Chillicothe — The city has communicated more closely with the Ohio EPA about paper mill shutdown ramifications for the Wear-Ever groundwater pollution…but that has also brought up neglected issues with the closed city landfill.
In his briefing to Chillicothe Council, Mayor Luke Feeney covered those topics, as well as street work for Yoctangee Park improvements, in Monday’s council session from September 8th, 2025. (Hear him in his own words in the below video.)
Feeney said local officials had a “good call” with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency recently about the plume of chemicals from the Wear-Ever / Howmet site on Eastern Avenue.
That has been in the news lately because one or two high-capacity water wells for the paper mill has slowed movement of the groundwater pollution – but with the mill shutdown, there are concerns that wells will be turned off and allow the toxic chemicals to migrate further.
Feeney said the Assistant Director of the Ohio EPA was on the call, where they gave a better understanding of the legal positions of the State of Ohio and local governments. He said they asked the EPA: where we are now, and what do we expect next?
Feeney said the EPA was asked to create a FAQ sheet to provide perspective on the situation – the history of the site and procedural postures on it. Hard copies were available at the council session, and can be read or downloaded from the city’s website and Facebook page.
Feeney said the EPA told them they had communicated demands around the current monitoring of the pollution and plans for adjusting monitoring if and when the Pixelle pumping is stopped. He said his main takeaway was that the EPA is confident of the strength of their enforceable order they have against Wear-Ever / Howmet, and that the EPA is “in a good position for a positive outcome in the long run.
Two speakers in the public address portion spoke on the Wear-Ever / Howmet issue…stay tuned for that story and videos.
Response to public concerns about the Wear-Ever pollution has reawakened awareness about the city’s obligations about the closed city landfill on Narrows Road, south of the Ohio National Guard’s “Camp Sherman Joint Training Center” (the new armory).
Feeney said the city has much communication with the Ohio EPA about several sites, and has received a “notice of violation” late last week about the landfill. He said the city had a 30-year obligation with the EPA to monitor the site after it was closed.
But the EPA updates and changes their requirements, and Feeney said in 2020 the city entered into a new agreement with the Ohio EPA. Then around 2021-2022 he said the EPA had new administrative rules, and requested a new city plan in response.
Feeney said the city’s contractor sent the EPA a proposal, which was rejected, but the contractor never sent a modified proposal. The city has not stopped their required monitoring of explosive gasses from the landfill, but Feeney said the EPA wants updated techniques. He said the contractor has redrafted the plan and will send it.
He said there will be up-front cost of new monitoring wells for the different types of monitoring.
Feeney also explained that street work would be starting in conjunction with planned improvements for Yoctangee Park. The project is funded by the Appalachian Community Grant Program.
Milling and paving of Water Street has been done from Western Avenue to Walnut Street, and is planned to continue to Mulberry Street Monday through Wednesday this week (September 15-17).
Feeney mentioned an “outstanding question” on the intersection of Riverside and Mulberry streets, with the cost to put new brick in being about $300K more than replacing the historical brick paving with asphalt.
He said nobody wants to get rid of the old brick, but it is expensive with hand work and new brick. Councilman Jeff Creed addressed the issue more, in my interview with him.
