Agenda Monthly Meeting: Dec. 18, 2024 7:00 p.m.

We will meet in person at St. Louis City Hall on Mill Street. For those unable to attend in person, please join the meeting via Zoom* (invitation follows).

The in-person meeting will be at St. Louis, Michigan City Hall starting at 7:00 p.m. Zoom directions are at bottom of this announcement.

1. Additions to agenda

2. Approval of October minutes (no meeting in November)

3. Treasurer’s report – Gary Smith, Treasurer

4. Correspondence and Communication - Brittany Fremion, Chairperson

· Update on documentary film project about PBB that will feature the CAG – Colin Gray

· Gary and Brittany prepared and submitted the TAG quarterly reports to EPA in late October.

· EPA approved a three-year extension request for the FPS TAG in October.

· The CAG Executive Committee met on Monday, October 21st, to discuss the future of the group, radioactive waste at the FPS, Smith Farm site, and other administrative items.

· The CAG continues its search for historical documentation about radioactive waste at the FPS and submitted a FOIA request to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission in mid-October. We encourage EPA and EGLE to continue their work to determine whether there is still radioactive waste present at the FPS and, if so, to take action before the current/second cleanup is complete.

· Doug Brecht shared several articles from national and local press outlets linking the Velsicol Sites, PBB, and St. Louis to other environmental and human health issues, demonstrating their ongoing and broader significance.

· On Monday, November 4th, CAG officers hosted a farewell dinner for Ed and Marilyn Lorenz, founding and long-serving CAG members. Ed currently serves as our vice chair and will remain active in the group remotely.

· The CAG sent an official request to Alma College on November 6th to have the research collection members gathered, co-created, and deposited transferred to CMU’s Clarke Historical Library. As a gesture of goodwill and to demonstrate our gratitude for their partnership, CAG officers agreed to donate $1,000 to the Library following the successful transfer of the collection.

· Also on November 6th, CAG officers met with SKEO Technical Advisors to discuss the TASC contract, which EPA approved, and confirm plans for our working partnership related to remedial work in OU3 and OU4 (downstream).

· CAG officers successfully recovered organizational records from Alma College and delivered them to the Clarke Historical Library at CMU on Thursday, December 5th.

· On December 11th Ed shared the article “Velsicol’s defunct Memphis plant may become environmental trust” from a Tennessee newspaper, which was published following his communication with journalist Ashli Blow earlier this fall: https://tennesseelookout.com/2024/12/11/velsicols-defunct-memphis-plant-may-become-environmental-trust/

· Recent communication with second generation PBB community members whose relatives worked at Velsicol’s Michigan Chemical plant in St. Louis — Ed Lorenz

· Update on CAG website and traffic — Ed Lorenz

5. Program: Jane (Keon) Jelenek, a founding CAG member and long-serving officer, will do a presentation on her new book, Toxic Town Cleanup, which documents the history of the CAG and Velsicol Sites since 2014. This is her second book and follows Tombstone Town, published in 2015. Both books are available on Amazon or can be purchased at CAG meetings.

6. EGLE Report - Erik Martinson, Project Manager

· Residential bird/nest study

· Impoundment fish sampling

· Aging fish study

7. EPA Report: Velsicol Burn Pit Site – EPA will not be at the December CAG meeting but Jennifer Knoepfle, RPM 1, shared updates with Brittany last week – Brittany Fremion

8. EPA Report: Velsicol Former Plant Site - EPA will not be at the December CAG meeting but Jennifer Knoepfle, RPM 1, shared updates with Brittany last week – Brittany Fremion

9. Technical Advisor/TASC Report

· The CAG still seeks a TA and welcomes recommendations.

· TASC Team Report - None

10. Ongoing Business

· PBB Leadership Team update – Ed Lorenz, Jane Jelenek, Brittany Fremion

· CAG Hall of Fame Nominations — The award “recognizes individuals who have an exemplary record of giving time and talent to the restoration of the Pine River” watershed. Given the November meeting cancellation, nominations remain open. Dues-paying members should email Secretary Jane Jelenek (jelenekjane@gmail.com) their nominations before the next general membership meeting on January 15, 2025. Please provide a short explanation of why your nominee is good candidate for the Hall of Fame.

· Radioactive waste at the FPS

· Mill Race/Substation contamination

11. New Business

12. Adjournment

December Zoom Meeting Invitation

*Zoom meetings are primarily for streaming purposes, although Doug Brecht, CAG Zoom czar, will monitor the chat and look for raised hands so remote participants can ask questions/lend insights. Please note that the meeting ID and password change each month.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86933239662?pwd=gy3q4L0oGIy1yiRtasXBHTJ0NimCag.1

Meeting ID: 869 3323 9662

Passcode: 768052

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Meeting ID: 869 3323 9662

Passcode: 768052

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