For Mill property cleanup
The Pelzer Heritage Commission will hold a public meeting at 6 p.m. January 13 at the Pelzer Community Building to present information and receive public input for a $400,000 grant for cleanup of the Pelzer Mill Property.
The property, comprised of a total of 72 acres, was obtained by Pelzer Heritage Commisssion members recently through a donation by Green Family Materials. It is now being managed by members of the Pelzer Heritage Commisssion under a new non-profit organization, Pelzer Mills Property LLC.
Information will be presented about two Brownfields Cleanup Grant Applications the organization is submitting to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct cleanup activities at the old Pelzer Mill Disposal Sites (trash dump) located on Parker St., and Frost St.. The two parcels total approximately 28.65 actres. The grant amount being requested is $200,000 for each parcel, a total of $400,000. The grant will request a waiver of a 20 percent match usually required by the EPA.
Brownfields are identified as real property where the expansion redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.
The Pelzer Heritage Commission recently accepted the Pelzer Upper and Lower Mill properties as a donation from the former owners, Green Family Materials.
If funded, the grant will be used for cleanup work as well as community outreach. The cleanup work will be performed in accordance with one of the alternatives outlined in the Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives. The purpose of the ABC is to evaluate various cleanup/management alternatives for existing debris and contaminated soils.
The grant application and the draft ABCA is available for public comment from Jan. 13 through Jan. 20. A draft copy of the ABCA will be available at the meeting Jan. 13 and at Pelzer Town hall located at 103 Courtney St,. in Pelzer beginning Jan. 14 until Jan. 20.
The grant application will be submitted Jan. 22. Community input is very helpful when applying for a grant for this tyop of project, according to Gail Jeter who is helping with the process.
Interested citizens are invited to attend the meeting. Interested community based organizations are also encouraged to contact Dianne Lollis or Gail Jeter to provide comments and or show support.
Lollis can be contacted by email at missetta@charter.net or phone at 864-392-1180. Jeter can be contacted by email at Gail.Jeter@Cardno.com or by phone at 803-929-6059. Written comments can be sent to Jeter at 1233 Washing St., Suite 1000, Columbia SC 29201.
In addition to cleanyup of the trash dump site, Heritage Commission spokesman Larry Coker said one of the first projects for the group is cleaning up the lower mill property around the parking lot and the old office building. Coker said the group has the support of the town and hopes residents of Pelzer will become involved.
