ABERDEEN, Washington — Federal regulators will force the removal of toxic, highly corrosive chemicals from a defunct and leaking pulp mill along the Chehalis River, officials confirmed this week. Richard Bassett, the U.K. businessman who owns Cosmo Specialty Fibers, must start removing vast quantities of these chemicals from the site this month or the Environmental Protection Agency will step in and take over. The mill has been leaking hazardous chemicals for years now, Bassett defiant in the face of fines and demands from environmental regulators. …The long-struggling pulp and paper industry had dipped from the public and regulatory spotlight for years. But after the chemical tank ruptured at a Longview mill, people in and outside of the industry have demanded accountability. …The decision might kill any hopes of reviving the facility, which once made up the backbone of its hometown, Cosmopolis, in Grays Harbor County. [to access the full story a Seattle Times subscription is required]