U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and U.S. Representative Fred Upton (R-MI) today sent a letter to the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calling for the permanent removal of all PCB-contaminated materials from the Allied Disposal Site in Kalamazoo.
“Cleaning up the Allied Disposal Site in Kalamazoo, Michigan is among the most important environmental remediation projects in the state,” the letter stated. “Mayor Bobby Hopewell has indicated to us that the city’s goal is to achieve total removal of the PCB contaminated waste and we urge the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to adopt a cleanup remedy that achieves that goal.”
The three legislators have backed Kalamazoo City officials and residents who want the total removal of the decades-old contamination, which is situated on top of the city’s largest drinking-water aquifer. This March, the EPA announced its plan to merely “cap and contain” the site as a long-term means of keeping PCBs from reaching the local water supply.
“We believe that the EPA’s analysis should seek the best overall value for a cleanup remedy and take into account the Kalamazoo community’s legitimate need to redevelop the site. In addition, we hope that the Allied Disposal Site will be placed on the priority list for funding from the Superfund account.”
A copy of the letter from Levin, Stabenow, and Upton to EPA Administrator McCarthy may be found HERE. Full text of the letter follows below.
A copy of the letter from Levin, Stabenow, and Upton to Mayor Hopewell may be found HERE.
August 1, 2013
The Honorable Gina McCarthy
Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20460
Dear Administrator McCarthy:
Cleaning up the Allied Disposal Site in Kalamazoo, Michigan is among the most important environmental remediation projects in the state. Mayor Bobby Hopewell has indicated to us that the City’s goal is to achieve total removal of the PCB contaminated waste and we urge the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to adopt a cleanup remedy that achieves that goal. We understand the EPA’s initial view is that a “cap and contain” remedy for the Allied site is the proper long-term solution. We do not share that view for following reasons.
The Superfund law states a clear preference for the selection of remedial actions that involve permanent removal, and thus the EPA should strongly consider this remedy, especially given the site is located in the middle of a residential neighborhood and public health concerns need to be thoroughly taken into consideration. With respect to costs, it is our hope that the EPA will critically evaluate total project costs, including long-term monitoring costs, as well as the long-term economic advantages to the area that total removal offers, compared to the “cap and contain” option. By assessing the total costs, permanent removal would, it seems to us, most likely prove to be the most cost-effective solution. We also ask that the EPA examine the City’s position that up-front costs of total removal may be significantly lower than the EPA’s preliminary estimate. The cost of total removal, spread over the life of the project, would be more affordable in your budget. We believe that the EPA’s analysis should seek the best overall value for a cleanup remedy and take into account the Kalamazoo community’s legitimate need to redevelop the site.
In addition, we hope that the Allied Disposal Site will be placed on the priority list for funding from the Superfund account.
Finally, after cleanup is achieved, we ask that the EPA provide the City with a “comfort/status letter” with respect to environmental liabilities for the Allied site to help enable successful redevelopment of the site. Doing so would, once restored, help put this property back to productive reuse, generating revenues and economic benefits for the city.
Thank you for your consideration of these requests.
Sincerely,
Carl Levin, United States Senator
Debbie Stabenow, United States Senator
Fred Upton, Member of Congress
