EPA Asks Public to Comment on Iron Mountain Mine Cleanup

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency opened the public comment period on the proposed cleanup plan for the Spring Creek arm of the Keswick Reservoir at the Iron Mountain Mine Superfund site, located approximately nine miles northwest of Redding, Calif.

The thirty-day comment period is open through September 13.

According to Rick Sugarek, the EPA's Iron Mountain project manager for the Pacific Southwest region, as EPA wants to ensure the public is part of the process as it moves toward further cleanup action at the Iron Mountain Mine.

The EPA evaluated five potential cleanup alternatives, that provide a range of cleanup options that vary in effectiveness, ease of implementation and cost. The EPA believes that the proposed sediment cleanup plan would be protective of the Sacramento River ecosystem.

The EPA's preferred cleanup alternative involves dredging contaminated sediments in two areas of the Spring Creek arm of the Keswick Reservoir that are prone to erosion and would partially remove sediments in a deep water area of the Spring Creek. The remaining sediments in the deep water area would not be removed, but are less likely to erode except under circumstances that are extremely rare and highly unlikely.

The EPA will hold a public meeting to receive verbal and written comments on its proposed cleanup approach. For more information visit http://www.epa.gov/region9/.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency