DEQ, Dow to present dioxin cleanup plans
Kathie Marchlewski, Midland Daily News 11/05/2005
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and The Dow Chemical Co. are
preparing to present their most recent round of plans to address local dioxin
contamination.
At a meeting Wednesday, 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Horizons Conference Center, the
department and company will explain plans for further investigating the scope of
the contamination problem – a precursor to figuring out what to do about it.
The meeting is the first of a series of townhall-style gatherings planned for
the upcoming year with hopes of garnering input from dioxin-affected
communities.
"Ultimately, for this process to be effective, we need buy-in from
citizens in the affected area," said DEQ spokesman Robert McCann.
On the agenda is an explanation of Dow’s recently submitted and approved "Scope
of Work," which is an outline of a comprehensive plan for a series of studies
that Dow is due to submit a blueprint for by year-end. The future studies are
expected eventually to lead to a final remediation plan.
According to the newly revised documents, the company plans to test Midland and
Tittabawassee soil and use samples for a bioavailability study. Researchers
already have completed a pilot investigation, which also will be presented at
the upcoming meeting.
That and other study is expected begin within 45 days from the time Dow submits
its final remedial investigation plans – by mid-February.
Similar "Scope of Work" submissions began in October 2003. The "framework"
plan to move forward, which was agreed to by both Dow and DEQ in January, is the
parent document of the soon-to-be-Scope of Work that will be discussed
Wednesday.
Dow spokesman John Musser said the SOW is similar to those presented originally,
though some of the work planned previously, such as interim response activities
– the loose soil covering, carpet cleaning and duct cleaning at homes expected
to have the highest levels of contamination – already has been completed.
Staff from the DEQ and Dow will be available both before and after the meeting
for individual discussion with the public. The agenda for the meeting and Scopes
of Work documents are available for preview at
www.michigan.gov/deqdioxin .
Click on the "DEQ/Dow Community Involvement" Quick Link. Advertisement
©Midland Daily News 2005
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