Minutes of November 2022 Monthly Task Force Meeting
General Membership Meeting Minutes
November 16, 2022
The meeting recording is available at the following web link with the password below, with timestamps in-cluded in minutes:
Meeting Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/0noci7R-
Passcode: 73WJwe&4
The Zoom meeting included 14 people in-person at City Hall and 7 remote participants. Chairperson Jane Jele-nek called the meeting to order at 7:01 pm.
I. Additions to Agenda – Correspondence and Communication
II. Approval of October minutes. Walt moved, Doug Brecht seconded. Motion carried.
III. Treasurer’s Report [00:05:58]: Gary Smith, Treasurer
A. October 2022
1. The GCCU General Fund Checking balance stands at $5,415.10 and Share Draft Savings Account remains at $5.00. The Money Market Account (Oxford Automotive settlement) has $63,814.86. TAG grant money available for the Former Plant Site (FPS) stands at $21,034.20. The Velsicol Burn Pit (VBS) has $48,698.38. Velsicol Burn Pit (VBP) Fund Checking has $88.32. The complete re-ports will be attached to the permanent minutes.
2. Memberships are $5/year and t-shirts are still available. Send checks to PO Box 172, St. Louis, MI 48880. The website has photos of t-shirts and visitors can also donate to the CAG that way.
IV. Correspondence and Communication [00:12:55]: Jane Jelenek, Chair
A. Articles in the Morning Sun and the Gratiot County Herald about the wall going in for PSA 1&2.
B. Another article in Gratiot County Herald about about the Velsicol site.
C. Article by MLive about the Velsicol properties being deeded over to the State Land Bank.
D. Article in the Morning Sun about the Voluntary Health Map.
E. Quarterly Progress Report for all operable units of the Velsicol site for the TAG grant requirements.
F. Ed Lorenz and Jane Jelenek gave presentations to four different classes at CMU on Velsicol this fall.
G. Article in Morning Sun about Velsicol properties deeded to the State Land Bank.
H. Additions to Agenda: Tom, Diane, and Scott P from EPA/Jacobs, and Norm Keon, CAG EB, also spoke to CMU classes about the Velsicol Sites.
V. Technical Advisor Report: Scott Cornelius, Cornelius Environmental Consulting – no report
VI. EPA Report Velsicol Site [00:15:40]: Tom Alcamo, Project Manager
A. Tom Alcamo delivered the site report before the program, beginning with PSA 1&2. He shared photos of the sheet pile wall installation, which continues. The team is installing approximately 50 ft/day, with
completion expected in mid-December. Sheet will be installed to partial depth and then installed to final depth. So far there have been no issues with noise or structural vibration. Valerie K. confirmed she can’t hear it from her home, but Gary S. said he could hear it from his workshop and feel some of the vibra-tion, which hasn’t been bad; Tom said it’s okay on site. He then shared a video of the work. Norm asked if the crane operator has encountered any buried debris, to which Tom answered no because it was prob-ably dealt with previously. They have, however hit some debris while drilling, particularly in PSA 1. Gary said that there were pipes installed there and Tom said that EPA does have a map of buried debris, so they will be on the lookout.
1. In addition, confirmation sampling and waste characterization continues. They are still waiting on most of the data. No C(sat) exceedances but not all the data is back from the lab. All phase 1 borings are complete in PSA 1&2; some step outs are needed due to positive NAPL test kits. There are no health and safety issues including DBCP or radiological monitoring. Expect completion by mid-De-cember. Excavation plan developed over winter based on confirmation sampling.
B. OU 3 RD: statement of work will go to Jacobs soon and EPA expects them to be procured for RD by the end of December. They will begin pre-design sampling in spring 2023 with design complete by end of summer. Procurement of construction contractor in fall/winter of 2023.
C. Downgradient Vertical Barrier Wall: Preliminary design scheduled for end of December with final de-sign early late spring 2023. EPA will begin procurement summer with goal to have contractor by fall 2023.
D. OU 4 carbon amendment pilot study Phase 2: Sampling is complete. Report on results expected in spring 2023. They are working on contracting for additional sampling (i.e., floodplain, stream bank and sediment sampling; fish tissue sampling/additional small mammal sampling; worm sampling from addi-tional floodplains downstream; and any TBD additional work).
E. Discussion
1. Gary asked about the kind of fish would be tested and Tom answered that they will be very specific with the trend analysis, with a portion for risk assessment, so the study will look at trends over time and samples from fish tissues. They will get all the historical data and determine sample plan to make sure they can identify trends and set standards.
2. Walt asked if fish can get through dam gates downstream and Norm said no, but Tom confirmed there are fish present.
3. Gary asked if all the fish data is available somewhere; Tom answered no, but all the fish data will be compiled and made available via Jacobs—the state data and Matt Zwernick’s, plus data from the 1980s needs synthesized and made available. Jane noted there should also be data from fish and mammal studies between the 1980s remedy and 1997, which justified the Emergency Removal Ac-tion. Ed noted that he shared some of the data from the 1950s in recent presentations to CMU stu-dents. Walt mentioned that life expectancy of Michigan dams is about 50 years, and the St. Louis dam is over 87 years old. It is inspected yearly, but that is something the City would have to address. Norm offered that the dam was rebuilt; Jane thinks somewhere in the early 1990s. Norm said the old dam had a few boards with gaps on top that school kids used to walk across.
4. Gary asked about sheet piling being cut off at the till and if it will be left in place— is it part of the larger containment system? Tom said it could be. None of it is by the breach, which is north of there by about 25 feet. MW-19 results suggest there isn’t any major NAPL present, so the perimeter drain that will enclose the site will go right through the area, but EPA and EGLE are still waiting on the report and opportunity to discuss. The ROD has the cap being 7 feet thick, but there will be multiple impermeable layers with different materials to make it less thick so not as to raise the elevation that much. The cap will go over the entire area with backfill, with 28 inches feathered across the site, with essentially a one foot step up to the site.
5. Gary noted that EPA is leaving three monitoring wells, but the distribution is clustered—why? EPA answered because they are outside of the excavation where new wells will be installed. Waste char-acterization and confirmation sampling which will include PFAS (given landfill requirements now) so they know that the fill is clean and if not, will be classified as hazardous, which is at least ten times more expensive to remove. Walt asked if there is a Plan B if more contaminants are discov-ered. Scott P. and Tom answered, “yes, dig!” So there is a plan to inspect sidewalls every day with clean fill placed to ensure that the excavation is stabilized but monitored. They are prepared to po-tentially find more contaminations.
6. Finally Gary asked about Alma College collaboration on IGEM project for EPA newsletter, which Tom will follow up on.
VII. Program [00:51:20]: EPA gave a presentation discussing the PSA 3 investigation, which is located on the plant site northwest of PSA 1, where preparations are underway to remove contaminated soil and groundwater.
A. Scott Pratt delivered the program, beginning with in-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) review, PSA 3 re-view and treatability study. The first system entails injecting chemical oxidants into the ground to react with the contaminants and the process transforms/destroys them. The electron transfer system targets contaminant gains or looses electrons resulting in chemical transformation, which is highly selective and predictable. The final option is free radical oxidation (typically catalyzed), which is aggressive and non-selective. Some of the oxidants used include permanganate and catalyzed H2o2. Ozone is expensive and problematic as a gas. The other options also present challenges, but there are options that they will con-sider. ISCO cleanup time depends on several factors: size of area under treatment, subsurface geology (permeability and porosity), groundwater flow, and natural oxidant demand.
B. PSA 3: Contaminants of concern are HBB and 4,4’-DDT (concentrations in water), as identified in RI and defined in FS. ISCO remedy selected for PSA 3. In 2015 EPA did its first RD investigation to gather focused data.
C. PSA 3 Treatability Study Approach is determining the natural oxidant demand (NOD) of soil and groundwater, followed by determining oxidant efficacy for COC’s. Then, complete a field pilot study. All three have to be done, the first alone and last two together. EPA deliberately selected sample areas where DDT and HBB concentrations were highest (based on concentrations observed during the 2015 investigation). This site isn’t being excavated because it’s water.
1. Gary asked what happens if there is a failure—and Tom said come up with a Plan B. Scott clarified that the state has a financial stake in getting all the contaminants out of the ground for operation and management costs. A failure would be if the injection plan doesn’t work as planned, but we still di-minish COCs so that concentrations would still be lower and then the waste would be treated at the on-site wastewater treatment plant. Tom said we can’t predict what will happen, but we will find a backup plan if we fail. This is an important question.
2. Scott said that they will do borings in December with hope of waste characterization in February. Norm asked about byproducts, following up with Gary and Walt’s questions, which could be either liquid or gas. He asked if they know what gasses may be released. Scott said generally CO2, he’s never heard of methane because typically the oxidants overpower them. Vinyl chloride is reductive in de chlorination. There may have to be multiple injections if the byproducts could be more toxic, such as vinyl chloride. This is similar to what happened at Aircraft Components in Benton Harbor. Scott thinks it was the portion of the site where brine happened, perhaps dewatering lagoons for when they dredged the river. Tom thinks PSA 2 was burn pit debris. There is clearly much to discuss moving into 2023, so EPA will try to get a Technical meeting on the books. Jane asked for a copy of Scott’s slides; Tom said he would also share Jason’s ISCO presentation.
VIII. EPA Report Burn Pit Site [01:14:30]: Jennifer Knoepfle, Project Manager
A. EPA sent the solicitation package to Jacobs; they have one month to return the proposal and cost esti-mate. Things are moving along. Before shovels can go in the ground, site plans have to be written and approved before field work can begin. But once the contract is awarded, the schedule will be discussed, which will help everyone.
IX. EGLE Report [01:16:20]: Erik Martinson, Project Manager
A. Erik confirmed that fish sampling will begin in the upcoming season. He also found the fish data from 2018.
B. There aren’t any specific updates on railroad sampling. Erik is still waiting on Weston for a bid for re-moval, likely in April.
C. The State Land Bank (SLB) transaction is complicated and Erik is awaiting updates from the SLB Authority, but he isn’t concerned. He suspects that the hold up is the Breckinridge Site, which has been remediated. He has inquired about whether they will take the parcels associated with the FPS specifi-cally and then worry about Breckinridge later, but that isn’t what they want to do. As far as he knows, they are still on track for the end of the year. Lapetomane still holds the deed, along with DOJ. Jane as-ked how/if the CAG can help. Erik said not at this point, that he does connect with them weekly. He will keep the CAG in mind. They also have EPA’s removal report.
D. Tom added feedback about VBP well hookups; several residents are not happy about the loss of their wells. The local health department is working with EPA because of long-term concerns. The other issue is arsenic, which is naturally occurring in groundwater. There is no evidence – if they get arsenic in their wells – that it comes from VBP, so EPA sees this as a deal for them to get connected to city water. Tom is leaning toward putting the connection there in case they have to hook up and they try to come back on EPA. Moreover, they won’t be able to bring in a driller to redo a well during the work on site. The amount of cost of the hookup and for better water, is a deal.
E. Discussion:
1. Tom said EGLE will not remove the fish advisory, even with decrease of contaminant in fish tissue. Erik will sample in spring 2023, with sampling every 5 years.
New Business [01:24:00]:
F. Holiday Potluck?: Discussion of moving the meeting to December 14th given the third week of the month is so close to the holidays. Other considerations: EPA doesn’t attend in-person in December. There is also concern about lack of attendance because we are just resuming in-person meetings. It sounds like the meeting may even be cancelled if we don’t have business. What if we hold the potluck in July instead?
X. Old Business [01:27: 45]:
A. PBB Leadership Team update – Jane Jelenek, Ed Lorenz, Brittany Fremion, Norm Keon
1. The team met to discuss a new article that analyzes the oral histories collected by Brittany and CMU students, which included community co-authors and CAG members, Jane Jelenek, Norm Keon, and Jane-Ann Crowley. Jane also shared information about the new PBB Registry patient portal, which PBB Leadership Team members were asked to test and will report back on in an upcoming confer-ence call. Ed provided an update on the continuing medical education course, which Emory is devel-oping with a course production company for physicians.
B. PBB 50th Anniversary Update — Brittany Fremion and Ed Lorenz
1. Brittany and Ed provided updates on the conference plans for May 2023 at Alma College, including keynote speakers, workshops, an art exhibit, film screening, PBB Registry community meeting, and PBB heroes banquet, as well as a field trip (hopefully featuring CAG, EPA, and PBB representa-tives). The planning team hopes to engage EPA and visit the FPS. The conference is going to be at Alma May 18-20th. Diane has met with planning team members about the potential of EPA environ-mental justice funding to support the event.
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The next meeting will be held on Wedn