Smithfield Times Staff Writer
State and local officials are looking at innovative, creative uses for the soon to be unused International Paper mill.
Attracting an energy company to take over at the nearly 600-acre industrial campus and getting displaced mill workers employed to remediate the site’s infrastructure may be the key to offsetting the predicted damage when International Paper shuts down operations, said Isle of Wight County Director of Economic Development Lisa Perry at the annual State of the County breakfast last week.
“We’re trying to think in an innovative, creative way. That’s going to be our best opportunity,” Perry said in a later phone interview.
IP officials are willing to work with the affected localities to find a new occupant for the plant site, as long as it will no longer produce paper.
Perry said “a few” electric power generation companies have already expressed interest in the site. While only “very preliminary discussions” have taken place, renovating a paper mill to primarily generate electricity makes a lot of sense, she added.
“When you’re talking about large industrial campuses like this, there’s already critical infrastructure on the site that they don’t have to install.”
It’s not to say the transformation would be quick, but that’s where the displaced employees may come into play, Perry said.
“Redevelopment of the International Paper site will take years. Extensive environmental remediation will be necessary.”
She said that 13 state and federal grants have been identified which could potentially help pay for the task.
Former paper mill workers could be put to work on the project, learning valuable new job skills and earning a salary commensurate with what they made working for IP.
“The idea is to use the employees themselves as part of the solution to bring back the plant site.”
Read the entire story in the November 18 issue of the Smithfield Times. Papers can be purchased at newstands, or subscribe by calling 357-3288 or online at www.smithfieldtimes.com
