FOX RIVER
Fall 2007 Vol. 10, No. 3
Update from the Lower Fox River Intergovernmental Partnership
EPA, DNR Prepare to Revise Little Lake Butte des Morts Cleanup Plan
By Susan Pastor, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
With the amended cleanup plan for the Lower Fox
River from Appleton to Green Bay behind them, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and Wisconsin De-
partment of Natural Resources are looking at a similar
plan for Little Lake Butte des Morts.
Although about 70 percent of the PCBs in the lake
will have been removed under the original cleanup
plan by November, the agencies are considering cap-
ping and less dredging in areas where contamination
is above their cutoff of 1 part per million. Sediment
with PCB levels under 1 ppm is considered to be safe
and can be left behind.
According to EPA Remedial Project Manager Jim
Hahnenberg, the new plan would meet the cleanup
goal of an average of .25 ppm. "We want to remove,
contain or cover sediment with PCBs over 1 ppm," he
said. "The overall average left in the top, or surface,
layer of sediment would be .25 ppm."
Hahnenberg added that next year, lower levels of
PCBs would be removed in deeper areas. "This usu-
ally results in the removal of clean sediment that is
picked up along the way," he stated.
If a new plan is approved for the lake, many aspects
of the original plan finalized in 2002 will be included.
"We will still have people monitoring the cleanup and
dredging will remain an important part," Hahnenberg
said.
There was a "contingency plan" in the original clean-
up document that allowed for the use of capping, he
added. The new plan, if adopted, would use a sand
cover technology similar to the one for the downriver
cleanup.
Before EPA and DNR approve a revised lake cleanup
plan, they would sponsor another 60-day comment
period this fall and a public meeting would most
likely be held in the Appleton area. All documents
in their final form would be sent to the information
repositories listed on page 7 and would be posted
online.
WTMI and Glatfelter, the companies responsible
for the ongoing lake cleanup, would be required to
continue their work next year using the modified plan
under a new legal agreement which would be entered
in federal court.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BOLDT TEAM
A sand spreader similar to this might be used at Little Lake Butte
des Morts if the lake's cleanup plan is revised.
-------
Fall 2007
FOX RIVER CURRENT
Downriver Cleanup Hits 'Hot Spot'
By Susan Pastor, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
"They are really hitting the hot spot." That is how
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Project Man-
ager Jim Hahnenberg described the cleanup of the
most contaminated part of the Lower Fox River.
Since May, EPA and Wisconsin Department of Natu-
ral Resources have been overseeing dredging just be-
low the DePere Dam. The work, which is being done
by NCR Corp. and Sonoco-U.S. Mills (formerly U.S.
Paper Mills) through a 2006 legal agreement with the
agencies, will include dredging about 140,000 cubic
yards of sediment (mud) contaminated with PCBs and
installing a sand cover at least six inches thick over
the areas after they have been dredged because some
PCB contamination will remain.
A piece of equipment called a sand spreader has been
used since late August to cover the dredged areas of
the river. Dredging is divided into "rows," according
to Hahnenberg. Once a row is dredged, sand covering
can start while dredging continues in the next row.
Each row of clean and to-be-cleaned sediment is
separated by a fabric barrier called a silt curtain. This
commonly used technology will prevent "cross con-
tamination." "A silt curtain has been installed around
the entire project to define the work zone," Hahnen-
berg explained. "It prevents contamination from leav-
ing the area although we haven't seen any sediment
movement into the previously dredged area. They err
on the side of caution."
In May and June, up to 59 trucks per day moved
sediment with PCBs at levels of more than 50 parts
per million to a landfill in Michigan that is licensed
to accept this type of waste. "The trucks run Monday
through Friday," Hahnenberg said. "They are sealed
and covered with tarps to prevent spills."
During the design phase of the project in 2004, about
26,000 cubic yards of sediment with PCB levels over
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHAW ENVIRONMENTAL
Special equipment is used to cover dredged areas of the river
with sand.
50 ppm were discovered. In some places, the levels
reached 3,000 ppm. The federal Toxic Substances
Control Act requires sediment over 50 ppm to be
handled differently than sediment under 50 ppm
and disposed of in a specially designed facility. The
remaining sediment containing less than 50 ppm is
being taken to a landfill in Calumet County.
When this cleanup is done by the end of October,
nearly 10 percent of the river's PCBs will have been
removed.
For the remainder of the cleanup extending from
Appleton to Green Bay, work won't begin under the
new cleanup plan approved in June until 2009. A
legal document called a consent decree would have
to be issued in federal court. However, the compa-
nies that sign this agreement would be able to begin
preparations next year. They could order equipment,
build work areas, locate utilities and make disposal
arrangements.
-------
Fall 2007
FOX RIVER CURRENT
Trustee Council Approves
DNR Land Purchase
By Colette Charbonneau, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The purchase of 974 acres including about 1.5 miles of
frontage along the Wolf River was recently approved
by the Fox River/Green Bay Natural Resource Trustee
Council.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
purchased the Outagamie County property in August
for $2.8 million using natural resource damage as-
sessment settlement dollars. The property, which is
adjacent to lands already owned by DNR, will protect
a large contiguous section of important bottomland
(floodplain) wetland habitat. Previously, it was owned
by a hunting club that managed the lands for duck and
deer hunting.
The wetlands along the Wolf River frontage are criti-
cal walleye spawning marshes for the river system.
The trustees believe the acquisition of this valuable
habitat is an important step to achieving the restoration
of natural resources injured due to the release of PCBs
into the Fox River and Green Bay.
The natural resource trustees are comprised of Wis-
consin Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, Oneida Tribe of Indians of
Wisconsin, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin,
Michigan Attorney General, Michigan Department
of Environmental Quality, Michigan Department of
Natural Resources and National Oceanic and Atmo-
spheric Administration.
For further information on NRDA projects, contact
Trustee Council Coordinator Colette Charbonneau,
FWS, at Colette_Charbonneau@fws.gov or at 920-
866-1726.
Out and About...
By Susan Pastor, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
The Fox River Intergovernmental
Partnership is made up of U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency,
Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, Oneida Tribe of Indians
of Wisconsin and Menominee Indian Tribe
of Wisconsin. These partners, as well
as other supporting agencies, regularly
provide speakers to organizations in the
Fox Valley area. The following people
recently made presentations:
August
* Greg Hill, DNR: Wisconsin Wildlife
Federation, Stevens Point; 2007
amended record of decision.
September
* Jim Hahnenberg, EPA: Science and
Technology Advisory Committee,
Ashwaubenon; 2007 amended record
of decision.
-------
Fall 2007
FOX RIVER CURRENT
The Fox River Current is featuring promising natural resource damage assessment projects in and near the
Lower Fox River.
Spotlight On:
Ashwaubomay River Trail
By Colette Charbonneau, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
A new trail has been developed along
the west shore of the Fox River in
Ashwaubenon, Wis. The Ashwau-
bomay River Trail, the first to be built
on the west side of the river, is about
a block from Ashwaubomay Park. It
can be found on Broadway Street near
Bay Harbor Circle. The one-mile
trail follows along the river and leads
underneath the State Highway 172
bridge. The trail ends, or begins de-
pending on where you start, at Marina
Lane within one block of the National
Railroad Museum.
Families from the west side can now
go down to the Fox River for a walk,
jog or bike ride. The path is 12 feet
wide, paved and lit. Benches can be
found along the trail for a brief rest or
longer visit with a hiking friend. The benches of-
fer fantastic views of the river and habitat along the
shores. While enjoying this new trail, private prop-
erty adjacent to it should be respected, according to
Ashwuabenon Village Administrator Steve Kubacki
"The trail is a great addition to Ashwaubenon,"
he added. "It is an attraction to residents and visi-
tors. We were looking for a way to tie the National
Railroad Museum to Ashwaubomay Park along the
river."
Ashwaubomay River Trail begins at Marina Lane and spans one mile.
The Fox River/Green Bay Natural Resource Trustee
Council approved this project as part of the Fort
James/Georgia-Pacific final natural resource damage
assessment and restoration agreement. The natural
resource-based public use projects provide recreation
and enjoyment related to aquatic habitats that are
similar to those damaged by the presence of PCBs
in and around the Lower Fox River and Green Bay.
These types of projects are expected to bring people
to the river and bay for their pleasure and help them
See Spotlight, Page 5
-------
Fall 2007
FOX RIVER CURRENT
Little Lake Butte des Morts Cleanup Stays on Track
By Greg Swanson, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
The cleanup in Little Lake Butte des Morts contin-
ues to move along.
One dredge is working north of the State Highway
441 bridge, and the second is working in the naviga-
tion channel and just north of the Friendship Trail
area. The contractors for WTM I and Glatfelter,
the paper companies doing the work, are somewhat
ahead of schedule and expect to dredge more sedi-
ment than originally planned for this year. The
companies are installing sand covers to address
the PCBs that remain in the areas already dredged.
This will reduce the exposure offish to the remain-
ing PCBs in the river system.
Work will wrap up for the year by November.
Spotlight from Page 4
gain appreciation of the resource so they
will want to protect it into the future.
The natural resource trustees are com-
prised of Wisconsin Department of
Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wild-
life Service, Oneida Tribe of Indians of
Wisconsin, Menominee Indian Tribe of
Wisconsin, Michigan Attorney General,
Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality, Michigan Department of Natu-
ral Resources and National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
For further information on NRDA
projects, contact Trustee Council Coor-
dinator Colette Charbonneau, FWS, at
Colette_Charbonneau@fws.gov. or at
920-866-1726.
Ashwaubomay River Trail goes underneath Highway 172 bridge.
-------
Fall 2007
FOX RIVER CURRENT
Safe Sediment Transport Remains Top Priority
By Greg Swanson, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
The process for transporting dried sediment from
the dredging sites on Little Lake Butte des Morts
and near the DePere Dam is an exact process and
well-planned effort.
Studies show that loading sediment onto trucks
after water has been squeezed out and then taking it
to a nearby landfill is the most practical and eco-
nomical way to dispose of it.
The "dewatered" sediment from Little Lake Butte
des Morts is hauled by both conventional tri-axle
20-yard and semi trailer dump trucks. Trucks from
a Kaukauna company haul 25 to 50 loads of sedi-
ment daily. For the Phase 1 dredging project in
DePere, tri-axle 20-yard dump trucks from a Pu-
laski firm haul about 50 loads per day of dewatered
sediment. Hauling occurs from about 6 a.m. to 3:30
p.m., Monday through Friday for both projects with
some Saturday hauling done as needed from De-
Pere. Sediment from both locations is taken to the
Veolia Environmental Services Hickory Meadows
Landfill near Chilton.
The transport process starts on the dewatering area
of the sediment treatment site where an excavator
loads the sediment into the trucks. Once loaded, the
trucks are decontaminated. High-pressure washers
are used to remove any sediment that may have ac-
cumulated on the exterior of the trucks or their tires
during the loading process. Once the trucks have
been decontaminated, their tops are cleaned and the
See Sediment, Page 7
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BOLDT TEAM
After trucks are loaded with sediment, they enter a decontamination area where high-pressure washing removes any remaining
sediment from the exterior.
-------
Fall 2007
FOX RIVER CURRENT
Sediment from Page 6
loads covered to prevent any sediment from being
blown out of the trucks as they travel on the high-
way.
All trucks are outfitted with permanent dump box
liners, tarps that cover the sediment during trans-
port and tailgates with rubber seals and turnbuckles
to prevent accidental opening. The paper compa-
nies doing the cleanups and their contractors also
have a plan in place to deal with problems like
road construction, traffic accidents or accidental
spills along the haul route. After the trucks dump
their loads at the landfill, they are decontaminated
again before returning to the dewatering fa-
cilities.
"The DNR is pleased with the progress that's
been made in both Little Lake Butte des
Morts and the Phase 1 project in DePere,"
said DNR Project Coordinator Greg Hill.
"We're continuing to move forward with
planning for the work to be done in 2008."
Plans for next year include sediment cleanup
in the northern portion of the lake.
Information Available at Local Libraries
The Intergovernmental Partners invite the public to review technical reports, fact sheets and other documents related
to the Lower Fox River cleanup at information repositories set up in the reference sections of the local libraries
listed below. Information repositories at the public
libraries in De Pere, Kaukauna, Little Chute, Neenah
and Wrightstown have been discontinued. However,
binders containing fact sheets are being maintained at
these locations as well as at the following repositories:
Appleton Public Library, 225 N Oneida St.,
Appleton, Wis.; 920-832-6170
Brown County Library, 515 Pine St., Green
Bay, Wis.; 920-448-4381, Ext. 394
Check out these Web sites:
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/wm/foxriver/index.html
http://www.epa.gov/region5/sites/foxriver
http://contaminants.fws.gov/Issues/Restoration.cfm
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/nrda/index.html
Door County Library, 107 S. Fourth Ave., Sturgeon Bay, Wis.; 920-743-6578
Oneida Community Library, 201 Elm St., Oneida, Wis.; 920-869-2210
Oshkosh Public Library, 106 Washington Ave., Oshkosh, Wis.; 920-236-5205
An administrative record, which contains detailed information upon which the selection of the final site cleanup
plan was based, is also available for review at two DNR offices: 801 E. Walnut St., Green Bay, Wis. and 101 S.
Webster St., 2nd Floor, Madison, Wis. An administrative record is also available at the EPA Record Center, 77
W. Jackson Blvd., 7th Floor, Chicago, III.
-------
I
B
\
Prepared by the Fox River Intergovernmental Partnership: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin, and National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration. Supporting agencies include Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, U.S. Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in these articles are solely those of the authors and are not necessarily shared by all members of
the Fox River Intergovernmental Partnership.
INSIDE
FOX RIVER CURRENT
EPA, DNR Prepare to Revise Little Lake Butte des Morts Cleanup Plan 1
Downriver Cleanup Hits 'Hot Spot' 2
Trustee Council Approves DNR Land Purchase 3
Out and About. . . 3
Spotlight On: Ashwaubomay River Trail 4
Little Lake Butte des Morts Cleanup Stays on Track 5
Safe Sediment Transport Remains Top Priority 6
Information Repository Locations 7
Web Site Addresses 7
Fox River Current is published quarterly by the
Fox River Intergovernmental Partnership. Its
purpose is to provide up-to-date information
about cleanup and restoration efforts on
the Lower Fox River. Call Susan Pastor at
312-353-1325 to request a subscription or
alternative format. Feedback on articles and
ideas for future issues are welcome. Send
comments to Susan Pastor, EPA Office of
Public Affairs, 77 W. JacksonBlvd., Chicago,
IL 60604 or e-mail pastor.susan@epa.gov.
&EPA
Office of Public Affairs (P-19J)
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region 5
77 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604-3590
Reproduced on Recycled Paper
------- |