SEPA

United States
Environmental Protection
Agency

Region 10

Plan to address pollution at former
FMC phosphorus processing plant

Interim Retard of Derision Amendment will protect people,
animals, and the environment from (ontamination

Power County, Idaho

October 2012

EPA's cleanup plan for the former FMC plant
at the Eastern Midland Flats Superfund site
focuses on elemental phosphorus, metals, and
radiation in soils, fill, and groundwater.

It calls for placing a barrier over contaminated
soils to protect people and the environment.

The barrier will prevent rain and melting
snow from filtering through the contaminated
areas and polluting the groundwater below.

The plan also requires treatment to clean the
groundwater before it reaches local springs
or the Portneuf River. This cleanup plan
was developed after careful consideration of
extensive comments we received during the
public comment period on the September
2011. Proposed Plan.

This cleanup plan will prevent people and animals from coming into contact with contamination at the former
FMC plant, and will improve both groundwater and surface water quality.

How does the cleanup plan address this contamination?

The plan, called the Interim Record of Decision

Amendment for the EMF Superfund Site FMC

Operable Unit, includes the following remedies:

'> Installing a protective cap to provide a barrier
to underlying contamination and prevent water
from moving through the contamination and
polluting the groundwater.

> Adding about 12 inches of soil over some
areas to prevent exposure to radiation from the
polluted areas.

i* Cleaning elemental phosphorus from
underground concrete pipes.

p Installing a groundwater extraction and

treatment system to keep pollution from local
springs and the Portneuf River.

> Installing barriers, such as additional fencing,
after the caps are constructed to further limit
site access.

P Placing restrictions on future site use and
prohibiting some activities such as digging
in capped areas and the use of contaminated
groundwater.

I* Developing and implementing a long-term
monitoring and maintenance program for the
groundwater treatment system, caps, and other
barriers.

Continued next page &


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Plan to address pollution at the former FMCphosphorusprocessingplant

What are the next steps?

•	EPA will negotiate with FMC to have them
design, implement and pay for the cleanup under
strict oversight by EPA and the Shoshone-
Bannock Tribes.

•	The design to determine the detailed technical
specifications for the cleanup will begin in 6-12
months.

•	Cap construction and groundwater treatment can
begin after design completion. Some activities
may occur before the technical designs are
completed.

•	On-the-ground work under this cleanup plan is
expected to begin in 1-2 years.

•	The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes firmly believe a
different cleanup approach would be better for
the FMC property. To address the Shoshone-
Bannock Tribes' concerns, EPA has committed
to working with the Tribes to facilitate an
independent review of technologies and
approaches that can be safely and effectively
implemented to excavate and/or treat elemental
phosphorus at the FMC property. However, the
review will not delay implementation of this
Record of Decision Amendment.

•	EPA supports redevelopment at the former FMC
property, as long as it is consistent with the actions
outlined in the amended Record of Decision.

How do I get more information?

EPA Website:



Download the Interim Record of Decision Amendment, copies of EPA's response to comments on

the 2011 Proposed Plan, and other documents related to the Eastern Michaud Flats Superfund site.

^ http://vosemite.epa. gov/RlO/cleanup, nsf/sites/emichaud

Contact:

Kay Morrison,

Kevin Rochlin, Remedial Project Manager

EPA Community Involvement Coordinator

8 Toll free 800-424-4372 Ext. 2106

8 Toll free 800-424-4372 ext. 8321

or 206-553-2106

or 206-553-8321

^ rochlin.kevin@epa.ffov

^0 morrison.kav@epa.2-ov

Documents



The full Interim Record of Decision Amendment for the EMF Saperfand Site FMC Operable Unit,

is available at:



Idaho State University Library

Shoshone-Bannock Library

Government Documents

Tribal Business Center

850 South 9th Avenue

Pima Drive and Bannock Avenue

Pocatello, Idaho 83209

Fort Hall, Idaho 83203

208-282-3152

208-478-3882

American Falls Library

EPA Records Center

308 Roosevelt Street

1200 6th Avenue Suite 900

American Falls, Idaho 83211

Seattle, WA 98101

208-226-2335

206-553-4494

800-424-4372 for appointment

You can request an electronic copy of the document

on CD by contacting Kay Morrison, EPA Community

Involvement Coordinator. 206-553-8321 or 800-424-4372. or bv email to morrison.kav@epa.2-ov
v J


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Background

The former FMC phosphorus processing plant is
located mostly on the Fort Hall Reservation near
Pocatello, Idaho, and is within the Eastern Michaud
Flats Superfund Site. FMC manufactured elemental
phosphorus at their plant from 1940 until
December 2001.

While FMC was in operation, elemental phosphorus
from spills and leaks during production, storage, and
handling contaminated the property and polluted
the water below which, in turn, has also polluted the
Portneuf River.

Elemental phosphorus now can be found down to 85
feet below the surface on FMC property. Elemental
phosphorus can explode and burn uncontrollably
when it is exposed to air.

Slag (a byproduct of processing phosphate ore), used
as fill and stored in mountain-sized piles on site, emits
dangerous gamma radiation.

Exposure to elemental phosphorus and other
contaminants at the levels found at the former
FMC plant is dangerous to people, animals, and the
environment.

This cleanup plan, called an Interim Record of Decision
Amendment, details work for the former FMC plant
that was not included in the original 1998 Record of
Decision. EPA will be monitoring the soil, air, and
groundwater to ensure that the remedies outlined in
the new plan are meeting our goals, and adjustments
will be made if needed.

Once the groundwater treatment system is in
operation, predictions on how long it will take to
meet our goals and whether changes are required to
ensure cleanup goals are met can be more accurately
determined. In addition, EPA has not yet determined
if the recently adopted Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Soil
Cleanup Standards apply to the cleanup. For these
reasons, this plan is considered "interim" and a "final"
cleanup plan will be developed in the future.

Superfund Process Flow Chart
For the FMC Property

2001
FMC Closes

1998
Record of
Decision
(ROD)

Supplemental

Remedial
Investigations
and

Supplemental
Feasibility
Study

FMC
O.U.

-~ ROD

Amendment

Remedial
Design/
Remedial
Action

For more information about the Superfund Process, please go to
www.eoa.aoy/suDerfund/community/orocess.htm


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Plan to address pollution at the former FMCphosphorusprocessingplant

vvEPA

United States
Environmental Protection
Agency

Region 10

1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 900, ETPA-081
Seattle, Washington 98101-3140

October 2012

Plan to address pollution at former
FMC phosphorus processing plant

Interim Record of Decision Amendment
will protect people, animals, and
the environment from contamination

liMiwiMAffiiffa



If you need materials in an alternative format, please contact
Kay Morrison at 800-424-4372 ext. 8321

[ft TDD Users please call the Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339
and ask for Kay Morrison at the number listed above


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