United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
For more information
You can view documents related to
the Tittabawassee River, Saginaw
River & Bay Contamination Site in
information repositories set up by
EPA and MDEQ. The repositories
are located in the Grace A. Dow
Memorial Library, 1710 W. St.
Andrews St., Midland; the Hoyt
Main Library, 505 Janes Ave.,
Saginaw; and the Alice and Jack
Wirt Public Library, 500 Center
Ave., Bay City.
Information office
On June 23, EPA will open a
community information office in
the Saginaw County Courthouse,
111 S. Michigan Ave., Saginaw.
Initial hours will be Tuesday
through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
(closed from noon to 1 p.m.). Check
the Web site for more information.
Go on the Web
EPA dioxin investigation:
http://www.epa.gov/region5/sites/
dowchemical
MDEQ dioxin information:
http://www.michigan.gov/deqdioxin
Sign up for the listserv
If you'd like to be emailed site
updates, send a blank message to:
dow_dioxin-subscribe@lists.epa.gov
Contacts
These EPA community involvement
coordinators can answer questions:
Patricia Krause
312-886-9506
krause.patricia@epa.gov
Don de Blasio
312-886-4360
deblasio.don@epa.gov
Region 5 toll free:
800-621-8431, 9:30 a.m. - 5:30
p.m., weekdays
At MDEQ contact:
Cheryl Howe
517-373-9881
howec@michigan.gov
Timeline for Achieving
Comprehensive Cleanup
Tittabawassee River, Saginaw River & Bay Contamination Site
Midland/Saginaw/Bay City Region, Michigan June 2009
The overarching goal for this project is to achieve protective, comprehensive
cleanup of the Tittabawassee and Saginaw Rivers and Saginaw Bay. In order to
achieve this goal, EPA intends to build on the existing information, as well as prior
and ongoing work conducted by EPA and Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality. Critical activities for the site fall into three categories:
• Continue addressing high-use properties along the rivers through early
actions.
• Continue addressing movement of highly contaminated sediments
through early actions.
• Develop comprehensive cleanup options in an upstream-to-downstream
fashion for the Tittabawassee River, Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay, over
the longer term.
The key milestones and the projected completion dates for these critical activities
at the site are outlined below. Many tasks will be conducted concurrently, so that
significant work can be accomplished on an accelerated schedule.
Addressing High Use Properties along the Rivers
Potential exposure of people to highly contaminated, heavily used properties along
the floodplains is a concern. This concern has resulted in some areas that have
already been addressed through time-critical removal actions (Riverside Blvd.,
West Michigan Park). Under any new order, exposures on high-use properties will
continue to be evaluated and addressed on an accelerated schedule. Key milestones
include:
• Assessing high-use properties for potential exposure risks: in phases from
winter 2009/2010 through spring 2011.
• Additional time-critical removal actions: conducted as appropriate.
• Seek public input on cleanup options for identified high-use properties: in
phases from fall 2010 through fall 2011.
• EPA's selection of cleanup approaches: in phases from winter 2010/2011
through winter 2011/2012.
• Selected cleanups designed and ready to implement: in phases from fall
2011 through fall 2012.
Addressing Movement of Highly Contaminated Banks and
Sediments
Potential movement of highly contaminated sediments and river banks to other
areas of the site is also a concern. This concern resulted in some areas being
addressed through time-critical removal actions (Reach D, Reach J/K, Reach 0
and Wickes Park). Under the new agreement, addressing the movement of highly
contaminated banks and sediments will continue to be assessed and addressed on
an accelerated schedule. Key milestones include:
• Assessing highly contaminated banks and sediments for potential
movement: in phases from winter 2009/2010 through spring 2011.
• Additional time-critical removal actions: conducted as appropriate.
• Cleanup options to address bank and sediment movement identified for
public input: in phases from fall 2010 through fall 2011.
-------
• EPA's selection of cleanup approaches: in phases
from winter 2010/2011 through winter 2011/2012.
• Selected cleanups designed and ready to implement:
in phases from fall 2011 through fall 2012.
Comprehensive Cleanup Options in an
Upstream-To-Downstream Fashion
Longer-term, comprehensive cleanup of the site will be
achieved best by applying an approach that requires making
cleanup decisions, implementing cleanups, and monitoring
results. This type of approach requires the river system
to be divided into manageable segments, and requires
cleanup to occur in an upstream-to-downstream fashion
while ensuring that all components of each segment (e.g.,
floodplains, banks, and in-channel sediments) are addressed.
Monitoring results will be critical for evaluating the
effectiveness of implemented remedies, ensuring protection
of human health and the environment is achieved, and
guiding the development of cleanup options as cleanup
moves from upstream to downstream.
Key milestones include:
• Assessment of the first river segment: fall 2009
through fall 2010.
• Cleanup options for the first river segment
identified for public input: spring 2011.
• EPA's selection of cleanup approach for the first
river segment: summer 2011.
• Selected cleanup for the first river segment
designed and ready to implement fall 2012.
• Assessment of the second river segment: summer of
2011 but no later than summer of 2012.
• Cleanup options for the second river segment
identified for public input: winter 2011/2012 but no
later than winter 2012/2013.
• EPA's selection of cleanup approach for the second
river segment: spring 2012 but no later than spring
2013.
• Selected cleanup for the second river segment
designed and ready to implement: fall 2013 but no
later than fall 2014.
EPA anticipates that there will be a total of 5 to 7 segments
in the Tittabawassee and Upper Saginaw River (an
approximate 30 mile stretch overall). Each segment will
likely be 4-5 miles long and will be divided based on land
usage and other considerations. EPA also expects work to
be staged to allow continuous construction upstream to
downstream. The Lower Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay
are expected to require additional studies. However, because
this part of the site is expected to be affected by cleanup
upstream, work in the Lower Saginaw River and Bay
would be initiated after substantial upstream cleanup has
occurred. Site-wide monitoring will begin in 2010, continue
during all phases of work, and will be used to assess
conditions throughout the site as work progresses.
Enforceable
Agreements
2007
2008
2009 1 2010
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2011
2012
2013
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agreement is completes
2014
2015
e settlement
1 by November 20(
2016
19
2017
2018
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