EPA nixes suggestion of interim RODs
Environmental Protection Agency officials presented a preview at Monday’s meeting of what will likely show up in the agency’s formal response to public comments on the proposed cleanup plans for the former export plant and screening plant.
The EPA plans to move forward on Records of Decision this spring for the two sites and will likely not take the Lincoln County/City of Libby Health Board’s suggestion of implementing interim RODs until better science becomes available.
“We do not think the interim ROD is the way to go, that it has any advantages over the final ROD,” said Bill Murray, Superfund program director. “We feel like the risk data tells us that we’ve met the criteria for doing a remedial action.”
Victor Ketellapper, Libby team leader, announced that EPA would use chrysotile asbestos toxicity data in pursuing RODs for the mill sites, as well as for the former Stimson Lumber parcel, which is scheduled to have a ROD by early 2011. Libby amphibole, the unique asbestos fiber contaminating the area, is considered by some to be more toxic than chrysotile, though EPA’s studies concerning LA toxicity levels have not yet been completed.
Ketellapper said that the forthcoming results of LA studies would be incorporated into future RODs and also used to make sure the earlier RODs were effective.
“The Records of Decisions beyond that would be based on Libby-specific toxicity values,” Ketellapper said. “This would also give us a chance with the Records of Decision that were done before that – once that data becomes available we can look at those decisions and make sure that the remedy we implemented was protective.”
Rebecca Thomas, EPA’s project manager of the two sites, said that the 19 comments from individuals and groups were mostly about the risk assessment and public health, as well as some concerns about future institutional controls and designing a cleanup consistent with the former export plant’s future use.
To address concerns about the effectiveness of RODs that aren’t incorporating final toxicity values for LA, Thomas said that the EPA could perform a Public Health Evaluation of Remedial Alternatives, or PHERA, to show that the remedies are protective.
“Immediately upon construction completion, we’ll perform a post-construction risk assessment to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the remedies we implement,” Thomas said. “That’s one idea that we’re tossing around right now to try to be responsive to some of the comments we received concerning risk on these operable units.”
Thomas also said that the EPA would continue to work with the city through the process to ensure that the city-owned former export plant is cleaned in a way that is consistent with future plans for the site.
In other news at Monday’s meeting:
• Ketellapper said that the EPA is considering turning an interim storage area for contaminated soil, known as the “amphitheater,” into the soil’s permanent resting spot. The area is about two miles up the road that leads from Highway 37 to the former vermiculite mine.
• Activity-based sampling will be conducted at the former vermiculite mine site this summer to determine potential risks to firefighters and those using the forest for recreation.
• The EPA plans to compile data up through the end of 2009 to create preliminary remedial investigations for Libby (Operable Unit 4) and Troy (Operable Unit 7) this spring. The advantage, according to Ketellapper, is that all of the information for an OU would be in one document available to the public.
• Inspections and removal activities will continue in Troy properties throughout 2010.