OTSEGO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Tuesday, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it will host a 30-day public comment period regarding cleanup of the Kalamazoo River in Otsego, MI.
The 30-day public comment period will be held between July 8 and August 6. It regards a proposed cleanup plan to address polychlorinated-biphenyls, or PCB, contamination in Area 3 of the Kalamazoo River Superfund site in Otsego.
Area 3 is a 3.4-mile stretch between Otsego City Dam and the former Otsego Township Dam that flows through forested wetland areas predominately for recreational land use, although some residential parcels exist.
The EPA proposes to excavate about 58,500 cubic yards of floodplain soil and 11,300 cubic yards of riverbank soil and sediment along 6,600 feet of the river containing PCBs.
The plan also includes site controls and capping or removal of floodplain soil from private recreational areas, as well as long-term monitoring, inspections and maintenance of riverbank erosion controls.
A fact sheet can be viewed by clicking here.
The EPA will review and respond to comments before finalizing a cleanup plan. The agency will accept comments on the proposal from July 8 to August 6.
The public may submit comments through the following channels:
- By mail: Diane Russell, community involvement coordinator, U.S. EPA Region 5, 1300 Bluff St., Suite 140, Flint, MI 48504
- Online: www.epa.gov/superfund/allied-paper-kalamazoo and click the “Public Comment Form” and fill out.
- At the public meeting:
- Date: Thursday, July 15
- Time: 6 – 8 p.m.
- Link to join: https://bit.ly/35qsNGj or, by phone toll-free: 888-475-4499. You will be instructed to provide the meeting ID and passcode listed below whether you join online or by phone: ID: 971 2500 1013, Passcode: 227278.
For more information or to join the meeting from the website, click here.
The full press release can be viewed at this link.
Since 1998, officials say the EPA has removed nearly 470,000 cubic yards of contaminated material from the site, cleaned up and restored 12 miles of the Kalamazoo River and Portage Creek (including banks), and capped 82 acres of contaminated material.
