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Emory River Paper Mill added to Superfund List

EPA.gov

An abandoned pulp and paper mill on the Emory River near Harriman has been added to the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund National Priorities List (NPL).  A Superfund designation by the EPA means the Clinch River Corporation siteposes a "significant threat to public health" and the EPA now has the right to require the current owner to conduct or pay for clean-up of the site.  An EPA evaluation of the 30.5 acre site claims the site was contaminated with several by-products of the paper manufacturing process, including spent processing liquids (known as "black liquor"), coal tar consitutents and piles of wastepaper.  Soil and surface water tests have revealed the presence of dioxins, PCB's and various metals.  

The mill opened in 1929 and closed in 2002.