Emlenton remediation project could bring recreation and retail site to the community
Just north of the Butler County line in Emlenton, a $1 million remediation project is underway with intentions to bring a 53-acre recreation and retail site to the community, according to John Phillips II, president and CEO of Oil Region Alliance.
The project will take place at the former Fuchs Lubricants industrial property and the former Quaker State site, located at 1001 Hill Street and 105 Eighth Street in Emlenton, Venango County, respectively.
However, before any real changes can be made to the site, it must first be made suitable for use.
“Of course, we are not going to get rid of the ground, we are going to fix the ground,” Phillips said. “The way it works is you use dollars to assess the damage that has been done to a site, and you analyze the data and put and remediation plan together. Then, you get funding to enact that plan.”
Fuchs used to call part of the site home, manufacturing different types of lubricants Phillips said, which contaminated the ground with petrochemicals and heavy metals, such as graphite.
Phillips said there is no threat to the citizens of Emlenton, but the corrective action that needs to take place will ensure the ground water at the site doesn’t impact Allegheny River wildlife.
“Luckily, what we found is there are no pathways that we've detected to anything getting in the river,” Phillips said.
He said the Oil Region Alliance, an organization that aims to promote the region's historic, tourism, community and economic development interests, recently received a $750,000 grant through state Department of Community and Economic Development’s Industrial Sites Reuse Program to proceed with its remediation process.
A $250,000 match was required to secure the grant, Phillips said.
“Then, once you fix the site is how are you going to make it a benefit to the community,” Phillips said. “This site is downtown and the end of a retail district and close to residential.”
According to the Department of Community and Economic Development, the ultimate goal is to utilize the site, which includes 700 feet of river front, for recreation such as nature trails, boat ramps and outdoor event spaces.
In addition, there is a goal to bring 50 new jobs to the community through hospitality endorsers such as restaurants, but, according to Phillips, nothing is set in stone.
“That is all on the table,” Phillips said. “We would have to work with a developer to do that. You have to fix everything first, then find out what you are allowed to do.”
Phillips said work on the remediation process will begin in this spring, but some work could begin sooner depending on how winter weather shapes up.
The $1 million will cover only the cost of remediation, Phillips said.
The last piece to the project for the Oil Region Alliance is to purchase 50-acres at the former Quaker State site, which borders the Fuchs site.
Phillips said he is confident the purchase of that property will go through, thus making the site 53-acres in total once they are combined. No remediation will need done to the Quaker State site.
Phillips said he is thankful for the help that the Department of Community and Economic Development has done for them.
“We are really appreciative of them as our partners in many of our projects,” Phillips said, “as well as our partners at the Environmental Protection Agency.”
