News
Breckenridge Clean Up
The clean up at the Breckenridge low-level radioactive site has begun. This cleanup represents a major victory for the CAG and the citizens of Breckenridge. Head over to the photos page to see more pictures of the Breckenridge cleanup and other photos from the area.
Eds thoughts on the EPA news release of May 18, 2010 regarding the fact that the EPA will "consider" including a new well field in the cleanup plan for the former Velsicol plant site:
I hope we appreciate the immportance of the memo EPA released on the well field. At the bottom of the first page, the EPA makes an exceptionally important admission --not seen as clearly in other documents--when they say: "Cleanup completed in 1984 has since been determined to have not been implemented correctly." This is vitally important to all of our arguments, and I respect current EPA leaders and staff for stating this.
On the other hand, I do not like what is included in the second paragraph: "The curent levels of pCBSA contamination in the well field now used by the city are within drinkng water standards established by the state of Michigan and do not pose an unacceptalbe health risk."
1. This is a claim only weakly supported by research. [Editors note: one 28-day rat study was conducted on pCBSA after the chemical was found in water in Montrose, California. The study emphasized that no people were drinking the water. Our CAG asked EPA from 2006-2008 for a 90-day rat study, and were turned down. Also, the state of Michigan set their standards for pCBSA in drinking water after the chemical was found in the St. Louis drinking water.]
2. Most importantly, the pCBSA is like the canary in the coal mine. Its an absolute indicator of a problem with DDT byproducts released from the site. There is ABSOLUTELY no proof worse stuff is not close behind the pCBSA. [Editors note: It has been explained to us by EPA that tests for pCBSA were conducted in St. Louis to determine the migration of chemical contaminants from the former Velsicol plant site. Since pCBSA is more soluble than other chemicals, it will show up in drinking water prior to other chemicals.] ...it is proof that contamination is migrating...
When EPA focuses on the harmlessness of pCBSA, it is a distraction. The fact is: Contaminants are in our water, and they should not be there.
-June 2010-
UNHEALTHY FISH
Unhealthy fish were caught during the Free Fishing Derby on the Pine River June 12. The fish have been frozen and will be analyzed by a fish pathologist from the State.
Three CAG members have watched for unhealthy fish over the derby's last 11 years. In the early years, fish with tumors and open sores were caught. More recently, the fish have looked healthy. It is a concern that we once again are seeing fish with abnormalities. This year it was the blue gills that had problems, and since they are not bottom feeders, that raises questions about what contaminants are dispersed in the water of the Pine River.
A comprehensive fish study is planned for the area near the buried and leaking Velsicol plant site, and for upstream and downstream.
BRECKENRIDGE SITE
Excavation is well underway at the low-level radioactive site in Bethany Township, known as the Breckenridge Site. The project manager for Energy Solutions reports that 193 supersacks have been filled with 772 cubic yards of contaminated soil. About half of them have been shipped on 5 railway cars to a radiological disposal site in Clive, Utah owned by Energy Solutions. The company expects to excavate from 1,900 to 4,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil from the former dumpsite owned by Velsicol Chemical Corp. Weather permitting, the excavation should be completed in 3-4 weeks. Head over to the photos section to take a look at the pictures from the cleanup.