Sierrans:
Another great opportunity to do environmental voter education. Especially in
contrasting the stands of the candidates for US Senate and Congressional
District 4. Have at it again!
This morningšs Des Moines Register.
Lyle
W.D.M. pollution site added to federal Superfund list
By PERRY BEEMAN
Register Staff Writer
09/06/2002
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency added a West Des Moines site to the
federal Superfund list Thursday because underground solvents threaten
drinking-water wells.
The National Priorities List designation means the federal government
considers the pollution from unidentified sources a major public-health
threat. It also means the federal government will pick up the tab, expected
to top $1 million, said Bill Gresham, the agency's project manager for the
cleanup.
The solvents, including trichloroethylene, were found in two plumes, one
south of Valley Junction and another north of Raccoon River Regional Park.
The city has closed five water wells threatened by the plume. Tap water was
briefly contaminated in 1993 before a well in the park was closed but is
safe now, said Water Works General Manager Larry Anderson.
Gresham said the federal government wants to clean the water enough that
other wells aren't threatened and West Des Moines Water Works can reopen the
five that were closed.
The site is bounded roughly on the south by Raccoon River Regional Park, on
the west by 19th Street, on the north by Holiday Park, and on the east by
Fifth Street and the Raccoon River.
Tests in the lake at Raccoon River park, which includes a swimming area,
didn't find any traces of trichloroethylene or the breakdown version of the
solvent found in the plume.
Gresham said money will be available for the cleanup when the agency decides
on the best methods - probably in a year or so. Some work will happen sooner
if water wells are threatened, he said.
Gresham said the agency isn't sure where most of the pollution originated.
Typically, the federal government seeks money from companies that might have
contributed to the pollution. In this case, BF Good- rich's steel-treating
plant north of the Raccoon River park has been negotiating with the
Environmental Protection Agency and city officials to help pay for the
cleanup.
Companies often agree to pay without admitting any role. Good- rich
officials could not be reached for comment Thursday.
The nonprofit Iowa Public Interest Research Group isn't so sure the federal
government will have money to pay for the cleanup.
The tax on polluters that paid for Superfund cleanups expired five years ago
and hasn't been re-enacted. The Bush administration has opposed the tax.
"Bush is not only putting communities at risk by slowing down these
cleanups," said April Colwell of the public-interest group, "he's also
forcing taxpayers to pay instead of the polluters."
Since the tax expired in 1995, polluters have avoided $10 billion in taxes,
the group said. The trust fund, $3 billion in 1995, will have $28 million in
2003.
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