XV EPA This Update Will Tell You About • The Lower PCB Sediment Cleanup Level • Changes to the Final Cleanup • Reducing Cleanup Costs • How You Can Get More Information Check out the Sheboygan River Record of Decision at http://www.epa.gov/region5/pdf/sheboygan_rod.pdf United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Public Affairs Region 5 77 W. Jackson Blvd. Chicago, Illinois 60604 Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin U.S. EPA Makes Final Decision on Sheboygan River and Harbor Cleanup Sheboygan County, Wisconsin May 2000 Introduction This fact sheet provides infor- mation about the final cleanup plan, called a Record of Deci- sion (ROD), finalized May 12, 2000, for the Sheboygan River and Harbor Superfund site in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. The U.S. Environmental Protec- tion Agency (U.S. EPA) issued a proposed plan for the site in May 1999 that summarized the alternatives for cleaning up con- taminated sediment and soil at the site. New information and comments regarding dredging issues were received during the public com- ment period that ran through August 13,1999. U.S. EPA modi- fied its final cleanup plan based on the new information and com- ments. As a result of these pro- posed changes, the cleanup costs of the recommended alternative were reduced. ------- Lowering the PCB Sediment Cleanup Level The proposed cleanup plan iden- tified a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) sediment cleanup level of 1 part per million (ppm), which was based on an analysis of hu- man and ecological health risks. Human health risks were recal- culated under an exposure scenario. An exposure scenario examines the type of individual who may be exposed to site con- taminants; current and expected future land use; the frequency duration, and magnitude of ex- posure; and the relative toxicity of various contaminants. The re- calculation resulted in the selec- tion of 0.5 ppm as the new sedi- ment cleanup level. Changing the Final Cleanup Plan Based on public comments and new information, significant changes were made by U.S. EPA. These changes primarily affected the Upper River and Inner Har- bor. • Upper River - The proposed plan called for dredging of contaminated sediment from the Tecumseh plant to the Waelderhaus Dam. Based on the cleanup level change, the ROD calls for an additional 2,500 cubic yards to be removed. • Middle River - The proposed plan called for re-sampling of sediment and long-term monitoring. There is no significant change between the proposed plan and the ROD. • Lower River & Inner Harbor - The proposed plan called for Lower River and Inner Harbor dredging of 100,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment between the Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge and the Inner Harbor mouth. This dredging would have provided a water depth of 10 to 12 feet and would have created a buffer between the contaminated sediment and the maximum water depth. Based on public comments, an analysis of sediment erosion was done using information coveringthelast20years. This analysis showed that PCB- contaminated sediment between the Pennsylvania Avenue and 8thStreet Bridges, rather than between the 8th Street Bridge and Inner Harbor mouth, is more likely to be stirred up by flooding and boat traffic. This analysis led U.S. EPA to select a cleanup plan that includes shore-to-shore dredging of 2 feet of contaminated sediment from the Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge to just past the 8th Street Bridge. Additional dredging might be required in certain areas of the Inner Harbor. • Floodplain Soil The proposed plan called for the removal of contaminated soil. There is no significant change between the proposed plan and the ROD. • Ground Water The proposed plan called for addressing continuing sources of contamination in Sheboygan Falls near the Tecumseh plant. There is no significant change between the proposed plan and the ROD. Reducing the Cleanup Costs Due to the proposed dredging changes, the cleanup cost is ex- pected to be less than proposed. The cost is lower because less sediment would be dredged and different methods are being used to determine the cost of the alter- natives. The cost of the Upper River cleanup was reduced from $31.4 million to $23.8 million. The cost of the Lower River and In- ner Harbor cleanup was reduced from $26.9 million to $10 million. Costs associated with the Middle River, Floodplain Soil, and Ground-water cleanups have only slight reductions. The total cleanup cost was reduced from nearly $66 million to approxi- mately $41 million. 2 ------- For More Information Anyone interested in learning more about the Sheboygan River and Harbor site cleanup, or the Superfund process in general, is encouraged to review documents in the information repositories located at the Mead Public Library, 710 North 8th Street, and the Sheboygan City Hall, 828 Center Avenue, 2nd Floor. An administrative record, which contains detailed information upon which the selection of the cleanup plan was based, is also available for review at the Mead Public Library and at the U.S. EPA Region 5 office in Chicago. For further information about the Sheboygan River and Harbor site, please contact: Tom Short, SR-6J Remedial Project Manager (312) 353-8826 short.thomas@epa.gov U.S. EPA Contacts Susan Pastor Community Involvement Coordinator (312) 353-1325 pastor.susan@epa.gov State of Wisconsin Contacts U.S. EPA Region 5 77 West Jackson Boulevard Chicago, IL 60604 Toll Free: 1-800-621-8431 http://www.epa.gov/region5 Tom Wentland Henry Nehls-Lowe Project Manager Epidemiologist Wisconsin Dept. of Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources Health and Family Services 4041 North Richards Street 1414 East Washington Avenue, Room 96 Milwaukee, WI 53212 Madison, WI 53703-3043 (414) 229-0853 (608) 266-3479 wentlt@dnr.state.wi.us nehlshl@dhfs.state.wi.us i 1 ¦ Mailing List Additions . | If you did not receive this fact sheet in the mail, you are not on the mailing list for the Sheboygan | I River and Harbor Superfund Site. To add your name, or to make a correction, please fill out this I I form and mail it to: I j Susan Pastor j I U.S. EPA Region 5 I j Office of Public Affairs (P-19J) j I 77 West Jackson Boulevard i I Chicago, Illinois 60604 I Name Address Affiliation Once you are on the mailing list, you will automatically receive information from U.S. EPA regarding the Sheboygan River and Harbor Site. 3 ------- oEPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 Office of Public Affairs (P-19J) 77 West Jackson Boulevard Chicago, Illinois 60604 Official Business, Penalty for Private Use $300 FIRST CLASS ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED Sheboygan River and Harbor Cleanup This fact sheet is printed on paper made of recycled fibers. ------- |