SERA Operation Extension Requested U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 October 2009 The City ofTacoma has requested a third extension to operate the Tacoma Landfill through the year 2014. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Washington State Department of Ecology, and the Tacoma- Pierce County Health are currently evaluating the City's request and would like to hear your comments. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD — October 26, 2009 to November 25, 2009 The City ofTacoma asked that EPA and Ecology grant a third extension for operation of the 31-acre central portion of the Tacoma Landfill. This would allow the City to operate the landfill for another five years after the current closure deadline of December 31, 2009. If approved, the City would be allowed to place solid waste in the central area until the end of 2014 on an emergency basis. The City's proposal can be found at the information repositories listed. It can also be reviewed on the EPA Web site. Follow this address: http://tiny.cc/NWrSg to locate the information. PLEASE SEND WRITTEN COMMENTS OR REQUESTS by November 25, 2009 to Kris Flint, Remedial Project Manager U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 6th Avenue, Suite 900 Seattle, Washington 98101 Phone: 206/553-8155 FAX: 206/553-0124 Email: Flint.Kixs@epa.gov Site Background The 220-acre Tacoma Landfill is part of the Commencement Bay/South Tacoma Channel Superfund site. It was added to EPA's National Priorities List in 1983. Located south of Highway 16 at the western edge ofTacoma, the site is just south of the intersection of South Mullen and South Center Streets. During the mid-1980s, groundwater contamina- tion (mainly volatile organic compounds) was de- tected near the site. Residents with contaminated wells were put on the City ofTacoma public water system. Landfill gas was detected in the soils of neighboring residential and business areas. The cleanup consisted of constructing a landfill cap with leak detection systems, a system to pump and treat contaminated groundwater, a landfill gas management system, plus making operational im- provements at the site and setting up monitoring systems for both groundwater and gas. Five Year Reviews Under Superfund law, five-year reviews must be performed to ensure that the cleanup remains pro- tective of human health and the environment. Ib-date, EPA has written three such reviews, the most recent was published in September 2008, and recommended a number of actions the City should take to improve the cleanup. By September 2009, all of those actions were com- plete. The next review is scheduled for September of 2013. Documents related to the City's request to extend landfill operation through 2014 are avail- able at the information repositories listed. ------- Information Repositories Citizens for a Healthy Bay 917 Pacific Avenue, Suite 100 Tacoma, WA 98402 253-383-2429 US Environmental Protection Agency 1200 6th Avenue, Suite 900 7th Floor Records Center Seattle, WA 98101 206-553-4494 SEPA U. S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Sixth Avenue, ETPA-081 Seattle, Washington 98101-1128 For More Information CONTACT Kris Flint, Remedial Project Manager U.S. EPA Phone: 206/553-8155 Email: Flint.Kris@epa.gov Christopher Maurer Washington State Department of Ecology Phone: 360/407-7223 Email: CMau461@ecy.wa.gov Dave Bosch Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Phone: 253/798-6574 Email: DBosch@tpchd.org — If you need materials in an alternative ^format, please contact Jeanne O'Dell.TTY users plese call the Federal Relay Service: 800-877-8339 ------- |