U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began a 30-day public comment period on its proposed cleanup plan for the former Baker Woods Creosoting facility portion of the Little Scioto Superfund site in Marion County, Ohio. EPA will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, July 28, to discuss the proposal and accept comments.
The former BWC facility was a lumber preserver from the 1890s until the 1960s that used poor disposal practices that contaminated groundwater, sediment, and soil in the area with arsenic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, or PAH, chemicals. PAHs are a group of chemicals that are formed during the incomplete burning of coal, oil and gas, garbage, or other organic substances. The contaminated groundwater is not affecting municipal water supplies, and the municipal water is monitored to ensure the drinking water supply is safe.
The proposed cleanup plan will include:
Installation of groundwater monitoring wells
Removal and disposal of contaminated soil
Adding substances to treat and destroy subsurface soil contamination
Injection of microorganisms, nutrients, and other additives into groundwater to enhance natural processes and treat groundwater contamination
EPA’s comment period on the plan is open from July 11 to August 10. Comments may be submitted via:
EPA’s website
Comment form available inside EPA’s fact sheet
Written comments postmarked by August 10 to: Adrian Palomeque, community involvement coordinator, U.S. EPA Region 5 (RE-19J) 77 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604
Or attend the virtual meeting and make a comment
To join the virtual public meeting:
When: Thursday, July 28
Time: 6 p.m.
To join: A Zoom link to the meeting and dial-in instructions will be posted at EPA website the day of the meeting.
To learn more, visit the Little Scioto River Superfund website.
Original source can be found here.
