Work is moving forward on a waste transfer station off U.S. 40 in the St. Clairsville area. Officials say the historic residence on the site may be preserved. T-L Photo/ROBERT A. DEFRANK

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Work is moving forward on the construction of a waste transfer station and authorities are keeping abreast of the project.

Richard Hord of Martins Ferry visited the Belmont County Board of Commissioners Wednesday and asked for an update on the construction project off US 40 near the Ebbert Farm property.

“It seems like there’s a lot of work that’s taking place there and a lot of dirt that’s being moved,” he said.

Commissioner J.P. Dutton knew of the project.

“That site you’re referring to where the dirt work is occurring is owned by the Kimble Companies. It’s going to be a transfer station for their operations,” he said.

Commissioner Jerry Echemann, who serves on the board of the Jefferson Belmont Regional Solid Waste Authority, commonly referred to as “JB Green Team,” said the matter had come before them recently.

“The JB Green Team has approved their site plan. I personally didn’t vote for it,” he said. “I thought that was a bad spot for a trash transfer station. You’ve got Mehlman’s (Cafeteria) close by and you’ve got a lot of traffic in that area too, and if you’ve ever tried to take a left coming out of the Board of Elections (off US 40), it’s pretty challenging.

“But … they’ve been approved as far as JB Green goes,” he continued. “The smaller garbage trucks that you see on the street will go there and dump their trash there. It’s not a landfill or anything like that. It’ll be taken away or transferred to a landfill.”

Echemann said the Kimble company has a reputation as a responsible business.

“We hope that there won’t be any problems there,” he said. “My only objection on behalf of the board was where it is. As a business, they would be right off the interstate and I can understand this from a businessman’s point of view, but I’d rather have seen it a mile or so out.”

Echemann said he believes Kimble is planning to preserve the historic house located on the property.

Dutton said precautions are being taken.

“They do plan to invest a lot in the property, and it’s a contained situation where it’s all enclosed. They have made some assurances,” Dutton said.

Anita L Petrella, executive director of the JBRSWA, emailed a statement.

“Ohio EPA approved the construction permit for the Kimble Transfer Station in December 2021. The Jefferson Belmont Regional Solid Waste Authority reviewed the plans for the transfer station and in February 2023 determined the facility complies with JBRSWA’s solid waste management plan. The Kimble Company collected 150,600 tons of solid waste in Jefferson County and Belmont County in 2022. Part of this tonnage will be redirected to the transfer facility which is more efficient than hauling it to solid waste facilities located outside JBRSWA. JBRSWA has not been in contact with Kimble since its review of the transfer facility in February.”

The Ohio EPA was contacted but did not provide further plans by the end of the business day Friday.

Kimble could not be reached for comment.