EPA to begin general property inspections

The Environmental Protection Agency is beginning what could be the last active season for property inspections within the Libby Superfund site.

The agency’s on-site project manager, Mike Cirian, said there are about 1,500 properties within the National Priority List boundaries that have yet to be inspected, but should all of the property owners allow it, he has the manpower to complete the inspections this year.

“We have the manpower,” Cirian said. “But we already know we have refusals.”

Cirian said property owners have refused inspections for a number of reasons, but hopes the anticipated release of the final remediation plan will encourage more property owners to participate in the active cleanup.

Refusals, Cirian said, fall into three categories. There are some who have flatly refused to allow inspections and requested no further contact. Nothing can be done by the agency in these cases, as permission is required to access properties under the Superfund active clean-up guidelines.

A number of properties are also in deferral status. This occurs when property owners, for whatever reason, ask the agency to come back at a later time. Cirian said property owners have deferred inspection for a variety of personal reasons including weddings, vacations and other family commitments.

Others, Cirian said, deferred until pending the release of the toxicity values and human health risk assessment or the final remediation plan. The toxicity values were released in December 2014, but the final remediation plan isn’t expected until late this year.  

EPA’s project manager, Rebecca Thomas, last month told Lincoln County Commissioners the proposed remediation plan, expected early this month, would be delayed until May or June. Once the proposed plan is released, a public comment period must take place before the plan can be finalized and implemented.

The final group of uninspected properties is classified as no contact. Cirian said the agency has made phone calls, sent mailings and even left door hangers on properties but have been unable to make contact with some property owners.

“We do everything we can to reach property owners. We want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to participate,” Cirian said.

Once permission is given, property inspections can be completed in one day for most properties, Cirian said. Large lots may require additional time and inspection.

The first part of the property inspection involves a survey of the property to determine four primary areas: special use, general use, limited use and unused parts of the property.

Special use areas include gardens, play areas and other parts of the yard frequently used by residents. General use areas are places such as lawns and other areas that are maintained and used occasionally, but not at the same level as gardens or play areas. Limited use and unused areas include forested areas or unused farm and garden areas on the outskirts of properties.

Investigators also go inside homes and look for open sources of potential asbestos contamination. They do not investigate walls or ceilings, unless those areas are exposed.

Cirian said that even though the agency could potentially inspect all of the remaining properties this year, inspections will continue as long as the clean-up is still underway, which could be another three to five years.

“If everyone participates, we can have this done in three to five years,” Cirian said.

Thomas said the agency will put out a last call for property inspections before the active remediation is concluded, giving property owners one last chance to have their properties inspected. Those inspections could result in additional clean-up activity.

“When I started here 10 years ago we did removals in 25 to 30 percent of the properties we inspected,” Cirian said. “Today that estimate is around 7 percent.”

Cirian attributes the drop in required removals to the participation of property owners.

“People knew they had this stuff on their properties,” he said. “They knew it and they asked us to come out and clean it up. Now we’re down to finalizing the clean-up, the majority of the contaminated properties have been addressed.”

Cirian said the general property inspections will begin April 15, with active clean-up operations beginning May 4.