Cleanup at Neal's Landfill was completed in Fall of 1999. Low level contaminants (less than 50ppm) were consolidated on site and capped. The EPA has approved Viacom's Cap Inspection and Maintenance Plan, and piezometers show no water is infiltrating into the landfill. Although it seems that the cap has mitigated some of the PCB release, more study of the water being released from the adjacent springs is needed, and data collection at storm events is essential. The springs which rise around the Landfill which are contaminated, and they flow into Conard's Branch, and thus Richland Creek, both of which are thus contaminated.

In a period from June through December 2000, the data collected suggests that over half a pound of PCBs were released into Conard's Branch, and the EPA feels this is far too much mass being released. They are compiling a historical flow and PCB mass summary as an aid to further understanding the situation. The EPA is writing a ROD amendment for expansion of the current 450 gal/min water treatment plant. As the data from the USGS overflow gauges show, far too much water is escaping treatment. The original plant was engineered with the premise that no PCBs were escaping into Conard's Branch (which drains the Neal's Landfill watershed). This is obviously an incorrect assumption - a half pound of PCBs in a watershed each six months is a lot.

The EPA is also promulgating a ROD Amendment for Sediment Cleanup in Conards Branch, Richland Creek, and any others that show contamination. The EPA plans to continue fish, sediment and water sampling in 2001. Viacom has agreed to fund settling tests during the stomr events. This is an evaluation of particle sizee taht will aid in developing remediatino plans. Viacom refuses to fund fish sampling, so EPA will fund the fish sampling this year.

Viacom has improved the Conard's Branch gauge, and they are getting more accurate flow readings, while the USGS contract with the EPA was extended and they have improved the overflow gauges. Automatic samplers have been installed while Viacom and EPA have been calibrating their separate flow readings.

The Consent Decree Parties have started an investigation of the Neal's Landfill drainage basin, including Cave Road area. Water flows northwest from about 400 acres into the basin that feeds the springs at Neal's. To divert the water from this system would reduce the amount needing to be treated, but it would add to flooding in the Cave Creek watershed, which comes out at the Richland Springs on Garrison Chapel Rd. Peak flows from the springs into Conard's Branch have been reduced by 50% since 93-94. The EPA feels this is the result of detention ponds that have been built in conjunction with new construction at Fieldstone and Park 48 and work at the Monroe County Airport. It is theorized that there could be an overflow swallet or subsurface overflow conduit that is not being activated due to the reduction in surface water.