$2.65 EPA Grant to Help Revitalize Chiquola Mill Site
Anderson Observer Reports
A new project to cleanup and revitalize the Historic Chiquola Mill site in Honea Path will kick off Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at the mill site.
“Tomorrow’s announcement is the culmination of 20-plus years of hard work and the fact that Mr. Burns and others never gave up on this project,” said Anderson County Councilwoman Cindy Wilson, who serves the district which includes the property. “I want to thank all who had a part. This will give new life to this area.”
Honea Path has been awarded a $2.65 million grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency for environmental remediation and cleanup efforts at the mill site, made possible by the Federal government’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021. Honea Path is one of only 35 cleanup grant recipients in the southeast, and the grant amount awarded to the project is the fourth highest in the region.
S.C. Sen. Mike Gambrell, R-Anderson and S.C. Rep. Jay West, R-Anderson, secured an additional $1 million redevelopment site grant from the State of South Carolina to be used at the site. Anderson County will serve as a project partner and is providing technical support and other resources toward the redevelopment effort.
“This is a monumental day for our Town and our community,” said Honea Path Mayor Christopher Burton. “Almost all of our residents have ties to the Chiquola Mill, and we are committed to helping the site become something that will help Honea Path usher in a new era of prosperity.”
According to Stantec, the site’s environmental consulting firm, cleanup activities will include removing approximately 10,750 tons of asbestos-containing materials found in debris piles and the remnants of onsite structures. It will also include removing approximately 6,500 cubic yards of contaminated soil. In the area of soil removal, a demarcation barrier will be installed, and the area will be backfilled to grade with 1-1.5 feet of clay and 0.5-1 foot of topsoil.
“Small towns like Honea Path are the backbone of South Carolina, and promoting revitalization efforts in these areas makes for a more prosperous community for us all,” said West. “I am proud to have been part of this effort and can’t wait to see what the future brings!”
“Renewal of the Chiquola site has been a top priority here since the day the mill closed its doors for good, and now the time has come when we can finally celebrate what the future holds in store,” said Gambrell.
Chiquola Manufacturing (later Springs Industries) developed a textile mill on the property in the early 1900s. Its operations included spinning, carding, and weaving. It remained the town’s largest employer until its closure in 2003, and it provided work for thousands in this region over several generations. As such, the site has always been an integral part of Honea Path’s geography and character. Local, state, and community leaders have pledged to work together to ensure that redevelopment efforts will serve the greater good in much the same way as the Chiquola Mill did in its lifetime.
