oEPA

United States
Environmental Protection
Agency

Grant award for watershed
council

EPA recently awarded the
Kalamazoo Watershed Council a
technical assistance grant. The grant
will allow the watershed council
to advise and support the public as
the Kalamazoo River cleanup pro-
gresses.

EPA also expects to receive $6.2
million in a legal settlement with
some of the companies that have
owned or operated the Plainwell
Mill. The money can be used for
future cleanup work.

Contact EPA

If you have any questions, concerns,
comments or want to be on the mail-
ing list for Kalamazoo River cleanup
news, you can contact these EPA
representatives:

Don de Blasio

EPA Community Involvement
Coordinator

(800) 621-8431 ext. 64360,
weekdays 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

E-mail: deblasio.don@epa.gov

Shari Kolak

EPA Remedial Project Manager
(800) 621-8431 ext. 66151,
weekdays 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

E-mail: kolak.shari@epa.gov

EPA Will Study Effects of
Dam Removals on Cleanup

Kalamazoo River Superfund Site

Kalamazoo and Allegan Counties, Michigan

November 2003

Site-related document information
is on the back page.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 will examine a report due
from another federal agency in November before proceeding with its own
cleanup proposals for Kalamazoo River pollution. EPA has been conducting
an in-depth study (called a remedial investigation/feasibility study) on river
impoundments in Plainwell and Otsego City. The impoundments hold tons
of soil contaminated with the chemical compound poly chlorinated biphe-
nyls (commonly called PCBs). PCBs were released in the wastes of several
paper mills along the Kalamazoo. EPA is paying for a study, commissioned
by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, requesting U.S.
Geological Survey to research the effects of removing the state-owned dams
in Plainwell, Otsego and farther downstream in Trowbridge. Preliminary
results from the USGS study are expected this month, and EPA will care-
fully consider the research before announcing its proposed cleanup plan for
the two impoundments. When EPA announces its proposed cleanup plan - in
2004 - it will be released to the public through fact sheets such as this one,
newspaper notices, and postings to the Region 5 Web site: www.epa.gov/
region5/sites/kalproject. The public will then have considerable opportunity
to comment on and perhaps modify EPA's plans before the Agency releases
its final cleanup decision.

People's health top priority for EPA

The state of Michigan, some members of the public and environmental
groups would like the state-owned dams removed so the river can be partly
restored to a more natural state. EPA's first priority in deciding whether
the dams should stay or go is to determine whether dam removal is neces-
sary to protect public health and the environment. EPA must also make sure
its cleanup plan is scientifically sound and can be defended in court. The
Agency hopes eventually to reach an agreement with several companies
responsible for the pollution to pay for the cleanup projects.

Since 2002, EPA has been responsible for enforcing the cleanup of an 80-
mile stretch of the Kalamazoo River and three miles of Portage Creek run-
ning from near Battle Creek to Lake Michigan. EPA decided its first prior-
ity should be attacking the sources of PCBs that are eroding into the river.
Those sources include exposed paper wastes along the riverbanks (impound-
ments) such as at Plainwell and Otsego City. After the PCB sources are
removed or contained, EPA will look at the contamination in the river mud,
called sediment.


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&EPA

United States
Environmental Protection
Agency

Region 5

Office of Public Affairs (P-19J) - de Blasio

77 W. Jackson Blvd.	PIDQT Tl AQQ

Chicago, IL 60604	NI\Ol IrLAOO

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Plainwell and Otsego City Cleanup Plan Waiting on Study of Dams

(details inside)

This fact sheet is printed on paper made of recycled fibers.

Site-related documents may be reviewed at:



Kalamazoo Public Library

Charles Ransom Library

Allegan Public Library

315 South Rose

180 South Sherwood

331 Hubbard Street

Kalamazoo, Mich.

Plainwell, Mich.

Allegan, Mich.

Waldo Library

Otsego District Library

Saugatuck-Douglas Library

Western Michigan University

219 South Farmer Street

10 Mixer Street

1903 West Michigan Avenue

Otsego, Mich.

Douglas, Mich.

Kalamazoo, Mich.





Site information is also posted to: http:,

/'www. epa. gov region? sites



This work is being carried out in compliance with the provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act and

the Endangered Species Act.






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