Shenandoah River downstream from

Shenandoah River downstream from the plant. The state Health Department issued an advisory warning fishermen against eating fish taken from the river.

Meanwhile, the company announced a reorganization and shutdown of some of its production lines, cutting more than 600 employees from its workforce and leaving the carbonized rayon product as its sole remaining contract.

In August, Attorney General Mary Sue Terry and the State Water Control Board took Avtex to court, asking that its water-discharge permit be revoked due to alleged continuing discharges of PCBs. With millions of dollars in fines for past violations still pending, Ms. Terry also requested that the company be forced to use its remaining assets to clean up the site rather than continue production.

Richmond Circuit Court Judge T.J. Markowr granted the company several continuances, but by early November there were indications that the judge intended to grant the state’s request for an injunction against the plant’s continued operation, and on Nov. 9 the Water Control Board revoked its discharge permit.

The next afternoon, company president John Gregg faxed the Attorney General a letter notifying her of his intent to shut down the plant, and shortly thereafter employees shut off power to the 60-acre plant site.

With volatile chemicals stored on the site, emergency officials spent an anxious weekend until the situation was stabilized, but by the end of the month, clean-up operations were underway. Ms. Terry also received permission to secure the plant after reports surfaced that company officials were removing rayon product, computers and other equipment from the site.

It appears that the plant will never reopen, and the Pentagon is now certifying another company as a supplier of the carbonized rayon yam used in its rocket nozzles.

Statehouse sweep

Lt: Gov. L. Douglas Wilder