The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, July 9, 1994                 TAG: 9407090211
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE                    LENGTH: Short :   31 lines

EPA ORDERS TWO COMPANIES TO CLEAN UP ALBEMARLE SITE

The Environmental Protection Agency says two chemical companies must pay up to $25 million to clean up a contaminated site or the EPA will do it and bill them for the work.

The Greenwood Chemical Co. manufacturing site in Albemarle County has been on the federal government's Superfund list of toxic sites requiring cleanup since July 1987.

The two companies, Greenwood Chemical and High Point Chemical Co. of High Point, N.C., both operated at the site. It was shut down in April 1985 after four workers died in a fire that destroyed one of the buildings.

Since 1987, the EPA has spent nearly $10 million to tear down buildings, remove toxic materials and design a system to extract and treat contaminated ground water.

The EPA now wants the two companies to dig up contaminated soil. The project could cost from $13 million to $25 million, said Amy Barnett, an EPA spokeswoman.

KEYWORDS: POLLUTION ENVIRONMENT SUPERFUND by CNB