URBANWATERS A Partnership for Restoring Urban Waters, Revitalizing Communities Where to Find Information Regarding the Hexavalent Chromium spill at U.S.Steel in Portage Greetings Partners, We knew people have a lot of questions right now concerning this week's spill at U. S. Steel. You can find the most recent information on EPA's public website at resDonse.eDa.aov/USSteelHexavalentChrome. An update from EPA is expected later today. The site contains EPA contact information, and you can also contact EPA staffer and Urban Waters partner, Pea Donnelly, or me, Jen Birchfield to help you connect with the right person. Information on beach closures can be found on the NPS website. Pasted below is EPA's most recent press release: EPA continues response to chemical spiil from U.S. Steel's Portage, Ind., facility Contact Information: Rachel Bassler, fbassler.rachel@epa.aw). 312-886-7159 Chicago (April 12, 2017) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emergency responders continued a second day of intensive water sampling efforts following U.S. Steel's report yesterday that its Portage, Ind., facility had released hexavalent chromium to Burns Waterway - about 100 yards from Lake Michigan, U.S. Steel has reported to EPA that its release has been stopped at the source. It's not known hew much has been spilled. EPA sampling today and yesterday has not detected hexavalent chromium from the spill in Lake Michigan. Yesterday, in an abundance of caution, Indiana American Water in Ogden Dunes - the nearest municipal water source -- shut down its water intake and switched to a reserve water supply. The National Park Service also closed four beaches (east and west of Burns Ditch) and a riverwalk at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, The intake, beaches and riverwalk remain closed today. Today, EPA continues to conduct sampling at the outfall, water intake, beaches and Burns Ditch. • Outfall results still show detectable hexavalent chromium in the waterway, Overnight, levels at the outfall were as high as 2,231 ug/L. • Water intake results initially showed hexavalent chromium levels slightly abwe the detection limit. A confirmation run on that same sample showed that it was at or below the detection limit, well below EPA's health-based standard for drinking water. • EPA and the National Park Service have identified additional locations for water and sediment sampling along the lakeshore (east and west of Burns Ditch). EPA is working closely with the Indiana Dept. of Environmental Management, the City of Portage, the water company and NPS. EPA will prwide another update on April 13 For more information, visit response.epa.gw/USSteelHexavalentChrome. Abwe EPA image of water at spill site. The Northwest Indiana Urban Waters Partnership focuses on the Lake Michigan watershed in Lake, LaPorte and Porter Counties, Indiana. Urban Waters works to connect urban communities, particularly those that are overburdened or economically distressed, with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and state and local partners. The goals are to improve the Nation's water systems and to promote their economic, environmental and social benefits. ------- |