Chillicothe — Activists gathered in front of old City Hall, and two members spoke to council, on concerns about the Wear-Ever pollution, at the August 25th, 2025 council session. Painted with skull faces, they handed out brochures on “Poisoned Water?” by the new “Buzzards’ Digest,” labeled as “Chillicothe’s Working Class Press.”
The Wear-Ever / Howmet groundwater pollution has gained awareness in recent weeks as the Chillicothe paper mill was being shut down. A high-capacity well that supplied the Pixelle paper mill has redirected a “plume” of industrial chemicals in the groundwater under the Wear-Ever factory that was closed in the 1990s at 1089 Eastern Avenue
Among the activists, Stephanie Renner and Jamie Brown spoke in the public address part of council. Renner said they were in “corpse paint” because of their fears about living near the pollution, and felt that a sense of urgency about addressing the problem has decreased.
Jamie Brown gave a long explanation on how the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision about the “Chevron Doctrine” (or “Chevron Deference”) affects a situation like this. He said the U.S. Congress used to rely on experts in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set policy, instead of members of Congress having to become experts on each issue and make law.
However, the policy was overturned in June of 2024, and Brown explained that Congress must now legislate their policies on pollution. He said it will clog up legislation, and that big companies now lack restraint: “Corporations do not have an incentive through that regulatory process any more.”
He said council needs to use their governmental power and “bully pulpit” to wear out Howmet and H.I.G. and force them to do the right thing for the community.
Hear their addresses in council’s video on YouTube, from 39:40 to 47:20. (The audio is clear, but YouTube does offer close captioning.) “Chillicothe City Trackers” (Facebook page) usually hosts an alternate video record from council sessions, but does not have that this time.
“Buzzards’ Digest” has a Facebook page and Substack account.
Most of the participants have been activists opposed to council’s Anti-Camping Ordinance / Chapter 555 regarding homeless camps on city property earlier this year.
Some also spoke in the August 11th council session.
Mayor Luke Feeney spoke on the topic before the public session. Hear from him in a related story.
Learn more in two stories derived from news releases, among several stories on the topic on the Scioto Post: “Pixelle Closure Raises Serious Toxic Exposure That the Company Indirectly Holds at Bay from Former Wear-Ever Plant in Chillicothe” and “Howmet Responds to Ohio EPA Concerns Over Chemical Plume at Former Chillicothe Industrial Site.”
Regarding the groundwater pollution, there appears to be confusion between the “Water Treatment Plant,” where city water comes from wells in Yoctangee Park – and the “Wastewater Treatment Plant,” the sewer plant at the end of Renick Avenue, south of the east end of Main Street.
The Wear-Event groundwater plume is partly under the sewer plant, but about two miles away from the water wells. Mayor Feeney has said that the Wastewater Treatment Plant does not draw groundwater to process sewage.
Learn more in my upcoming story about a tour of the Water Treatment Plant.
