Gov. Jack Markell, DNREC Secretary David Small and other environmental leaders gathered in Yorklyn Monday to celebrate the first steps toward environmental, economic and community revitalization of the area.
When the NVF paper production plant closed in 2009, it left behind years of environmental damage.
Since then, over $7 million has been spent to remediate the site, including almost $5 million in state funding, about $1.6 million from FEMA and $426,000 from EPA for asbestos removal.
DNREC Secretary David Small says zinc removal has been a major part of the process.
"As this was a paper products facility, zinc was a compound that was used to prepare wood products to get them into a different form as paper product," Small said. "And so a lot of that zinc ended up in the ground and then in groundwater, which is under the site. Some of that was actually under some of the old buildings."
Small says after current work to demolish buildings is complete– contaminated soils will be removed.
The groundwater will be treated to capture the zinc and then released back into the environment.
"Zinc is really not a human health issue," Small said. "We take it as supplements, we take it to help reduce the impacts of the common cold for example, but what happens is when it gets in high concentrations in an aquatic environment it can have a negative impact up and down the food chain. So that’s our concern: making sure those impacts are alleviated."
Additionally, a wetland area is being created to help prevent future flooding.
“In doing that we will also be creating a wetland for the property that will create additional storage for flooding," Small said. "Because that’s been a historic and chronic problem here in the Yorklyn area. When the Red Clay overcomes its banks, the NVF site was very, very vulnerable to those flooding events.”
A total of 12 to 15 acres of wetland is planned.
Small expects remediation work to be complete in the first part of 2017. The entire remediation effort is expected to cost $15-$20 million, not including further community improvements.
At the same time - the Delaware Symphony is working with DNREC to build an amphitheater, and Delaware State Parks is teaming worth the nonprofit Workin’ Bridges to bring restored historic bridges to trails already being built.
Dew Point Brewing Company will open next month, and railbikes will be offered for 8 weeks starting April 21 in partnership with the Wilmington and Western Railroad.
