From: | Susan Gawarecki <loc@icx.net> |
Date: | Mon, 29 Mar 1999 10:00:58 -0800 (PST) |
Reply: | cpeo-military |
Subject: | Re: PLUTONIUM IN YOUR PANCAKES: LOWRY LANDFILL RESOLUTION |
The messages below were on a recent RadSafe list, in response to my cross-post requesting other information on Lowry Landfill. --Susan Gawarecki ================================================== Susan L. Gawarecki, Ph.D., Executive Director Oak Ridge Reservation Local Oversight Committee, Inc. 136 South Illinois Avenue, Suite 208 Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830 Phone (423) 483-1333; Fax (423) 482-6572; E-mail loc@icx.net VISIT OUR UPDATED WEB SITE: http://www.local-oversight.org ================================================== >Date: Thu, 25 Mar 1999 15:48:17 -0700 >From: "Nancy M. Daugherty" <nmdaughe@smtpgate.dphe.state.co.us> >Subject: Re: PLUTONIUM IN YOUR PANCAKES: LOWRY LANDFILL Sorry for the delay in posting this response. I had to talk to the people from the State of Colorado and the U.S. EPA who are involved with this project. The following is EPA's response to the allegations of Adrienne Anderson regarding public and environmental hazards from radioactive waste at the Lowry Landfill. As you'll see by the date of the response, this issue has received a lot of discussion. Hope this helps clear things up. If you have further questions, please contact Diana Hammer at Hammer.Diana@epamail.epa.gov. Nancy M. Daugherty, CHP Uranium and Special Projects Unit Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment nancy.daugherty@state.co.us -------------------------------------------------------------------- >From: Hammer.Diana@epamail.epa.gov >Date: 12/3/98 10:20am >Subject: Lowry Landfill: EPA responds The following message is EPA's response to Adrienne Anderson's E-mail alleging plutonium contamination at the Lowry Landfill. We felt we needed to correct misleading information contained in Ms. Anderson's E-mail. Her E-mail and our response were both posted on the same listserv (ecojustice listserv). If you have any questions or have not seen Ms. Anderson's E-mail (and wish to), please give me a call at 303-312-6601. Thanks. Diana --Forwarded by Diana Hammer/OCP/R8/USEPA/US on 12/03/98 10:11 AM-- To: ecojustice@igc.apc.org Subject: Lowry Landfill: EPA responds In a recent e-mail message, Adrienne Anderson alleged public and environmental hazards from radioactive waste at the Lowry Landfill Superfund Site (Lowry Landfill). A little bit of information can be very misleading and can unnecessarily alarm the public. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE or the State), partners in protecting public health and the environment, emphasize one important point that Ms. Anderson has ignored: There is no credible evidence indicating radionuclide contamination at the Lowry Landfill. EPA and the State will take many precautions to ensure that public health and the environment are protected. We want to be clear that there will be a number of safety checkpoints in place to make sure that public health and the environment are protected. In short, EPA and the State will make sure that State and Federal requirements are met throughout each phase of the cleanup process by testing, re-testing and then testing once again. In addition, for an added measure of safety, there is an independent monitoring system in place. Yes, the draft wastewater discharge permit, recently released by the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District (Metro District) for public comment, does set limits for radionuclides in the pre-treated ground water coming from the Lowry Landfill. These are enforceable limits and were included to protect public health and the environment. True, these limits are higher than drinking water standards but the discharge isn't a drinking water source. In fact, the limits are those for discharges to surface water, even though the discharge is to a sewer system; thus the limits are more protective than they would legally have to be. In fact, data collected last May from ground water that would be treated and discharged to the sewer system showed plutonium was not detected, even at a detection limit 10 times lower than the current DRINKING water standard of 0.15 picocuries per liter. Furthermore, all other radionuclides tested below the cleanup standards for Lowry Landfill. In addition, EPA and the State have years of data, information collected from historical documents and more than 1800 samples of the ground water, surface water, soils and air. Again, these data DO NOT support allegations that there are levels of radioactive material at the Lowry Landfill at levels above normal, background levels; levels which do not pose a threat to public health or the environment. Specifically: Check point #1 At the Lowry Landfill: Ground water will be Monitored and treated before it leaves the site; Check point #2 Before it leaves the Lowry Landfill: The pre-treated ground water will be monitored again before it leaves the site to make sure it meets all appropriate Local, State and Federal standards; Check point #3 Early Warning System: There will be an early warning system designed to alert us IF (and we don't believe this is at all likely) we find levels of radioactive material in the ground water. If this monitoring indicates, radioactive material, we will stop the flow. We will NOT discharge ground water containing unsafe levels of radioactive material from the site. Thus, the ground water will be monitored again. Check point #4 At the wastewater treatment plant: After the wastewater is treated at the wastewater treatment plant, the water will be monitored again. In addition, the treated sewage sludge (called biosolids) will monitored again to make sure the biosolids meet the highest quality criteria; Check point #5 In the fields of eastern Colorado: Biosolids will be monitored again prior to land application to verify it is applied according to State and Federal standards; Check point #6 Independent monitoring of biosolids: Local counties, the local Natural Resource Conservation Districts, and nearby farmers and ranchers are participating in an independent monitoring program to make sure that all these safety check points are working and do indeed protect public health and the environment. These statements are supported by numerous documents available for public review at the Superfund Records Center (999 18th Street, Denver, CO). For more detailed information about the Lowry Landfill, please contact the Project Manager, Marc Herman, at 303-312-6724 or the Community Involvement Coordinator, Diana Hammer, at 303-312-6601. | |
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