The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently began a 30-day public comment period concerning its plans for the cleanup of Illinois’ Sandoval Zinc Company superfund site, the Village of Sandoval and surrounding areas.
The proposed effort aims to address contaminated soil at the former smelter location, which operated for 85 years until the company’s bankruptcy in 1985, a Jan. 3 EPA press release said.
“Contaminated smelting wastes were used to make roads and fill low areas at the property,” the release said. “The company also offered excess material to the public and the Village of Sandoval as fill which was used at residential and non-residential properties as well as village roadways.”
Cleanup would include the excavation and removal of contaminated material throughout the site and village, the release said. Groundwater will then be monitored long-term to ensure safety.
The period for public comments began on Jan. 3 and will continue until Feb. 2, the release said.
“EPA will make its plan final only after reviewing all comments submitted during the public comment period,” the release said. “The proposed cleanup plan may be modified based on new information or public comments, so your opinion is important.”
The public can submit comments by emailing leon.heriberto@epa.gov; mailing Heriberto Leon, Community Involvement Coordinator, U.S. EPA Region 5, 77 W. Jackson Blvd. (RE-19J), Chicago, IL 60604; visiting www.epa.gov/superfund/sandoval-zinc and clicking on the public comment form link; or by calling 312-886-6662 and leave a voice comment, the release said.
Those who need special accommodation can submit a comment by contacting Community Coordinator Heriberto Leon at 312-886-6163 or lepon.heriberto@epa.gov, the release said.
