Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site Community Involvement Plan Elkhart, Indiana Updated December 2012 ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site CONTENTS Section Page 1.0 OVERVIEW OF THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN 1-1 1.1 Community Engagement is Essential to the Success of Superfund Cleanups 1-2 1.2 Purpose of this CIP 1-2 1.3 CIP Overview 1-2 2.0 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ANDTHE SUPERFUND PROCESS 2-1 3.0 LANE STREET SITE BACKGROUND 3-1 3.1 Site Location 3-1 3.2 Site History 3-1 4.0 COMMUNITY BACKGROUND 4-1 4.1 Elkhart Community Profile 4-1 4.2 Elkhart Community Demographics 4-1 4.3 Past Community Involvement Efforts 4-2 5.0 SUMMARY OF COMMUNITY INTERVIEWS AND QUESTIONS FROM PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING 5-1 5.1 Community Interviews 5-1 5.2 Questions from the May 2011 Public Information Meeting 5-3 6.0 COMMUNITY CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS 6-1 7.0 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT GOALS AND ACTIVITIES 7-1 7.1 Specific Community Involvement Activities 7-1 7.2 Timeframe for Community Involvement Activities 7-4 Tables 6.1 Summary of Community Concerns and EPA Responses 6-1 7.1 Timeframe for Conducting Community Involvement Activities 7-4 Exhibits 1 THE SUPERFUND PROCESS 2-1 2 SUPERFUND PROCESS STEPS 2-3 Figures 1 SITE LOCATION MAP 3-2 Appendix A GLOSSARY A-1 B INFORMATION REPOSITORY, ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD, WEBSITE AND PUBLIC MEETING LOCATIONS B-1 C LIST OF CONTACTS C-1 i Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site 1.0 OVERVIEW OF THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency prepared this Community Involvement Plan for the Lane Street Ground Water Contamination site in Elkhart, Indiana. EPA's community involvement effort is committed to promoting communication between the public and the Agency. The EPA wants to make sure the community's current concerns and information needs are considered as site activities progress. The CIP: Assists the public in understanding the decision-making process during project design and cleanup and the community's role in that process. Gives the public accessible, accurate, timely and understandable information about the project as it moves forward. Ensures adequate time and opportunity for the public to give informed and meaningful input and for that input to be considered. Reflects community concerns, questions and information needs. Respects and fully considers public input throughout the process as the project moves forward. This CIP was prepared to support environmental and cleanup activities at the Lane Street site. EPA used several information sources to develop this plan including research and information received from public meetings and community interviews. The interviews conducted with local officials and residents in May 2011 gave EPA an insight into the concerns and information needs of the community. This CIP describes EPA's plan for addressing concerns and keeping residents informed and involved in the site cleanup activities. It also provides information on the Superfund process, site background information and a profile of the city of Elkhart. The CIP is a working document that will evolve as the investigation and cleanup process continues and input is received from the community. It is intended to be flexible, adaptable and used as a guideline for EPA's communication with the Lane Street site community. 1.1 Community Engagement is Essential to the Success of Superfund Cleanups Ongoing input and involvement by the community is essential to EPA's efforts to provide effective community engagement. EPA has learned that its decision-making ability is enhanced by actively seeking comments and information from the community. Community members need to be involved in all phases of the cleanup so that the contamination is addressed in a way that protects people and the environment - now and in the future. Residents, businesses and local government officials may be able to provide valuable information about a hazardous site that can help EPA determine the best way to clean it up. Information can help determine the location of contamination, how people may be exposed to the contamination and perhaps sources of the contamination. 1-1 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site 1.2 Purpose of this CIP The EPA will use this document as a guide to involve and communicate with residents, businesses and local government in the Lane Street site area. If you are interested in submitting comments or have questions or suggestion concerning the CIP, please contact: Janet Pope Community Involvement Coordinator EPA Region 5 (SI-7J) 77W.Jackson Blvd. Chicago, IL 60604-3507 Phone: 312-353-0628 or toll free at 800-621-8431, ext. 30628 pope.janet@epa.gov For more information on the Lane Street Ground Water Contamination Superfund Site, visit www.epa. gov/region5/cleanup/lanestreet or request information by contacting EPA's CIC, Janet Pope. 1.3 CIP Overview This CIP contains the following sections: Section 1 Overview of the CIP: Describes the purpose and intended uses of this CIP. Section 2 Community Engagement and the Superfund Process: Gives an overview of the step-by- step process the EPA follows to determine the best way to clean up a contaminated site and opportunities for community involvement throughout the process. Section 3 Lane Street Site Background: Presents a description about the Lane Street site and summarizes the history of activities at the site. Section 4 Community Background: Profiles the economic and ethnic makeup of the community and summarizes the community's history and past involvement at the site. Section 5 Summary of Community Interviews and Questions from Information Meeting: Gives a summary of what interviewees told EPA about the Lane Street site and how they would like to receive information from EPA about the site and provides a list of questions residents asked at the May 2011 information meeting. Section 6 Community Concerns and Questions: Presents the concerns and other information gathered during the public information meeting and community interviews conducted in May 2011. Section 7 Community Involvement Goals and Activities: Describes EPA's plan and timeline for conducting site-specific activities to keep residents and local officials informed and involved during the cleanup process. Appendix A Glossary: Lists the definition of key words (words are in bold throughout the document). Appendix B Information Repository, Administrative Record, and Public Meeting Locations: Identifies places where community members can find more information about the Lane Street site. Appendix C List of Contacts and Interested Groups: Provides a list of federal, state and local agencies and community organizations. Appendix D List of Interview Questions: Shares the list of questions EPA asked during interviews with local residents and officials during the May 2011 interviews. 1-2 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site 2.0 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THE SUPERFUND PROCESS There are several steps involved in cleaning up a contaminated site. Once EPA has been made aware of a contaminated site from individual citizens, local or state agencies, or others, EPA follows a step-by-step process (see Exhibit 1 below) to determine the best way to clean up the site and protect human health and the environment. Exhibit 7 Legend PA/SI - Preliminary Assessment/Site Investigation NPL Listing - National Priorities Listing RI/FS - Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study ROD - Record of Decision RD/RA - Remedial Design/Remedial Action NPL Deletion - National Priorities List Deletion 2-1 Community Involvement Plan -VVAe£uper™nd Pjjgcess* Reuse NPL Deletion Post-Construction Completion Construction Completion RD/RA NPL Listing Process RI/FS ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site Superfund is an environmental cleanup program enabled by a federal law enacted in 1980 known as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, or CERCLA. In 1986, another law, the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) reauthorized CERCLA to continue Superfund cleanup activities. The CERCLA law gives EPA the authority to require those parties responsible for creating hazardous waste sites to clean those sites up or to reimburse the government if EPA cleans up the site. EPA compels responsible parties to clean up hazardous waste sites through administrative orders, consent decrees, and other legal settlements. EPA is authorized to enforce the Superfund laws in all 50 states and in U.S. territories. Superfund site identification, monitoring, and response activities are coordinated with state, tribal and territorial environmental protection or waste management agencies. The Superfund program encourages active dialogue between communities affected by the release of hazardous substances and all of the agencies responsible for carrying out or overseeing cleanup actions. EPA considers community involvement to be an important part of the Superfund program and opportunities for community involvement occur throughout the process. Exhibit 2 on the next page outlines the stages of the Superfund process in more detail and highlights opportunities for community involvement at each step of the process. Visit these EPA websites for more information on the Superfund process. Superfund www.epa.gov/superfund Cleanup Process: www.epa.gov/superfund/cieanup/index.htm Community Involvement www.epa.gov/superfund/community/index.htm 2-2 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site Superfund Process Steps • Gather historical site condition information to determine if further investigation is needed Use Hazard Ranking System to evaluate risks • Publish notice in Federal Register and local media announcing proposed listing and public comment period Once listed, EPA publishes notice in Federal Register and responds to comments • Determines the nature and extent of contamination, evaluates human health and ecological risk • Presents the cleanup alternatives and is issued for a 30-day public comment period • Contains the selected remedy for a site and the Responsiveness Summary which provides responses to all comments received during the public comment period f ¦ Any necessary physical construction has been completed (even though final cleanup levels may not have been reached) Ensures that Superfund cleanups provide long-term protection of human health and environment • Monitoring continues f'All site work completed • Comments are requested on upcoming deletion of site from NPL list Preliminary Assessment/Site Inspection National Priorities List (NPL) Process Community Involvement Opportunities • Provide any information you have about the site to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Missisippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) or the MultiState Environmental Response Trust (Trust) (Collectively referred to as the Group) • Read information about EPA's proposal to list the site • Contact EPA for questions or additional information • If concerned, submit comments during the Public Comment period Remedial Investigation/ Feasibility Study Proposed Plan Record of Decision (ROD) f'Includes preparing for and doing the bulk of the cleanup at the site • Final design is developed Remedial Design/ Remedial Action Construction Completion Post-Construction Completion NPL Deletion • Consider forming a Community Advisory Group (CAG) and applying for a Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) • Participate in public meetings • Contact the Group with questions • Read proposed plan • Participate in public meetings • Visit Information Repository • Read the ROD for site cleanup • Participate in public events or visit the information repository • Contact the Group with questions • Learn about the final design • Work through your CAG, TAG, or Technical Assistance Services for Communities (TASC) provider for information • Attend meetings and site visits • Contact the Group with questions • Attend meetings and site visits • Contact the Group with questions • Work through your CAG, TAG, or TASC provider for information • Visit the site or arrange a site tour through the Group • Contact the Group with questions • Read proposal and Responsiveness Summary • Read the final deletion report • Plan a community event to celebrate deletion from NPL f \fter site is clean: The Group works with community to help return site to productive use Land use restrictions continue to be met Reuse • Work with the Group and neighbors to plan the redevelopment • Explore tools and resources • Be supportive of redevelopment plans once they've been agreed upon Exhibit 2 shows community involvement opportunities during each step of the Superfund process. 2-3 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site 3.0 LANE STREET SITE BACKGROUND This section describes the Lane Street site and summarizes the history of activities at the site. 3.1 Site Location The Lane Street Ground Water Contamination site is located on the northeast side of Elkhart, Indiana. The area includes a plume of contaminated ground water that extends toward the south from an industrial park north of County Road 106 to neighborhood homes located along Lane Street. City (if Elkhart EnvfuvirncrlifjJ Drviswrt 3.2 Site History On August 22, 2007, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management began an investigation in response to a telephone call from a resident on Lane Street that had submitted a drinking water sample to an independent laboratory for analysis. The analysis of the water revealed highly elevated levels of trichlorethylene, orTCE, and other chlorinated solvents at levels higher than what are considered safe.The chemical is a common industrial solvent often used for cleaning machinery. The source of the pollution has not yet been identified. In response to the call, IDEM collected water samples on August 23 and August 30 from all residential wells on and around Lane Street. Additional wells were found to be contaminated with elevated levels of TCE and IDEM furnished bottled water to 13 homes where wells were contaminated or near the tainted water supplies. Later, EPA provided water filtration systems to these 13 homes. What is TCE? TCE is a colorless liquid. Drinking or breathing high levels of TCE may cause nervous system effects, liver and lung damage and abnormal heartbeat. In October 2008, EPA sent a letter to residents on Lane Street informing them that they were eligible for connection to the city of Elkhart municipal water supply at no charge. A public information session was held and residents were asked to sign access agreements giving EPA and its contractors permission to install the water line and to also close and plug all water wells on the property. The city of Elkhart also asked eligible residents to sign a compact agreement.This legal document stated that in return for no-charge water hookups homeowners give up the right to protest any future attempt by the city to annex the neighborhood. EPA connected 26 homes in the area to the municipal water supply, completing this project in November 2008. Other homes on Lane Street farther south of the original problem were already connected to city water. In September 2009, the site was officially added to EPA's National Priorities List or NPL.The NPL is a roster of the nation's hazardous waste sites eligible for cleanup under the EPA Superfund program. In May 2011, EPA contractors "punched" holes in the ground to get ground water samples at various locations to determine where the plume is actually located. This activity is part of the remedial investigation phase which will help determine the extent of the ground water contamination and to try to determine the source of the contamination. Samples were also taken in the industrial area. The sampling results will help EPA decide where monitoring wells should be installed.The monitoring wells will allow EPA to monitor ground water over several months to see if any changes occur over the seasons. EPA also plans to collect soil gas samples from areas where the groundwater plume has been defined as containing VOCs at the highest concentrations to investigate potential vapor intrusion concerns. If results indicate there are concerns, more sampling will be done. 3-1 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site iCpoperfiOr^ BarlUgSlj Figure 7 shows the boundaries of the Lane Street Ground Water Contamination Superfund Site. 3-2 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site 4.0 COMMUNITY BACKGROUND This section describes the community in the city of Elkhart and summarizes the history of community involvement with the site. 4.1 Elkhart Community Profile The city of Elkhart is located in Elkhart County, Indiana in the north central part of the state about 15 miles east of South Bend, Ind.The Lane Street site is located on the northeast side of Elkhart, According to the 2010 census, the city has a total area of 24.42 miles. The city sits on the St. Joseph and Elkhart Rivers.The Elkhart River drains into the St. Joseph River at Island Park, just north of downtown Elkhart. Elkhart obtains its water from these rivers. The source of Elkhart's name is disputed. One source believes that the city's Island Park looks like an Elk's heart while another source claims the origin of the city's name came from the Shawnee Indian Chief Elkhart. Elkhart is governed by a mayor, a common council, boards, and commissions and has a city clerk. The Elkhart Common Council is composed of nine single member wards. The community has its own police; fire; public works; streets; parks and recreation; and administrative departments. Elkhart's industry is home to manufacturing recreational vehicles, marine equipment, musical instruments, pharmaceuticals, and manufactured housing but is most known for two industries: recreational vehicles and musical instruments. Elkhart is dubbed the"RV Capital of the World" because of the high concentration of RV manufacturing in the area. The city is also referred to as the "Band Instrument Capital of the World." Elkhart also has the second largest freight classification yards in the world which are located in The Robert Young Rail Yards. Elkhart has a park system consisting of 24 community and neighborhood parks and a total of 35 parks and recreational facilities. The city of Elkhart is also home to seven museums including the Recreational Vehicle and Manufactured Housing Hall of Fame. 4.2 Elkhart Community Demographics According to the US Census bureau, Elkhart is the 15th largest city in Indiana with an estimated population of 53,060 people. According to www.city-data.com the racial makeup of the city is approximately 57.8% white, 24.1% Hispanic, 13.4% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.3% Asian, with 2.6% of the population reporting two or more races. The main daily newspapers in the area are The Elkhart Truth and The South Bend Tribune. Radio and television signals are received in Elkhart with WFRN, WTRC, WLEG, and WVPE (NPR) for the main radio stations, and WBNDTV, WSJV-TV (Fox 28 News), WNDU-TV, and WNIT-TV for the main television stations. The St. Joseph River widens as it flows through west Elkhart. 4-1 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site 4.3 Past Community Involvement Efforts The EPA's community involvement efforts have included meeting with residents, hosting public meetings, publishing fact sheets and conducting community interviews. Site-related information can be accessed on EPA's web site (www.epa.gov/region5/cleanup/ lanestreet). In October 2008, EPA hosted a meeting to discuss the water hookups planned for homes with TCE contamination and to give residents an opportunity to ask questions about the site. A letter was sent to residents on Lane Street informing them that they were eligible for connection to the city of Elkhart municipal water supply at no charge. Races in Elkhart, IN WWe atone 2 or mure tacw Asmnalona Bte* atone Hispanic In May 2011, EPA held a public meeting to give an update on site activities and to give residents an opportunity to ask questions. EPA also conducted interviews with local residents and city officials during this time.The community interviews conducted in May 2011 represents EPA's continuing efforts to engage the community. More information on the interviews and questions asked at the public meeting can be found in Section 5 and Appendix D. Additional community involvement activities are discussed in Sections 6 and 7. An information repository has been established for the site at the Elkhart Public Library, 300 S. Second St., Elkhart, Ind. The repository contains site-related documents such as technical reports, sampling results, general information about EPA and the Superfund program, and other information. Documents in the repository are available for public review during the library's hours of operation (Appendix B). 4-2 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site 5.0 SUMMARY OF COMMUNITY INTERVIEWS AND QUESTIONS FROM PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING In April 2011, EPA mailed a fact sheet to area residents and local officials about site activities. Included in the fact sheet was a flyer explaining that EPA was writing a community involvement plan to get a better understanding of the community's concerns regarding the Lane Street site and how best to reach residents with news and information. The flyer asked people interested in talking with EPA to call and schedule an interview. During May 2011, EPA conducted four in-person interviews with Elkhart officials and residents to identify their questions, concerns, and information needs regarding the Lane Street Site. A public informational meeting held in May 2011 was attended by about 30 residents. EPA used the information gathered from the community interviews and the concerns and comments raised at the public information meeting in drafting this CIP. Note to readers: This section is intended to faithfully record and reflect the issues and concerns expressed to EPA by residents, officials and others interviewed during the community interviews. By necessity this is a collection and summary of thoughts, observations and, in some cases, opinions. Please be cautioned that the statements contained in this section may, or may not, be factual and that the opinions and concerns expressed may or may not be valid. 5.1 Community Interviews During May 2011, EPA conducted four in-person interviews with Elkhart officials and residents to identify their questions, concerns, and information needs regarding the Lane Street Site. Below is a summary of what EPA learned during the interviews. 1. How long have you lived/worked in the area? Everyone interviewed are long-time (over 20 years) residents of the area. 2. What is your understanding of the environmental problems at the Lane Street Ground Water Contamination Site? Everyone knew about the site and all stated that there was considerable contamination in the ground water and it was likely due to a former company. 3. What would you like to know about the site? The interviewees all wanted to know what the status was of site activities and two of the people asked if EPA knew who was responsible. 4. How would you like to be involved in the decision-making process regarding site cleanup? The interviewees want to be kept informed of the status of activities either through using the city's website and/or mailings from EPA. 5. What are your concerns about the site (i.e., environmental, health, economic)? The interviewees expressed health concerns and were concerned about how long they had been exposed to the contaminants.The local officials expressed their thoughts that everyone should get hooked up to the municipal water. One council person said they don't want to sign a compact or annex agreement with the city. A resident said she was concerned with health, environmental and economic issues associated with the site. 6. How do you believe you are directly affected by the contaminants at the site? 5-1 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site The resident said her well was removed and she is grateful to be hooked to the municipal water.The city officials said they were not directly affected, but many of their constituents had been affected. 7. Have you contacted anyone to express your concerns? If so, who? Were they helpful? No one has directly contacted anyone to express concerns. The city council representatives said that the site is discussed at council meetings.The resident said she talked with her doctor about exposure and got a baseline blood test done. 8. What is your perception of EPA - do you view EPA as credible? Trustworthy? Everyone stated that they thought EPA is credible; one person said that sometimes actions are very slow. 9. What government agencies or non-government organizations do you view as the most credible when it comes to environmental issues? The resident said she thought all the agencies (for example, EPA and IDEM) do the best that they can but work under a lot of rules and regulations. 10. In your opinion, how do others in the community perceive EPA? IDEM? Overall, the interviewees believe that the community perceives EPA and IDEM as positive. One council person said that most residents don't have direct contact with the agencies but believes the overall opinion is good. 11. How do you stay informed about local events and activities? What are your main sources of information, including radio, TV, and newspapers? All interviewees said they read The Elkhart Truth and look to that newspaper for most of their information. Some people said they get information through "word of mouth" and sometimes on the Internet. 12. How would you like to be kept informed about the Lane Street site? US Mail, Email, Local TV or radio (what stations), local organizations (which ones), public meetings, internet (i.e., EPA's website; site website), toll-free number? Everyone said getting information in the mail is good and three of the interviewees asked to get updates through email. 13. EPA has established an information repository at the Elkhart Public Library on South Second Street. The repository contains information about the site. Have you ever visited the repository? If not, how likely are you to visit the repository in the future to get information about the site? No one has visited the repository and said they would not use the library for information; they would more likely search the Internet instead of going to the library. 14. How frequently would you like to receive information about the site (i.e., quarterly, every 2 months, only when significant milestones are completed)? All interviewees said they would like to receive information when there is something new or different to be reported. 15. What do you know about EPA's Superfund program? Everyone was familiar with Superfund. 16. Have you participated in any public meetings and/or community group meetings for the site? If so, how many? All but one person has attended the past meetings. 17. Are you aware of any media coverage about the site? If so, how would you describe the coverage? isi o Community Involvement Plan %•£!&»/ Tfet PRO^ t, 5 5-2 ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site Two people said they recall there was some media coverage in The ElkhartTruth, but could not recall the specific coverage. The other two people did not remember any coverage. 18. In your opinion, what would be the best location(s) for EPA to hold public meetings about the site? What times do you think are best? How frequent should meetings be held? Osolo School, council chambers, and a couple of churches were mentioned as possible meeting locations. Everyone stated that meetings should not be on Mondays or Fridays and the early evening is a good time. Meetings should be held when new information is available. 19.What other individuals might we contact for an interview? Additional names were provided by interviewees. 20. Is there anything else you would like to share about the site? One interviewee stated she was very"disheartened"that the incident occurred. A couple people said they hope it gets cleaned up and that this is not the only bad spot in Elkhart - there are a lot of bad areas. 5.2 Questions from the May 2011 Public Information Meeting A public informational meeting held in May 2011 was attended by about 30 residents. Listed below are the questions and comments from attendees during this meeting. EPA used this information in preparing the CIP. 1. Why when you were drilling did you not go to the end of the street? You went to the 5th house from the end and stopped. 2. How will you know it hasn't extended if you don't go far enough? 3. How long will it take to get the report showing results? 4. It sounds like you are not going to start correction until after monitoring. I would think you would want to correct the problem, not let it get worse. 5. Can you determine if something is feeding the contamination? 6. Are you having problems getting access? 7. Can EPA tell us how long the wells were contaminated and at what levels? 8. In comparison to acceptable levels, what levels were in the wells - 2 times, 3 times, 5 times? 9. What about a vegetable garden? 10. If the ground water is moving slowly, why not test further down the street? 11. So if it is highly contaminated, it is not good for us? 12. Is it your end game to put in a treatment system to help clean it up? 13. How long does it takeTCE to breakdown to vinyl chloride? 14. If it does start seeping into homes, what do we do? 15. What is your timeframe? When you get results, will you have another meeting? 16. What about past residents. If results go to the current owner, how do I find out if there is/was a problem? Will the health assessment/report explain what the ramifications are and then what? 17. In the Conrail area (west Elkhart) the final remediation was to provide municipal drinking water and leaving the ground water to migrate is not a problem - do you think that may be appropriate here? 18. According to your data, can you tell if one spill occurred or was it a series of spills? 19. The levels are really really high - have you seen higher? 20. Do you have a map of the plume or can you make one available? 21. Will you keep doing this until you find the source? 22. Did you drill in the front and backyards to find out how wide the plume is? 23. If I feel like I have been exposed, what do I tell my doctor? 5-3 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site 6.0 COMMUNITY CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS Overall, residents expressed health concerns from the contamination at the site and also wanted to know the source of the contamination and the extent of the plume. Table 6.1 presents a summary of the major concerns gathered from residents and local officials during the community interviews and meetings. Summary of Community Concerns and EPA Responses Concern EPA Response What are the effects of the contaminants on health? Residents expressed concern that the site was contributing to health problems in the area and wondered how long they had been exposed to the contamination.They also expressed concern about indoor air contamination in their homes. ATSDR point-of-contact information was provided to many members of the community impacted by the Site. ATSDR published a draft Public Health Assessment in August 2011. In March 2012, ATSDR sent a letter to residents stating that because EPA finalized its updated assessment of TCE's toxicological effects, ATSDR is in the process of updating its procedures for evaluating TCE's health effects to reflect EPA's new information. ATSDR said past exposure is important, but that direct exposure has been severed as residents now have a clean water supply, but ATSDR wants to make sure there is no vapor exposure. What is the source of the contamination? How long have we been exposed and at what level? Some people thought the source was a past local business that spilled some chemicals, but they are not sure and would like to know who is responsible. Knowing who is responsible may be an indication as to how long the water has been contaminated. Questions about the levels and length of exposure were frequently asked. The source of contamination is not known at this time and the source will be researched during the remedial investigation phase of the project. The levels of contamination were very high. What is the extent of the plume/contamination? People wanted to know how EPA was going to determine how far the contamination is located and if a treatment system will be put in to help clean up the contamination. Unacceptable long-term risks will be evaluated and addressed by the Remedial Program. Additional sampling and analysis will be conducted to fully determine the nature and extent of contamination. One option may be to put in a treatment system, but the remedial investigation will give the information needed to base a cleanup plan on. 6-1 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site 7.0 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT GOALS AND ACTIVITIES When establishing the objectives for a site-specific community involvement program, EPA considers several factors, including federal requirements and EPA policy that assesses the nature and extent of known or perceived site contaminants and known community concerns and requests. To be effective, the community involvement program must be designed to meet the community's need to know, give information in a timely manner, and accommodate the community's interests and its willingness to participate in decision-making processes. EPA must also share information in language the public can understand. To meet the needs of the community and to respond to information obtained during the May 2012 community interviews and meet federal requirements, the following objectives have been established for community involvement efforts: Enlist the support and involvement of local officials and community leaders. Monitor citizen interest in the site and respond accordingly. Keep the community well informed of ongoing and planned site activities. Explain technical site activities and findings. Get public input on key decisions. Change planned activities, where warranted, based on community input. Establish a website that provides updates. Hold meetings, when necessary, within the community to give all residents an opportunity to attend. EPA has or will put in place the activities described below to meaningfully and actively engage the community in decisions regarding the cleanup of the Milford site. The following plan is intended as opportunities for communication between the community and EPA and to address key concerns and questions raised during the community interviews conducted in May 2012. 7.1 Specific Community Involvement Activities To address community concerns and questions described in Section 5.0, EPA has conducted (or will conduct) the activities described below.Through these activities, it is EPA's goal to inform, involve and engage the community during site cleanup decisions and efforts. Maintain point of contact. Janet Pope is the primary liaison between EPA and the Lane Street community. Ms. Pope serves as the point of contact for community members and fields general questions about the site. For technical issues, Ms. Pope coordinates with EPA's remedial project manager for the site, Leslie Blake. Establish a toll-free number for residents to ask questions and receive information. Both Ms. Pope (ext. 30628) and Ms. Blake (ext. 37921) can be reached at 800- 621-8431, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Ask for The EPA has designated two people as primary site contacts for local residents: Janet Pope Community Involvement Coordinator 312-353-0628 pope.janet@epa.gov Leslie Blake Remedial Project Manager 312-353-7921 blake.leslie@epa.gov They can both also be reached toll-free at 800-621-8431, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 7-1 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site them by name or use the telephone extensions listed. Residents can call this number as questions or concerns arise, rather than waiting for a public meeting or to receive written information. EPA provides this toll-free number periodically in local newspaper advertisements and includes the toll- free number in all fact sheets and all other EPA communications with the public. Maintain communication with local officials, agencies, and community residents. EPA interviewed local officials from the city of Elkhart in the May 2011 community interviews and will continue to maintain communication with them throughout the Superfund cleanup process. Share site information on the Internet: Many of the persons interviewed have access to and are accustomed to using the Internet. EPA has established a website for the Lane Street site. Information on the site is provided on the following EPA website and will be updated as events occur: www.epa. gov/region5/cleanup/lanestreet. Update and maintain the site mailing list. A mailing list of local residents, organizations, businesses, and officials has been established for the site.This list will be used for mailing fact sheets, site updates, invitations to public meetings and events and other site-related information mailed to the community. The list will be updated regularly to reflect address changes and changes in elected officials and to add new people interested in site activities. EPA will also establish an email list and provide regular updates as appropriate. EPA uses the site mailing list to distribute written information such as fact sheets and meeting notifications.This is a way to ensure that those that do not have access to the Internet or other information sources still have a way to receive information directly about the site and notified about important meetings. If a community member is interested in being placed on either mailing list they can contact the current CIC, Janet Pope at 312-353-0628; 800- 621-8431, ext. 30628 or via email at pope.janet@epa.gov. Prepare and distribute fact sheets and site updates: Fact sheets, letters, and site updates summarizing current information about the site and describing upcoming activities may be prepared and distributed to those on the site mailing and email lists.These documents are written in non-technical language and typically done to coincide with important site activities. EPA uses these types of documents to provide the community with detailed information in a relatively quick, simple and easy-to-understand manner. In addition to being distributed to individuals on the site mailing lists, fact sheets and site updates are also placed in the information repository and posted on the website: www.epa.gov/region5/cleanup/lanestreet. Establish and maintain a site-specific information repository. EPA has set up a local information repository at the Elkhart Public Library located at 300 S. Second Street.The repository is a reference collection of site information available to the public for reading and photocopying. Documents include fact sheets, technical reports, the CIP, general Superfund information and other documents. EPA adds new documents about the site as they become available. Information repositories give residents local access to site information in forms that can be easily read and photocopied for future use. Establish and maintain the administrative record. The Administrative Record for the Lane Street site can also be found at the Elkhart Public Library and at the EPA Region 5 Superfund Record Center in Chicago (see Appendix B). EPA will update the Administrative Record as necessary. The Administrative Record gives residents a paper trail of all documents EPA relied on, or considered, to reach decisions about the Superfund site cleanup. Conduct public meetings, hearings and information sessions: A public meeting is an opportunity for EPA to present specific information and a proposed course of action. EPA staff is available to share information and answer questions. A public meeting is not a formal public hearing where testimony is received. Instead, it might be a meeting to exchange information or comments. In addition, EPA may hold an informal open-house style meeting, called availability sessions, where 7-2 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site residents can meet EPA experts one-on-one to discuss the activities at the site. Either type of meeting allows community members an opportunity to express their concerns and ask questions of EPA, state, or local government officials. Public meetings or availability sessions can be held at various times throughout the investigation and cleanup process. A meeting is typically scheduled when there are technical milestones or the community has expressed an interest in having a meeting. A public hearing is a formal meeting wherein the EPA officials hear the public's views and concerns about an EPA action or proposal.There are specific regulations about when EPA is required to consider such comments when evaluating its actions. Public hearings are recorded by a professional transcriber and become part of the administrative record. The comments are also posted on the Web. • Write and distribute news releases and public notices: EPA will prepare and release announcements to local newspapers such as theThe ElkhartTruth or The South Bend Tribune to provide information about events such as significant site investigation findings, completion of major milestones, significant scheduling information, and other pertinent site-related information. News releases allow EPA to reach large audiences quickly. News releases and public notices will also be posted on EPA's website, www.epa.gov/region5/cleanup/lanestreet. EPA typically publishes news releases and public notices to announce major events such as comment periods, public meetings, and major milestones such as the selection of a cleanup plan. EPA will issue news releases and public notices as site activities progress. Copies of the news releases and public notices will also be available on the web site and in the Information Repository. • Solicit community input during public comment periods. EPA holds public comment periods to give community members an opportunity to review and comment on key decisions. Before EPA selects a final cleanup plan for the Lane Street site, the Agency will hold a public comment period to allow interested residents an opportunity to review and comment on its proposed plan. EPA will consider the community's input before selecting a final cleanup plan. EPA's response to public comments will be summarized in a document called a responsiveness summary, which will be placed in the site information repository and made available on EPA's website. • Evaluate community involvement and outreach efforts and make adjustments as warranted. This CIP was designed to consider site- and community-specific factors as well as to comply with federal requirements. Community concerns, the objectives of the community involvement program for the site and specific activities to address these concerns in this CIP were based to a large extent on information obtained during May 2011 interviews and meetings with local residents and officials. EPA recognizes that changes in areas such as community perceptions, information needs, and population demographics can occur over time and that such changes may necessitate a revised approach to conducting community involvement activities. For this reason as well as to determine whether the activities in this plan are achieving their intended objectives, periodic reviews will be done to determine whether additional activities are warranted or whether changes to current methods of implementing the activities outlined in this plan are necessary. 7-3 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site 7.2 Timeframe for Conducting Community Involvement Activities The following table presents the general timeframe for the activities described in Section 7.1. Table 7.1 Timeframe for Conducting Community Involvement Activities Community Involvement Activities Timeframe Maintain point of contact Complete Establish a toll-free number Complete; publish on written materials Maintain communication with local officials, agencies, and community residents Ongoing as needed Share site information on the Internet Completed; update as needed Update and maintain the site mailing list Completed; update as needed Prepare and distribute fact sheets and site updates Ongoing as needed Establish and maintain a site-specific information repository Completed; update as needed Establish and maintain the administrative record Completed; update as needed Conduct public meetings, hearings and information sessions Ongoing as needed Write and distribute news releases and public notices Ongoing as needed Solicit community input during public comment periods When proposed cleanup plan is completed Evaluate community involvement and outreach efforts and make adjustments as warranted Periodically throughout the cleanup process 7-4 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site APPENDIX A GLOSSARY Administrative Record. The body of documents that forms the basis for the selection of a particular response at a site. For example, the Administrative Record for remedy selection includes all documents that were considered or relied upon to select the remedy through the record of decision. Cleanup. Actions taken to deal with a release or threat of release of a hazardous substance that could affect humans and/or the environment. The term "cleanup" is sometimes used interchangeably with the terms "remedial action,""remediation,""removal action,""response action," or "corrective action." Community. An interacting population of various types of individuals (or species) in a common location; a neighborhood or specific area where people live. Community Engagement. The process of involving communities in all phases of the cleanup process. Communities are asked to provide input on how the cleanup will be conducted and how it may affect community plans and goals. See also Community Involvement. Community Involvement. The term used by the EPA to identify its process for engaging in dialogue and collaboration with communities affected by Superfund sites.The EPA community involvement approach is founded in the belief that people have a right to know what the Agency is doing in their community and to have a say in it. Its purpose is to give people the opportunity to become involved in the Agency's activities and to help shape the decisions that are made. Community Involvement Coordinator. The EPA official whose lead responsibility is to involve and inform the public about the Superfund process and response actions in accordance with the interactive community involvement requirements set forth in the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan. Community Involvement Plan (CIP). A plan that outlines specific community involvement activities that occur during the investigation and cleanup at the site.The CIP outlines how EPA will keep the public informed of work at the site and the ways in which residents can review and comment on decisions that may affect the final actions at the site. The document is available in the site's information repository maintained by the EPA. The CIP may be modified as necessary to respond to changes in community concerns, information needs and activities. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). A federal law passed in 1980 and modified in 1986 by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act. Commonly known as Superfund, CERCLA is intended to protect people's health and the environment by investigating and cleaning up abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. Under the program, the EPA can either: ~ Pay for site cleanup when parties responsible for the contamination cannot be located or are unwilling or unable to do the work; or ~ Take legal action to force parties responsible for site contamination to clean up the site or pay back the federal government for the cost of the cleanup.A-2 Contaminant. Any physical, chemical, biological or radiological substance or matter that has an adverse effect on air, water, or soil. A-1 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site Contamination. Introduction into water, air, and soil of microorganisms, chemicals, toxic substances, wastes or wastewater in a concentration that makes the medium unfit for its next intended use. Also applies to surfaces of objects, buildings and various household use products. Feasibility Study. Analysis of the practicality of a proposal (such as a description and analysis of potential cleanup alternatives for a site such as one on the National Priorities List). The feasibility study usually recommends selection of a cost-effective alternative. It usually starts as soon as the remedial investigation is under way; together, they are commonly referred to as the remedial investigation/ feasibility study. Federal Register. A daily publication that makes available to the public the rules, regulations, and other legal notices issued by federal administrative agencies. Hazardous Substance. Any material that poses a threat to human health and/or the environment. Typical hazardous substances are toxic, corrosive, ignitable, explosive or chemically reactive. 2. Any substance designated by the EPA to be reported if a designated quantity of the substance is spilled in the waters of the United States or is otherwise released into the environment. Hazardous Waste. Byproducts that can pose a substantial or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly managed. Hazardous wastes usually possess at least one of four characteristics (ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity or toxicity) or appear on special EPA lists. Information Repository. A file containing current information, technical reports and reference documents regarding a site. The information repository usually is located in a public building convenient for local residents such as a public school, town hall or library. National Priorities List. The EPA's list of serious uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites identified for possible long-term cleanup under Superfund.The list is based primarily on the score a site receives from the Hazard Ranking System. The EPA is required to update the National Priorities List at least once a year. Perchlorethylene. A colorless, nonflammable organic solvent used in dry-cleaning solutions and as an industrial solvent. Pollutant. Generally, any substance introduced into the environment that adversely affects the usefulness of a resource or the health of humans, animals or ecosystems. Preliminary Assessment/Site Investigation (PA/SI). A process of collecting and reviewing available information about a known or suspected hazardous waste site or release. The PA/SI usually includes a visit to the site. Proposed Plan. A plan for a site cleanup that is available to the public for comment. Public Comment Period. A formal opportunity for community members to review and contribute written comments on various EPA documents or actions. A-2 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site Public Meeting. Formal public sessions that are characterized by a presentation to the public followed by a question-and-answer session. Formal public meetings may involve the use of a court reporter and the issuance of transcripts. Formal public meetings are required only for the Proposed Plan and Record of Decision amendments. Public. The community or people in general or a part or section of the community grouped because of a common interest or activity. Record of Decision (ROD). A document signed by EPA outlining the selected remedy for a Superfund site.The ROD includes a responsiveness summary, which responds to comments raised during the public comment period for the Proposed Plan. Remedial Design/Remedial Action (RD/RA). Remedial design is a phase in the CERCLA response process in which technical drawings are developed for the chosen remedy, costs for implementing the remedy are estimated, and roles and responsibilities of EPA, states, and contractors are determined. During the remedial action phase, the remedy is implemented generally by a contractor, with oversight and inspection conducted by EPA or the state (or both). Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS). A two-part study that is completed before any Superfund-related remedial cleanup can begin. The first part is the Remedial Investigation, which is a study to determine the nature and extent of the contamination at the site. The second part is the Feasibility Study, which is an identification and evaluation of various clean-up alternatives. When completed, the RI/FS forms the basis for the EPA's decision as to what clean-up alternative should be selected for a particular Superfund site. Remedial Project Manager. The EPA official who is the technical lead on a project. Responsiveness Summary. A summary of oral and/or written public comments received by EPA during a comment period on key EPA documents, and EPA's responses to those comments. Superfund. The program operated under the legislative authority of CERCLA that funds and carries out EPA solid waste emergency and long-term removal and remedial activities. These activities include establishing the National Priorities List, investigating sites for inclusion on the list, determining their priority, and conducting and/or supervising cleanup and other remedial actions. A-3 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site APPENDIX B INFORMATION REPOSITORIES Information Repositories with Administrative Records, Website and Public Meeting Locations Local Information Repository Elkhart Public Library Reference Services 300 S. Second St. Elkhart, IN 46515 574-522-2665 Official Information Repository EPA Region 5 Superfund Record Center Room 711, 7th Floor Ralph Metcalfe Federal Building 77 W. Jackson Blvd. Chicago, IL 60604 www.epa.gov/reg5sfun/sfd/foia/sf-records-center.html EPA Site Web Page www.epa.gov/region5/cleanup/lanestreet Possible Meeting Locations Osolo Elementary School 24975 CR 6 East Elkhart, IN 46514 574-262-5590 B-1 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site APPENDIX C LIST OF CONTACTS Janet Pope Community Involvement Coordinator Superfund Division (SI-7J) 77W.Jackson Blvd. Chicago, IL 60604-3590 312-353-0628 800-621-8431, ext. 30628 pope.janet@epa.gov Leslie Blake Remedial Project Manager Superfund Division (SR-6J) 77 W. Jackson Blvd. Chicago, IL 60604-3590 312-353-7921 800-621-8431, ext. 37921 blake.leslie@epa.gov Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Mark Johnson, Ph.D. Senior Regional Representative ATSDR Region 5 77 W.Jackson Blvd. (ATSD-4J) Chicago, IL 60604-3590 312-353-3436 markjohnson@cdc.gov Douglas Petroff Project Manager Office of Land Quality 100 N. Senate Ave. Room IGCN 1101 Indianapolis, IN 46204 317-234-7179 800-451-6027 dpetroff@idem.in.gov Amy Hartsock Program Director Office of Chief of Staff/Media Relations 100 N. Senate Ave. Room IGCN 1313 Indianapolis, IN 46204 317-233-4927 800-451-6027 ahartsoc@idem.in.gov Federal Elected Officials Senator Dan Coats 1300 South Harrison Street, Suite 3161 Fort Wayne, IN 46802 260-426-3151 493 Russell Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 202-224-5623 h ttp://www. coats.senate.gov/con tact/ Senator Richard Lugar 6384 A West Jefferson Boulevard, Covington Plaza Fort Wayne, IN 46804 260-422-1505 306 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 202-224-4814 http://www.lugar.senate.gov/contact/contactform.cfm Congressman Joe Donnelly District 2 207 West Colfax Avenue, South Bend, IN 46601 574-288-2780 1530 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 202-225-3915 http://donnelly.house.gov/contact/contact-us-form.shtml C-1 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site Governor Mitch Daniels Office of the Governor 207 State House Springfield, IL 62706 217-782-0244 www2.illinois.gov/gov/pages/ contactthegovernor.aspx State Senator Joseph Zakas 11th District 200W.Washington Street Indianapolis, IN 46204 800-382-9467 or 317-232-9400 senator.zakas@iga.in.gov State Representative Timothy Neese 48th District 200W.Washington Street Indianapolis, IN 46204 800-382-9841 or 317-232-9600 h48@in.gov City of Elkhart Municipal Building 229 S. Second St. Elkhart, IN 46515 Dick Moore Mayor 574-294-5471 ext. 240 denise.blenner@coei.org Sue Beadle City Clerk 574-522-5272 Common Council Dave Osborne 1st District 574-266-5609 dave.osborne@coei.org Tonda Hines 6th District 574-596-5524 tonda.hines@coei.org Brian Thomas 2nd District 574-293-1862 brian.thomas@coei.org Mary Olson At-Large Councilwoman 574-262-3222 mary.olson@coei.org David Henke 3rd District 574-264-3586 david.henke@coei.org Kyle Hannon At-Large Councilman 574-266-6622 kyle.hannon@coei.org Ron Troyer 4th District 574-295-7787 ron.troyer@coei.org Rod Roberson At-Large Councilman 574-295-6420 rod.roberson@coei.org Brent Curry 5th District 574-294-5605 brent.curry@coei.org C-2 Community Involvement Plan ------- Lane Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site Local Agencies City of Elkhart Public Works 1201 Nappanee St. Elkhart, IN 46516 Elkhart County Health Department- Environmental Health Services 4230 Elkhart Rd. Goshen, IN 46526 Mike Machlan Engineering Service Manager & City Engineer 574-293-2572 pubworks@coei.org John Hulewicz Manager Health Education 574-875-3391 jhulewicz@elkhartcounty.com Newspapers The ElkhartTruth 103 South 3rd Street Goshen, IN 46526 574-522-5252 www.etruth.com The South Bend Tribune 225 W. Colfax Ave. South Bend, IN 46626 574-235-6161 www.southbendtribune.com Radio Stations WTRC 4747W.Washington Street South Bend, IN 46619 574-237-9931 WLEG 421 S. 2nd Street Elkhart, IN 46516 574-389-5100 WFRN 25802 County Road 26 Elkhart, IN 46517 574-875-5166 WVPE (NPR) 2720 California Road Elkhart, IN 46514 574-875-5166 Television Stations WSJV-TV (Fox), Channel 28 58096 County Road 7 Elkhart, IN 46517 574-679-9758 WN IT-TV (PBS) 2424 California Road Elkhart, IN 46514 574-262-3434 WNDU-TV Channel 16 54516 Indiana State Route South Bend, IN 46637 574-631-1616 WBND-TV ABC 57 3665 Park Place West Mishawaka, IN 46545 574-243-4316 WSJV-TV (Fox), Channel 28 58096 County Road 7 Elkhart, IN 46517 574-679-9758 C-3 Community Involvement Plan ------- |