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Letter from Mike Baker, COPA
to Dan Hopkns, EPA
May 14, 1997
Dan Hopkins
Chicago, Illinois
Dear Dan,
It has been some time since we talked, and I would like to maintain fairly
regular communication with you to discuss activities at the Bloomington
sites. I have been busy trying to stay informed about the current proposals
for cleanup and risk assessment at Winston Thomas and Lemon Lane. COPA has
had meetings with many of our members and I have talked to many people in
the community concerning our present state of affairs. I hope to convey
a general sense of how I believe most of the involved community feels relative
to present actions
First of all I again want to commend EPA and you for your draft action concerning
the West Side of Clear Creek. Everyone I talked too agreed that it was about
time EPA took control of a bad situation and exercised some authority to
take action. We have argued for years about potential health risks associated
with Illinois Central, Connard's Branch and other sites but never has there
been such a clear case of "imminent danger, threat to public health"
than the WSCC. I have parked next to the trailer court several times to
watch children play in the area and it makes me sick that this exposure
is allowed to continue. Unfortunately I believe the community expects EPA
to not follow the draft plan, to give in again to Westinghouse, and not
require cleanup this year. From what I hear I agree!
It is understandable that consent decree sites get mired down in legal issues
(not health issues) and that everyone is positioning themselves for an inevitable
court battle. It is disgusting that this same mentality carries over into
non consent decree issues. The public can see through this and this deepens
their distrust and antagonistic relationship with EPA. You know too well
how many times we have asked for testing and more data only to confirm our
worst fears and still nothing is done.
After watching Westinghouse work when EPA is "out of the room"
and after reading their applications for landfill and incinerator permits,
it is no surprise their risk assessment plans are as out of date and inappropriate.
I don't see how EPA and the other parties could possible think an imminent
court battle is not in the picture.
I provided you with SENES Oak Ridge's critical review of Westinghouse's
Lemon Lane and Winston Thomas risk assessment proposals. You probably agree
with SENES that the Westinghouse plans are inadequate in scope and use outdated
and unacceptable methodology. These significant weaknesses must be addressed
before the Westinghouse approach is adopted. I can not believe anyone at
EPA would even consider it serious. The community is fortunate to have SENES
performing this oversight, since they are probably the most highly respected
company dealing with risk in the United States. The community should also
be thankful to EPA for providing Technical Assistance Grants so communities
can hire this level of expertise to insure a community is fully protected.
Presently we have Westinghouse continuing to drag out the process. Westinghouse
is so far from all other parties concerning acceptable cleanup levels and
risk that I can't imagine anything ever getting done without a court battle.
I do not understand why EPA does not exercise a 106 order at WSCC and get
things moving. If you are unwilling to stand behind your threats on this
issue then we can plan on another ten years of real PCBs continuing to leak
into the environment, contaminating wildlife, threatening our children's
health and consuming our resources needlessly.
In my opinion EPA know most of this but has taken the cautionary road. I
believe the EPA needs to stand behind the actions it presented last month
in the WSCC document and move immediately to clean the site up, sue Westinghouse
and the City if you really believe the pesticides were contributed by the
City, and get on with it. Set a example and show Westinghouse and the community
you are concerned with the law and our health at the same time. These should
not be opposing issues.
The argument that you can't clean during the fall and winter is insulting.
EPA could perform remedial measures nearly year-round in Bloomington. Other
sites are cleaned up during all weather conditions including cold and wet,
but I am sure EPA knows this. It seems we have to always comply with the
PRP.
I still have faith that somehow EPA will do the right thing. Region 5 has
a terrible reputation among environmental groups and other communities as
being one of the worst EPA regions. I sincerely hope you take this golden
opportunity to exercise the authority we gave you and JUST DO IT! If you
do, I can promise to be by your side when the heat comes and I am sure others
will be there too if they can see EPA taking action for us, and not always
working to console "The Company"!
Our Winston Thomas comments will be submitted by the deadline. There are
again many major problems with the plan the Westinghouse obviously rushed
through without much serious thought. The 50 ppm levels are more likely
set to provide a precedent rather than be meaningful. Melissa and others
have found several options that will cost less, reduce contamination for
good and not require any major delays. I hope EPA gives serious consideration
to these before stamping the Westinghouse plan OK. People are very unhappy
with how this is starting to look. Exercising your authority and taking
some risks are what it should be about. I hope you can convince the legal
beagles it is the right thing to do.
Sincerely,
Mike Baker
COPA |
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