PCB

The Kalamazoo City Commission held a special meeting on March 26, 2013 to discuss the US Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed remedy to consolidate and cap soils contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in and around the former Allied Paper site. At this meeting City Commissioners agreed to push the EPA for full clean up of the site, which was one of the remedy alternatives assessed by EPA. This remedy would involve total removal of PCB-contaminated soils at the site with offset disposal in a qualified landfill.

A community meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 2 at 7:00 pm at Goodwill Industries, 420 E. Alcott Street in Kalamazoo. We encourage you to attend this public meeting to learn more about the recent developments at the site and learn about ways you can support the City’s position on PCB clean up.

The Kalamazoo Gazette recently published an article on the special meeting of the City Commission.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is proposing a statewide Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for inland lakes impacted by atmospheric deposition of PCBs. The TMDL is required under Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act. A draft of the TMDL document is available on the DEQ’s Surface Water Assessment Section website.

A meeting will be held to discuss the development of the TMDL, the process, and associated activities in Lansing on Wednesday, February 6 at 1:00pm at the Michigan Library and Historical Center in The Forum (702 W. Kalamazoo St., Lansing, MI). Questions can be directed to Marcy Knoll, Aquatic Biologist with the DEQ Water Resources Division at (517) 335-7360.

EPA held a public meeting on January 9, 2013 to provide updates on their progress in Portage Creek. Copies of the three presentations from the meeting are available on EPA’s Kalamazoo River Project website.

Portage Creek PCB Cleanup

In 2012, EPA completed PCB removal at five sections of Portage and Axtell Creeks as part of a Time-Critical Removal Action. EPA announced that they met their PCB cleanup objectives for all of the sections they worked on in 2012. They dredged sediments from 12 – 70 inches deep, which EPA reported was deeper than expected. In total they removed just over 13,000 cubic yards of sediment.

EPA anticipates cleanup work will begin again in mid-March of 2013. They will continue cleanup efforts in four sections downstream of the 2012 sites. The last site in Portage Creek near the confluence of the Kalamazoo River might not be completed until 2014. Click here to download a copy of the presentation.

Landfills at Operable Units

EPA provided updates on progress at Operable Unit (OU) 1, OU2, and OU4 located within the Superfund Site. The feasibility study for OU1 is being conducted and public comment on the proposed plan is forthcoming. EPA anticipates the Record of Decision in Fall 2013. Remedial actions have taken place at OU2, including consolidation and capping of PCB-laden wastes at Willow Boulevard and A-Site. Groundwater monitoring is ongoing. Remedial actions have taken place at OU4, including consolidation, capping, and venting. A groundwater monitoring system was also installed. Click here to download a copy of the presentation.

Kalamazoo River Project Update

EPA Remedial Project Manager Jim Saric provided an update on several parts of OU5 and OU7. There are many documents that have recently been completed or are anticipated in 2013. Click here to download a copy of the presentation.

• Area 1: Supplemental Remedial Investigation (SRI) June 2012, Feasibility Study October 2012, Proposed Remedy Decision anticipated Winter 2013/14
• Area 2: SRI November 2012, Feasibility Study anticipated Summer 2013
• Area 3: SRI anticipated November 2013
• Area 4: Work Plan November 2012, sampling anticipated 2013-2015
• OU7: Remedial Investigation Report anticipated Spring 2013, Feasibility Study anticipated Spring 2013, Proposed Remedy Decision anticipated Summer 2014

The KRWC has copies of the Area 1 SRI and draft Feasibility Study and Area 2 draft SRI. If you would like to request copies, please contact Jamie McCarthy (269-978-4606).

Last year the EPA oversaw major cleanup work on the Portage Creek, addressing previously unknown hotspots of PCB contamination in the vicinity of Crosstown Parkway. The US EPA estimates that there is more work to be done, likely extending downstream to the confluence with the Kalamazoo River, during 2013 and maybe 2014.

US EPA Region 5 is holding a public meeting on Wednesday, January 9, 2013 to update watershed stakeholders about the Portage Creek PCB Cleanup Project that has been ongoing since September 2011.

US EPA and other government officials will be presenting at 6:30pm at the Radisson Plaza Hotel, 100 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo. For more information, contact Don de Blasio, EPA Region 5 Community Involvement Coordinator (deblasio.don@epa.gov or 1-800-621-8431 ext. 64360). The latest US EPA fact sheet has additional detail about the proceeding.