FACT SHEET Tri-State Mining District Cherokee County Superfund Site Baxter Springs, Kansas EPA Region 7 February 2003 Environmental Work in Baxter Springs Nears Completion INTRODUCTION The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 continues to oversee work at the Tri-State Mining District site in Baxter Springs, Kansas. The first phase of the residential cleanup work in Baxter Springs started in 2000 and was completed in 2001. The second phase of residential cleanups and the rural mining wastes cleanup, west of town, started in 2002 and will be completed in 2003. BACKGROUND The Tri-State Mining District is an inactive lead and zinc mining area that includes the Cherokee County Superfund site in Kansas. The Cherokee County site is listed on EPA's National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL is a list of the most serious hazardous waste sites in the country. These sites have been identified for remedial action under the Superfund program. EPA signed a Record of Decision or ROD for the Baxter Springs subsite in August 1997. The ROD formally selected a cleanup plan. The cleanup plan addresses residential yard soils in Baxter Springs and surface mining wastes in former mining areas west of town. Meeting Announcement ] EPA will host an informal meeting, Wednesday, February 26, 2003 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Baxter Springs Community Center 4th and West Avenue Baxter Springs, Kansas Staff members involved at the site will be available to answer your questions, one-on- one. You can attend the meeting at your convenience between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Questions regarding the status of residential properties or the mine waste cleanup will be answered. General information will be provided and all questions are welcomed. For more information, please call: Hattie Thomas Office of External Programs Toll-free 1-800-223-0425 1-913-551-7003 ------- The ROD called for stabilizing and re- vegetating the mining wastes, removing wastes from drainages, and excavating and disposing of mining impacted residential soils. A health education program and institutional controls, such as local zoning or building ordinances for land use controls, were also put in place or planned. SITE UPDATE The responsible parties are completing the work in Baxter Springs under EPA's and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's oversight. The work includes cleaning up the surface mining wastes and the mining impacted residential yard soils. The cleanup work west of town is ongoing and the last phase of the residential yard cleanup work is nearly complete. A total of 45 properties have been remediated and over 430 have been sampled. Nearly 150 acres of mining wastes in the Ballard, Spring Branch, and Willow Creek areas have been addressed. All of the work is anticipated to be done in 2003. NEXT STEPS Less than ten residential properties still need to be sampled. There is also a limited amount of mine waste work, west of town, that remains to be completed. EPA will hold an informal public meeting on Wednesday, February 26, 2003, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m at the Baxter Springs Community Center, 4th and West Avenue, in Baxter Springs, Kansas. The meeting is scheduled for the public to attend in the afternoon or early evening, after work. People can attend the meeting, at their convenience between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Baxter Springs Residential Yard Sampling and Cleanup You can visit or phone the local site field office if you have questions about the residential yard sampling and cleanup. The field office is a fenced trailer area located east of the intersection of Route 166 and 5th Street on the east side of the O'Brien cement plant. The phone number is 620-856-2047. Cherokee County, Kansas Superfund Site The Cherokee County, Kansas Superfund site Administrative Record is available for public review. The Administrative Record contains relevant site information concerning the Baxter Springs subsite and is available during normal business hours at: Johnston Public Library, 210 West 10th Baxter Springs, Kansas EPA Region 7 Superfund Records Center 901 N. 5th Street Kansas City, Kansas. If you have questions about this fact sheet, or the site, please contact: Hattie Thomas, EPA Region 7 Community Involvement Coordinator 901 N. 5th Street Kansas City, Kansas 66102 Email: thomas,hattie@epa.gov 1-913-551 -7003/Toll-free: 1 -800-223-0425 Dave Drake, EPA Region 7 Project Manager 901 N. 5th Street Kansas City, Kansas 66101 Email: drake.dave@epa.gov 1-913-551 -7626/Toll-free: 1 -800-223-0425 ------- |