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CONTACT:
Anne Rowan, 312-353-9391, rowan.anne@epa.gov
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE ( "EPA
has clearly heard the concerns of No determination
has been made regarding a disposal site or sites for material excavated during
2008. EPA will solicit public input on all disposal options considered. "The
agreement ensures this important cleanup project will move forward while
addressing the concerns that we have heard," said Steven E. Chester,
director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. "I look
forward to keeping an open dialogue with the community as we continue our
efforts to restore the The
2007 cleanup work - which was halted on April 13 to allow for additional
community input - will resume on May 2. EPA expects that about one-third of the
sediment will be removed during 2007. Under the new plan, material excavated
from the river during 2007 will be sent to permitted commercial landfills. The
alternative plan for 2007 was proposed by Georgia-Pacific and Millennium
Holdings. The companies agreed to perform the $21-25 million cleanup under EPA
and Michigan DEQ oversight earlier this year. The government agencies and
companies agreed to the new disposal approach this week. A variety of
technical, logistical and financial details will be addressed over the next few
weeks. Under
a cleanup plan announced February 28, an estimated 132,000 cubic yards of sediment
was to be sent to Allied Paper's existing disposal area during the 2007-2008
construction seasons. Though the disposal plan for 2007 has been revised, both
EPA and Michigan DEQ firmly believe the original work plan presented in
February is fully protective of human health and the environment and would have
presented no negative impacts to the More
information about the Allied Paper/Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund site
may be found at http://www.epa.gov/region5/sites/kalproject/
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