The EPA is taking public comments on their proposed cleanup plan. The plan recommends consolidating the existing contaminated sediment on to 27 acres of the property, capping, and long-term monitoring. This plan will allow for areas outside of the cap to be redeveloped. A full copy of the cleanup plan and other supplemental materials can be found on EPA’s Kalamazoo River Project website, including how to submit your comments for public record. The City of Kalamazoo and many community organizations are in support of this remedy at the former Allied Landfill site. [Download the factsheet]
PCB
EPA releases report on Allied Landfill cleanup options
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently completed and released the Feasibility Study Report for Allied Paper Landfill – Operable Unit 1 as part of the Superfund cleanup process. Located between Alcott and Cork Streets in Kalamazoo, the historic landfill has PCB contamination from the disposal of paper-making residuals at the property.
The Feasibility Study evaluates four different potential cleanup alternatives from “no action” to “total removal and off-site disposal”. The EPA fact sheet provides a brief summary of the different alternatives with approximate cost estimates. You can also read about the nine evaluation criteria EPA will use to select the final alternative to implement at the site.
A full copy of the Feasibility Study Report can be download at http://www.epa.gov/Region5/cleanup/alliedpaper/.
EPA Superfund public meeting, December 4, 2013
EPA recently announced their next public informational meeting for the Allied Paper/Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund Site will take place on Wednesday, December 4, 2013 at 6:30 pm at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in Kalamazoo (map).
According to EPA’s latest fact sheet, the purpose of the meeting is to update the community about the recently completed PCB cleanup at Portage Creek and other locations of the Allied Paper/Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Site. EPA expects to finalize and release the feasibility study for Allied Landfill later this month, although this document will not propose a specific cleanup plan for the site. According to EPA, the proposed cleanup plan will be developed and presented at a subsequent public meeting in 2014. The proposed plan will be open to public comment around the same time period.
Get connected: Allied Paper site clean-up
The community meeting held this past Tuesday has been getting media attention from a number of outlets, including MLive, Fox 17 News, and WMUK radio. A coalition of community members, local business, and nonprofit organizations are concerned with the direction the US EPA is moving toward for the PCB clean up at the former Allied Paper site. You can connect with these community efforts through the Kalamazoo River Cleanup Coalition’s website and facebook page.
Another community meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 9 at 7:00 pm. The meeting is open to the public and anyone interested in getting connected with this issue is encouraged to attend. The meeting will be held at Goodwill Industries, 420 E. Alcott Street, Kalamazoo. Contact Gary Wager of the Kalamazoo River Cleanup Coalition for more information (269-382-0490 ext. 271 or glwager@gmail.com).