Riverfront landowners share concerns about dioxin cleanup; EPA-Dow agreement discussed
By Tony Lascari tlascari@mdn.net midland daily news
Published: Friday, November 6, 2009 9:08 AM EST

Local residents concerned about potential contamination cleanup work on their riverfront properties spoke up Thursday at a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency meeting at Saginaw Valley State University.

The EPA is considering creating a Superfund cleanup process for the Tittabawassee River, Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay. The agency negotiated a proposed agreement with The Dow Chemical Co. and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality that will be under public review through Dec. 17.

The toxic chemical byproduct dioxin was released into the Tittabawassee River from Dow’s Michigan Operations site in Midland, along with other contamination that then spread downstream to the Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay.

The proposed agreement does not include specific cleanup work to be done, but in it Dow agrees to develop a plan to determine the extent of contamination, develop cleanup options and evaluate the performance and costs of the various options. The proposal marks a potential coordinated cleanup process after decades of delays.

David Bicigo, a homeowner on the Tittabawassee River, said he bought a few acres of land on the river hoping to enjoy an outdoor lifestyle, but soon discovered the property was contaminated.

“Over the years I don’t think the homeowners’ concerns have been addressed,” he said, adding that he feels like the process has been dragged out.

Sam Shaheen, a local doctor and property owner along the river, said he’s never seen direct health effects from dioxin or furan exposure in the community. He said as a property owner on the Tittabawassee, he doesn’t want to see drastic changes to his riverbank from any cleanup efforts.

Dow has tested various bank treatment options to stabilize eroding banks, which can redistribute contamination into the system, including less invasive methods such as tree trimming that wouldn’t scar the land. Specific cleanup options are not being considered as part of the current agreement.

Richard Karl, EPA Region 5 Superfund Division director, said agency staff members came to the meeting with an open mind and will re-evaluate the proposal if needed based on public comments. He said the potential agreement is important to the local environment and residents, adding it’s a big step forward in getting cleanup at the site.

“The sooner we begin this work the sooner we can complete this work,” he said.

The proposal specifies work to be done by the EPA and MDEQ, with the EPA taking a leadership role and the MDEQ retaining its authority to require further action if it sees fit. Frank Ruswick, MDEQ senior policy adviser, said the EPA’s requirements will likely meet the state’s needs in most cases.

“What we want to be able to avoid is the agencies not being able to reconcile their differences,” he said.

EPA Region 5 Superfund Division Program Manager Wendy Carney said once an agreement is in place, assessment work can begin quickly. She said high-use properties such as homes and parks will begin to be investigated within 60 days of an agreement being signed. Investigations of highly contaminated river bank soil and sediment also can begin quickly.

Freeland resident Mike Kelly said there have been years of meetings on the topic and there’s finally an agreement that the EPA and Dow feel will work well to address the contamination.

“For the first time, I think there’s light at the end of the tunnel and I encourage people to not delay at this point,” he said.

Leonard Heinzman, a property owner on the Tittabawassee in Freeland, said he’s been bothered by the Lone Tree Council’s influence on the process, with the local environmental group getting the public comment period extended 30 days and getting a $50,000 technical assistant through an EPA grant. He feels the council should have its say, but not be self-aggrandizing as they work toward a final solution.

Annette Rummel, with the Convention and Visitors Bureaus in the Tri-Counties, called on EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to listen to an official Community Advisory Group that’s forming, rather than groups with a special interest.

The Lone Tree Council’s Michelle Hurd Riddick said there was a lot of energy wasted on criticizing the council, rather than commenting on the proposed agreement between Dow and the EPA. The council applied for a grant for the adviser with the Tittabawassee River Watch and Bay County Sustainability Society. Hurd Riddick said the adviser, Peter deFur of Environmental Stewardship Concepts, will benefit all community members.

“He’s here for all the community, we just retained him,” she said. “He’s there for everybody.”

Laura Burtt, a Tri-County resident, said the technical adviser is important and will help the whole community by answering questions and interpreting documents.

“I feel it’s one of the most helpful things that’s come out of this so far,” she said.

Dow spokeswoman Mary Draves said Dow wants to move forward with the EPA in implementing an agreement once it is signed.

“We’re committed to a resolution,” she said.

To comment on the proposed agreement, visit www.epa.gov/region5/publiccomment  or e-mail krause.patricia@epa.gov . People also can fax comments to (312) 697-2568 or mail them to Partricia Krause, Superfund Division (SI-7J), U.S. EPA Region 5, 77 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604.

http://ourmidland.com/articles/2009/11/06/local_news/doc4af42dbccc062833261388.txt

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