G&H Ventures Crew Halfway Through EARTH Site Cleanup

EARTH from page 2

“The Talladega Board of Education owns the property, and the funds used to pay for this part of the project came from PSCA dollars,” Coleman said. “When the cleanup is finished, we will start the remediation process and work with an environmental engineer to lead that process.”

An environmental report showed some contamination at the site, but nothing beyond what was expected.

“One of the contaminants present was arsenic, which is a naturally occurring element,” said Coleman. “The report noted that the presence of arsenic might be naturally occurring, due to the site’s proximity to bedrock.”

Coleman said the biggest challenge the contractor and design team face is the unknown.

“This site was in a state where we could only use educated judgment on what lay beneath the rubble. The current work is debris cleanup. This site contained inert and non-inert material. The plan for the non-inert material is to take it to a certified landfill for disposal. The plan for the inert material is to crush and store it on site to be used at a later time in the development of EARTH, or to be used for other community projects around the region.”

Crews are about halfway through the designated timeframe for the cleanup. Most of the structures were in a state of disrepair to begin with and are being demolished with a hydraulic shear.

The design team estimates a total of 13,516 cu. yds. of inert material and 7,602 of non-inert material being moved as part of the project, which has already won the support of the community.

“A major milestone was the day the main structure came down,” said Coleman. “It was an eyesore, and it’s now down and ready to be repurposed.”

While workers must keep an eye on the forecast at all times, wet conditions have been beneficial at times.

“Rain can actually help keep the dust down when the contractor is screening and crushing, so it has not affected progress,” said Coleman, who added this scope of work ends at grade level.

“We have asked this contractor to get surface level and up, and we will address what’s beneath the grade in future development projects.”

Heavy equipment on site includes a crusher, hydraulic shear, screener and various earthmoving equipment, both large and small.

The hours can be long and the work tedious, but Coleman is proud to be part of a dedicated group of individuals com- mitted to carrying out the overall vision.

“It’s very rewarding to be involved with such a wonderful team. The project will have a lasting impact on this region for many years.”

Morton added, “EARTH is a vehicle to cataclysmically transform not only the blighted textile mill property where EARTH will reside, but the region’s economic future for years to come.”  CEG