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EPA: Design changes at Little Lake Butte des Morts PCB cleanup approved

Release Date: 06/12/2008
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 08-OPA106

CHICAGO (June 12, 2008) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources have approved a series of cleanup design changes at an ongoing cleanup of PCB-contaminated sediment in Wisconsin's Little Lake Butte des Morts. A public comment period was held this past winter.

Little Lake Butte des Morts is known as Operable Unit 1 of the Lower Fox River cleanup effort, which is a proposed Superfund National Priorities List site. Cleanup work began at the lake in 2004 and is expected to continue into 2009. The changes all involve work that has yet to be completed. Operable Units 2 through 5 include the stretch of the river from Appleton to Green Bay.

The cleanup changes are based on new technical information collected since the original 2002 cleanup decision for Little Lake Butte des Morts. The approved plan is equally protective of human health and the environment. It will take less time to complete and create less noise and truck traffic.

EPA's final cleanup plan includes:
* Dredging PCB-contaminated sediment.
* Placing sand covers and engineered caps over undredged sediment.
* Sampling sediment to determine whether to redredge or to cover contaminated sediment.
* Monitoring caps and covers.
* Separating sand from sediment.
* Using the sand on- and off-site for beneficial reuse.

A November 2007 fact sheet detailing the cleanup plan changes, along with additional information about the Lower Fox River cleanup effort, is posted at https://www.epa.gov/region5/sites/foxriver.