health and the environment, another important goal
of the work is to prepare the site for redevelopment. The
City of Fairmont is working with The Waterworks LLC to
develop a master plan, and efforts to secure financing are
underway. The current vision for the property - depicted on
the map below- includes construction of a conference
center, a 70,000 square foot indoor water park big enough to
accommodate 3,000 visitors, and a six-story 300 suite hotel
on the river front.Additional redevelopment plans are under
consideration by the City of Fairmont. The ExxonMobil /
EPA / WV DEP project team is coordinating with the city to
make property and information available as needed.
Several areas of the site - including the hillside at the
southern end of the property and portions of the land
across the northern end - are ready for the first phase of
redevelopment. A number of other areas are scheduled to
be released for redevelopment activities by the end of 2009.
The agencies and ExxonMobil expect the site to be ready
for the city's revitalization plans before the end of 2009.
Sharon Steel Corporation - Fairmont Coke Works Site
Project Contacts & Public Information
There are a variety of sources of information about the Sharon Steel Corporation - Fairmont Coke Works site.
You can visit the Marion County Public Library or contact one of the project representatives listed below.
In addition, meetings of the Fairmont Community Liaison Panel, which take place on a periodic basis, are open
to the public. The panel meeting dates are provided to local media outlets. For information about the panel,
contact Mary Green, panel facilitator. If you would like to be added to the project mailing list to receive
periodic updates about the site, please contact Carrie Deitzel, EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator.
USEPA Region III
1650 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029
24-Hour Superfund Hotline
800.553.2509 (toll free)
Mary Green
Facilitator
Fairmont Community Liaison Panel
800.250.3868 (toll free)
mgreen@anngreencomm.com
Carrie Deitzel (3HS43)
EPA Region III
Community Involvement Coordinator
1.800.553.2509x45525
deitzel.carrie@epa.gov
Marion County Public Library
321 Monroe Street
Fairmont, WV 26554
304.366.1210
Eric Newman
EPA Region III
Remedial Project Manager
1.800.553.2508x43237
newman.eric@epa.gov
Tom Bass
WV DEP Project Manager
Environmental Resource
Specialist
304.926.0499 ext. 1274
Thomas.L.Bass@wv.gov
EPA's Update on the Sharon Steel Corporation - Fairmont Coke Works Superfund Site
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region III
Carrie Deitzel, 3 HS43
1650 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
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