Resolving to solve impasses that have delayed progress on a short list of Superfund Sites, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released their list of sites that will be, “targeted for immediate and intense action.”
We mentioned this new focus on Superfund Sites in our November 10, 2017 blog, “Transforming Superfund.” This focus is a result of the recommendation by the Superfund Taskforce from the last summer (2017).
List of 21 Superfund Sites To Get Attention
The list of 21 sites includes Mohawk Tannery in New Hampshire, American Cyanamid in New Jersey, Allied Paper in Michigan, Anaconda Copper Mine in Nevada, and Portland Harbor in Oregon.
The sites listed are not necessarily the largest or most contaminated sites on the Superfund List. Further, not all 21 sites are on the National Priorities List (NPL); some are pre-NPL sites. According to the EPA, “These sites have site-specific issues that will benefit from the Administrator’s direct engagement. The Administrator’s goal will be to resolve impasses that have delayed progress.”
PFAS and Complicating Factors
As we stated in our previous blog, aside from the administrative hurdles, there are other complicating factors, not the least of which is the current federal, state, and local focus on a group of emerging contaminates, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). While we don’t know the list of parameters at each Superfund site, it would be surprising if PFAS have been evaluated at these sites in the past. And if PFAS are added to the parameter list going forward, well, it’s a potential complicating factor.
Dragun Senior Engineer, Matthew Schroeder, address the PFAS issue at a current remediation effort in Salina, Kansas, in a brief video interview.
We’ve probably said it dozens of times over the years, but environmental issues are never static. As our understanding of human health and environmental risk is constantly evolving, so too is the approach to environmental compliance and remediation. Our goal in our blogs, seminars, and webinars is to convey our observations to the regulated community so you can make more informed environmental management decisions.
Here is the link to the complete list of Superfund Sites “Targeted for Immediate and Intense Action.”
If you have one of your own sites that requires immediate and intense action, please contact me, and maybe we can help you solve your own impasses.