Celebrating Success: Camilla Wood Preserving Company Camilla, Georgia &EPA Superfuncl Redevelopment Initiative "The City of Camilla and Mitchell County worked collectively...to benefit all the citizens of Camilla and enhance long term maintenance of the remedy." Franklin Hill, EPA Region 4 Superfund Division Director For more information, please contact Melissa Friedland at (703) 603-8864 or friedland.melissa@epa.gov or Frank Awisato at (703) 603-8949 or avvisato.frank@epa.gov The City of Camilla, Georgia's innovative approach to Superfund site reuse allowed for the smooth transition of the Camilla Wood Preserving site from an abandoned property in need of remediation to a much needed recreational facility whose cleanup remedy aligned with reuse goals. In addition, the local government's creative, flexible approach to site acquisition and the County's cooperation streamlined the reuse process. A wood treating facility operated on the 40-acre site from 1947 until 1991. EPA added the Site to the National Priorities List in 1998 after site investigations identified contaminants that included creosote, dioxins, pentachlorophenol, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. From 1991 to 1997, EPA was involved in removal actions, including decommissioning and dismantling operations and removing and solidifying on-site sources of contamination. During 2006 and 2007, EPA excavated and removed contaminated soils from four residences. With funding from a Superfund Redevel opment Initiative grant in 2002, Camilla established a Land Use Committee to determine appropriate future land uses. The coordination of EPA and the Committee, made up of representatives from the City of Camilla, EPA, State and County representatives, and Georgia Environmental Protection Division, allowed the site cleanup and reuse to be integrated. In 2003, the Land Use Committee determined the site would be an ideal location for a soccer complex and could meet community needs for basketball courts, walking trails, a flexible open space area and a small RV park. An existing on-site office building was also identified for use as the Mitchell County Parks and Recreation Department Fleadquarters. When removal actions began in 2006, the community's recreational reuse plan informed EPA's activities at the site. Both the City and Mitchell County were owed back taxes on the property and coordinated closely on the foreclosure process. They evaluated options to acquire the cleaned up portion of the site and determined that involuntary acquisition would provide an important liability protection. The City took clear title to the property in August 2007 and opened a community park with soccer fields and a small RV park in September 2007. Mitchell County's Recreation Department operates the community park and plans to expand the sports complex on the eastern half of the site following future cleanup. The City received an Excellence in Site Reuse Award in 2012 for their exemplary efforts. September 2012 CAMILLA. GA WiicWC C owty ------- |