PITTSBURGH – The Department of Environmental Protection today received notice from Wal-Mart that it will not develop the Kilbuck Township construction site along Ohio River Boulevard where a landslide occurred last September and that Wal-Mart expects to submit a revised stabilization plan which addresses many of the concerns raised by DEP.
“Stabilizing the Kilbuck site in a timely fashion has been the department’s singular focus and priority,” said Kenneth Bowman, DEP regional director. “We’re happy to see that Wal-Mart has chosen to put the safety of the community first, and we look forward to receiving the company’s revised stabilization plan.”
DEP will continue to monitor the data Wal-Mart gathers on ground movement and groundwater levels.
DEP found Wal-Mart’s initial stabilization plan to be incomplete on Aug. 21 and requested additional information. At that time, the department also issued a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to Wal-Mart, allowing the company to create a disposal area on an adjacent property known as “Area 6” that is accessible by an on-site haul road. Removing earth from the site’s western slope to Area 6 would reduce downward pressure on the slide area.
Wal-Mart assumed full control of the development site in March of 2007.
A landslide in September 2006 dumped as much as 300,000 cubic yards of earth from the hillside where developers were working preparing for a retail shopping center. The landslide forced the closure of Ohio River Boulevard (Route 65) to traffic for approximately two weeks, and affected three Norfolk Southern train tracks. One lane of state Route 65 remains closed.