vvEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Informational meeting EPA is holding a public meeting Wednesday, Nov. 3, to update the community about the Kalamazoo River cleanup activities for 2010. The meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. at the Comfort Inn and Conference Center, 622 Allegan St., Plainwell. EPA representatives and other officials will make a formal presentation and then be available to discuss the site activities with you individually. If you need special accommodations at the meeting, contact EPA Community Involvement Coordinator Don de Blasio (see below) by Oct. 27. Contact EPA For more information or if you have comments about the Kalamazoo River cleanup, contact: Don de Blasio Community Involvement Coordinator EPA Region 5 (SE-7J) 77 W. Jackson Blvd. Chicago, IL 60604-3590 312-886-4360 or 800-621-8431, Ext. 4360, weekdays, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., deblasio.don@epa.gov You can read more information about the Kalamazoo River cleanup online at: www.epa.gov/region5/sites/ kalproject. Plainwell #2 Dam Removal Nears Completion Allied Paper/Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund Site Kalamazoo, Michigan November 2010 This fact sheet provides updates on the cleanup activities at the Allied Paper/Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund site. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has made significant progress at the Plainwell #2 Dam. The public is invited to attend the public meeting (see sidebar for details) to learn more about the cleanup activities at the site. Plainwell #2 Dam site background In June 2009 Georgia-Pacific LLC, a party responsible for the pollution at the site, and EPA entered into a legal agreement committing Georgia-Pacific to conduct an emergency cleanup in the Plainwell #2 Dam area. During the last two years, Georgia-Pacific performed significant soil and sediment (mud) sampling in this location. Based on these samples, EPA determined that a cleanup should occur near the #2 Dam to stop the continuing release of PCBs. PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are chemical compounds with common industrial uses. At high concentrations and exposures they can cause illness in people and wildlife. In 2009 activities began to remove PCB-contaminated soil along the north side of the Kalamazoo River as part of the Plainwell #2 Dam cleanup plan. Approximately 4,900 feet of riverbank were cleared, excavated and restored. Approximately 4,725 cubic yards of soil and debris were taken for disposal. During the winter of 2010, cleanup activities began on the south side of the Kalamazoo River, including excavation, dredging and disposal of PCB- contaminated soil and sediment. Completed Plainwell #2 Dam cleanup activities EPA has removed a total of 12,400 cubic yards of contaminated soil and sediment along 6,700 feet of riverbank in this area. During the 2009 and 2010 cleanup, 17,100 cubic yards of soil and sediment were removed from 11,000 linear feet of riverbank. More than 672,500 square feet of riverbank have been restored, including replanting with native vegetation. The Plainwell #2 Dam cleanup project will be completed at the end of 2010. Additional cleanup studies A February 2007 legal agreement required additional study of the Kalamazoo River and Portage Creek. Planners divided the river and creek into seven areas for closer examination. Area 1 consists of the Kalamazoo River between Morrow Dam and Plainwell, and Portage Creek between Cork Street and the Kalamazoo River. All soil and sediment sampling activities at Area 1 have been completed, and a site investigation report will be submitted to EPA in April 2011. A plan for investigating the PCB contamination in Area 2, which consists of the Kalamazoo River between the former Plainwell Dam and the Otsego City Dam, was submitted to EPA in July 2010. EPA submitted comments on the ------- plan and it is being revised by Georgia-Pacific. Initial data collection for Area 2 will begin in late fall/winter of 2010, with extensive soil and sediment sampling to occur during the summer of 2011. Mill updates Plainwell Mill During the spring of 2010, Weyerhaeuser Co. collected soil samples for the Plainwell Mill cleanup investigation, and will provide a report to EPA in the spring of 2011. Based on terms of a settlement with the federal government, Weyerhaeuser has been investigating and sampling the mill, with EPA oversight. EPA expects to release a cleanup plan, in a document called a record of decision, in 2012, with cleanup activities to follow. Landfill updates 12th Street Landfill By the end of 2010, Weyerhaeuser will complete construction of the landfill cap and monitoring system for 12th Street Landfill. The activities include capping of contaminated paper residuals, a ventilation system for landfill gasses, an underlying ground water monitoring system, and site access restrictions. Willow Boulevard/A-Site Landfill Georgia-Pacific submitted a preliminary cleanup report to EPA for the Willow Boulevard/A-Site Landfill. The company will install a permanent landfill cover, a landfill gas venting system and a ground water monitoring system at the landfill. The cleanup plan also includes removing contaminated soil from nearby wetlands and removing sheet piling. These cleanup activities will begin in 2011 and end in 2012. Allied Paper Landfill EPA is studying cleanup alternatives for the site. EPA will share cleanup recommendations and proposed plan with the public and accept comments in the spring of 2011. 2 ------- LEGEND REMOVALAREA BOUNDARY - ROAD CENTERLINE H 1- RAILROAD MEDIAN WATER LINE (APPROXIMATE) RIVER CLEARING/GRUBBING COMPLETE REMOVAL COMPLETE REMOVAL AND REPLANTING COMPLETE AREAS TARGETED FOR REMOVAL IN 2010 3 ------- Public Information Meeting Wednesday, Nov. 3 6:30 p.m. Comfort Inn and Conference Center 622 Allegan St. Plainwell ¦sjdqy papAoaj}o apeui jaded uo paiuud si }aaqs loej. siq± UO!10|dlUOQ SJB0|\| IBAOLUey UJBQ 3# lie/NAUjeid :311s aNfldd^dnS H3AIH OOZV1AIV1VM/M33HO 3DV±HOd/H3dVd Q3I11V Q31S3nD3a 30IAH3S NHni3H CCWT1 I CUIJ 06S£-t,0909 "II 'o6eo!L|Q OO V IJ 10QI3 -pA|g UOS>|OBr M LL (rz-IS) uojSjAjQ punpsdns g uojBsy AousBv UOIlOaiOJJ I61U8OIU0JIAU3 saieis paijun Vd3'cv ------- |