Diaz site named to EPA Superfund list

The Holley village site formerly occupied by Diaz Chemical has been named to the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund list.

Along with the listing should come federal funds to help with clean up at the site of the abandoned chemical plant. It is also hoped that money will be available to address neighborhood pollution issues. "The board is happy that Diaz made it to the Superfund list, " Holley Mayor Stanley (Skip) Carpenter said. "But as for how this will affect us, we just don't know yet."

EPA-selected these sites based on various factors including: risk to human health and the environment; the urgency of the need for response; projected total costs to the Fund; maintenance of a strong enforcement program; leverage of cleanups by others; and the level of support for listing from the state and communities.

Since October 2003, the EPA has been in Holley working to clean up and dispose of more than 3,000 drums of chemicals that had been left at the site when Diaz declared bankruptcy in June 2003 and closed its doors. To date, approximately 40,000 gallons of hazardous materials have been removed from the site. The EPA clean up currently underway is the first step in addressing the immediate dangers posed by Diaz. EPA officials have also begun a feasibility study for long-range clean up at the site and they will also be releasing a report detailing findings from collected samples of air, soil and dust from homes bordering the site.

Eleven families still remain out of their homes more than two years after a chemical release sent 80 gallons of 2 chloro-6-fluorophenol into the air on January 5, 2002. The exact nature and dangers posed by that chemical release have been hard to pinpoint as it is a relatively unknown compound.

Carpenter said it is still a wait and see situation. "Once we sit down with EPA officials and once we find out if Congress will pass appropriations for the Super Fund, then we will have a more clear picture of how the listing will help us and what we can do for the residents."