West Lake Update
January 16, 2015
A Year in
The year 2014 for the WesFCake Landfill Superfund
Site was an active time for work, both on and off the
site. EPA cooperated with partner agencies and local
stakeholders throughout the year to continue protect-
ing human health and the environment. Here's a look
back at some key landmarks:
EPA Analysis of PRPs' SSE Report
EPAs top researchers in the Office of Research and De-
velopment (ORD) completed a critical assessment of
the Potentially Responsible Parties' (PRPs) report on
what could happen if the subsurface smoldering event
(SSE) in the Bridgeton Landfill were to contact the
radiologically-impacted material (RIM) at the West
Lake site. EPA's experts agree the RIM is not expected
to be more or less radioactive in the presence of heat,
and there's no evidence that RIM will become explo-
sive in the presence of heat. EPA does expect there
to be increased releases of radon if the SSE were to
contact the RIM. The ORD review is available online:
www.epa.gov/region7/cleanup/west_lake_landfill/
EPA Partnership with USGS
In Spring 2014, EPA Region 7 requested
that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
review 2012-2014 groundwater monitoring
data for the West Lake Landfill Site. USGS
is a governmental science organization that
provides impartial information on the health of our
ecosystems and environment. As the federal govern-
ment's experts on groundwater, geology and hydro-
geology, USGS's partnership with EPA brings some of
the world's best and brightest groundwater scientists
to the West Lake team. The USGS groundwater report
to EPA was delivered on December 17 and is available
online: www.epa.gov/ region7/cleanup/west_lake_
landfill/pdf/west-lake-usgs-gw-rpt-12-17-14.pdf
tions during construction activities to determine if
any releases occur above any established health-based
benchmarks. The system currently conducts sampling
for typical solid waste landfill gases such as sulfur di-
oxide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, and volatile
organic compounds. Radiation monitoring for radon,
alpha, beta and gamma emissions is also underway.
EPA's summary of the data collected by the monitoring
system will be posted online in January 2015.
EPA Partnership with USAGE
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) entered into two Interagen-
cy Agreements with EPA Region 7
in 2014. The first agreement enables
USACE to provide construction
management support for the design
and construction of the proposed isolation barrier.
The second agreement allows USACE to perform an
Independent Technical Review of reports prepared by
the PRPs in response to the December 2011 National
Remedy Review Board consultation, and provide com-
munity relations support. Under the first agreement,
USACE is reviewing and commenting on the draft
design of the proposed isolation barrier. The Corps'
input regarding potentially applicable technologies for
and challenges to constructing the barrier will soon be
delivered to Region 7. USACE would also review work
plans provided by the PRPs associated with construc-
tion of the barrier.
EPA Supports Local Emergency Planning
Efforts
EPA Region 7 supported St. Louis County Emergency
Management in its contingency planning efforts. St.
Louis County has developed an Incident Action Plan
for potential emergency situations that could arise at
or near the West Lake Landfill Site. EPA has supported
this planning effort since March 2014 by participating
in planning calls, reviewing and commenting on the
draft plan, and providing a fact sheet to the county on
EPA's response assets as well as assets EPA can access
from other federal agencies and special teams through
the National Response System.
EPA Establishes Off-Site Air Monitoring
Network
EPA established an off-site air monitoring network
consisting of five locations in areas surrounding the
^ in early Summer
Jfl 2014. The purpose
of the system is to
document ambient
K air conditions off
¦,r,v	i the site, establish
v	, a baseline prior to
¦ : -	\ J construction activ-
R	I ities, and monitor
I J ambient air condi-
EPA Completes BMAC Radiation Screening
Radiation experts from EPA Region 7 and Region 5
worked from morning to night the week of May 19 to
complete a comprehen-
sive radiation screening
of the 70-acre Bridge-
ton Municipal Ath-
letic Complex (BMAC).
Combining a Global
Positioning System
(GPS)-linked radiation

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detector with soil sampling, this screening provided
the community with the definitive, scientifically-
backed results to confirm that the complex remains
suitable for use. EPA's screening of BMAC resulted
in the collection of data from 58,000 points along 45
miles of transecting lines. Three field survey teams
worked together to screen the complex. Using GPS and
radiation detection instruments, the teams screened
for gamma radiation and also collected more than 100
soil samples for laboratory testing for thorium, radium
and uranium. A final report is available online at EPA's
West Lake Landfill page, under the Site Documents
link: www.epa.gov/region07/cleanup/west_lake_land-
iill/
EPA Coordinates Isolation Barrier Work
with Airport
On August 6, Lambert-St. Louis International Air-
port management and representatives of the City of
St. Louis invited representatives of EPA, the Federal
Aviation Administration, and the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USAGE) to meet with Missouri Attorney
General Chris Koster to discuss the proposed isolation
barrier at the West Lake Landfill Site. The meeting fo-
cused on potential impacts to public health and safety.
A main topic of the meeting was the potential for open
excavation at the landfill to attract large numbers of
birds, which can pose a safety hazard for aircraft flying
in and out of the airport. Airport officials expressed
that due to the length of the isolation barriers excava-
tion phase and the amount of waste to be excavated,
there is a significant potential for a bird hazard to
develop from activities associated with construction.
While plans for the isolation barrier are still in devel-
opment, Lambert-St. Louis International Airport will
day an important role in reviewing the proposed bird
azard mitigation plans to ensure the safety of the fly-
ing public and surrounding community.
Brad Vann Joins West Lake Team as EPA's
Project Manager
In October, Brad"Vann became
EPAs new Project Manager for
the site, replacing Dan Gravatt.
Brad will work with stakehold-
ers throughout the remedial
process to investigate the site,
characterize contamination,
and help select and implement i
remedial actions in accordance1'
with laws that protect human health and the environ-
ment. Prior to working at EPA, Brad served for 13
years as a hydrogeologist and project manager for
USAGE, where he worked on the Formerly Utilized
Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) sites and
the former Weldon Spring Ordinance Works. Brad
holds a Master's Degree in geology from Oklahoma
State University.
EPA Updates West Lake Landfill Website
EPA Region 7 updated its West Lake Landfill website
to more clearly and effectively communicate with

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the public. The new web-
site features several new
sections, including a map
of the Superfund site and
its boundaries, a "What's
New" section, and a section
dedicated to the West Lake
Update Path Ahead - to
provide a central resource
of site information to the
public. Region 7's Twitter feed and Facebook photo
gallery are also accessible through this website. All
documents available on the previous website are still
available in the new document archive, directly linked
to the new website: www.epa.gov/region7/cleanup/
west_lake_landfill
EPA Reviewing Isolation Barrier Alternatives
Assessment
EPA Region 7 received the isolation barrier alternatives
report from the PRPs this fall. This report provides
preliminary analysis of the possible isolation barrier
alignments, including analysis of bird control issues
associated with each alignment. The report is currently
under review and evaluation by various offices within
EPA, and by USAGE and the St. Louis Airport Author-
ity. Upon completion of the review, EPA will use US-
AGE'S advice to determine next steps in the isolation
barrier decision-making process, me Isolation Barrier
Alternatives Assessment report is available online:
www.epa.gov/ region7/cleanup/west_lake_landfill
Community Inquiries
Ben Washburn
913-551-7364
Washburn.Ben@epa.gov
Find Us On
www.facebook.com/eparegion7
www.twitter.com/eparegion7
www.scribd.com/eparegion7
www.epa.gov/region7/cleanup/west_lake_landfill
EPA Provides Independent Technical Assis-
tance to the Community
Through its Technical Assistance
Services for Communities (TASC
contract, EPA continues to pro-
vide an independent environmen-
tal consultant to help community
residents better understand con-
ditions at the West Lake Landfill
Superfund Site. Terrie Boguski is
the lead consultant working for
the Community Advisory Group
(CAG) and community as a
whole. TASC contractors provide
independent analysis, review and technical assistance
to the community, and they work at the direction of
the community—independent of EPA.

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