vvEPA
This Update Will Tell You
About
• The completed Feasibility Study
• U.S. EPA's National
Remedy Review Board
• The upcoming schedule for the
site
• How you can get more
information
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Public Affairs
Regions
77 W.Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, Illinois 60604
Illinois, Indiana,
Michigan, Minnesota,
Ohio, Wisconsin
Feasibility Study Completed for
Sheboygan River and Harbor Superfund Site
Sheboygan County, Wisconsin January 1999
Introduction
The United States Environmental Pro-
tection Agency (U.S. EPA) has completed
its review of the Feasibility Study (FS)
for the Sheboygan River and Harbor
Superfund site in Sheboygan County,
Wisconsin. U.S. EPA and Wisconsin De-
partment of Natural Resources (WDNR)
will now develop a proposed plan for
cleaning up contamination in the
Sheboygan River and Harbor. More in-
formation is provided in this fact sheet.
Feasibility Study
The FS describes and evaluates alterna-
tives for addressing polychlorinated bi-
phenyl (PCB) and metal contamination
in Sheboygan River and Harbor sedi-
ment. The alternatives developed in the
FS are based on the results of the Reme-
dial Investigation, which describes the
nature and extent of contamination in
the Sheboygan River and Harbor. The
FS evaluates the alternatives against cri-
teria such as cost, effectiveness, and ease
of implementation. In addition, the FS
develops several site-specific cleanup
goals for contaminants of concern. Fi-
nally, the FS assesses human health and
ecological risk associated with each al-
ternative.
The first draft of the FS was completed
by Tecumseh Products Company in Sep-
tember 1997. Tecumseh Products incor-
porated U.S. EPA and WDNR comments
on the first draft and resubmitted the
current version of the FS in April 1998.
U.S. EPA will use the information in the
FS, along with information developed
by U.S. EPA, to develop a plan for clean-
ing up the contamination in the river
and harbor. Cleaning up the Sheboygan
River, like other contaminated rivers, pre-
sents special challenges because the flow-
ing water moves contaminated sediment.
National Remedy Review Board
In 1995, U.S. EPA implemented the Na-
tional Remedy Review Board to promote
cost-effective Superfund cleanup deci-
sions. The Board reviews the proposed
cleanup plans for high-cost and high-vis-
ibility Superfund sites to ensure the
cleanup plans are consistent with current
laws, regulations, and guidance.
The Board is scheduled to review the
"remedy package" for the Sheboygan
River and Harbor and meet with U.S.
EPA project staff in March. The remedy
package consists of a summary of investi-
gation results and site risks, a description
of the alternatives developed in the FS,
and a summary of state and community
input. During the review, Board mem-
bers ask questions of U.S. EPA project
staff about various components of the
package. The Board typically is inter-
ested in issues such as:
• Will the cleanup strategy be effec-
tive?
• What are the positions of the state,
local communities, and the parties
responsible for the cleanup?
• Are the cleanup goals appropriate
and attainable?
• Are the cost estimates reasonable?
• Is this cleanup plan consistent with
other U.S. EPA cleanup plans?
• Have other similar cleanup plans
been evaluated?
U.S. EPA staff familiar with the Sheboygan
River and Harbor Superfund site are in-
volved in the review to ensure that the
Board fully understands the circum-
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stances that led to the proposed site rem-
edy. The companies determined respon-
sible for the contamination and the Lake
Michigan Federation, which has its own
consultant via a U.S. EPA Technical Assis-
tance Grant, may also review the remedy
package and respond to the Board prior
to the meeting. Although the Board's
review meeting is not open to the public,
the Board's input lays the groundwork
for the actual proposed plan to be final-
ized this Spring. The proposed plan will
be made available to the public.
Because the nature and extent of contami-
nation varies in different parts of the river,
the proposed cleanup plan will have five
components. There will be a cleanup plan
for the: 1) Upper River Sediment; 2)
Middle River Sediment; 3) Lower River
and Harbor Sediment; 4) Floodplain Soil
adjacent to the river; and 5) Ground wa-
ter.
Upcoming Schedule
Remedy Review Board Meeting
Winter 1999
Proposed Cleanup Plan
Spring 1999
Public Comment Period
Spring 1999
Public Meeting on Proposed Plan
Spring 1999
Record of Decision
Summer 1999
For Additional Information
Anyone interested in reviewing the FS or learning more about the Sheboygan
River and Harbor Superfund site is encouraged to review site-related documents
available at the information repositories:
Mead Public Library
710 North 8th Street
Sheboygan, WI
Sheboygan City Hall
828 Center Avenue, 2nd Floor
Sheboygan, WI
In addition, the following U.S. EPA representatives may be contacted for more
information about the Sheboygan River and Harbor site:
Susan Pastor, P-19J
Community Involvement
Coordinator
(312)353-1325
pastor.susan@epa.gov
Tom Short, SR-6J
Remedial Project
Manager
(312)353-8826
U.S. EPA Region 5
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60604
Toll Free: 1-800-621-84 31
short.thomas@epa.gov http://www.epa.gov/region5
EPA
Official Business, Penalty for
Private Use S300
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region 5
Office of Public Affairs (P-19J)
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, Illinois 60604
FIRST CLASS
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
Sheboygan River and Harbor Update
This fact sheet is printed on paper made of recycled fibers.
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