April 16, Public Meeting Agenda
We will meet in person at St. Louis City Hall on Mill Street on Wednesday, April 16 at 7:00 p.m. For those unable to attend in person, please join the meeting via Zoom* (directions at bottom of this message).
1. Additions to agenda
2. Approval of March minutes
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 (TBD)
· The CAG General Membership Meetings on May 21st and June 18th will be in-person only.
· CMU Communications interviewed Rebecca Terpening about her Public Health Program internship with the MMDHD, Michigan PBB Registry, and EPA EJ grant (Alma College): https://www.cmich.edu/news/details/cmu-undergrad-provides-hope-through-internship. Congratulations and thanks for your work, Rebecca!
· Funding for a US EPA Environmental Justice grant awarded to Alma College and focused on developing curriculum on the PBB Disaster and Velsicol Sites for secondary students and vocational training programs was revoked in late March. The project team planned to participate in county fairs, distribute curriculum to Michigan educators, and host a professional development workshop for teachers in partnership with the Archives of Michigan.
· Doug Brecht continued to share news articles about changes implemented and proposed at the federal level that could impact the Velsicol Sites cleanup and Pine River.
· The CAG sent comments and questions about remedial work in OU3 to US EPA on March 27, 2025. We eagerly await a response.
· Members participated in an Earth Day program at Alma College on Saturday, April 5th. Gary, Jane, Margaret and Gary Hoyt, and Brittany displayed CAG materials in a pop-up exhibit, as well as shared materials related to our Site and community history with students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
· In response to official communication from the CAG last month, the Executive Committee met with US Senator Elissa Slotkin’s Mid-Michigan Region Manager, Jeremy Blatt, on Wednesday, April 16th (tonight). We hope the Senator and her staff will tour the FPS and meet with community members, City officials, and agency partners this summer or fall.
· The CAG is still waiting on a response to our FOIA for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission records related to radioactive waste at the FPS (submitted in October 2024; still in progress).
· The CAG letter to RFK, Jr., new Secretary of US DHHS, will be mailed XX.
· Gary and Brittany prepared and will submit the first TAG quarterly report to EPA this month.
· Update on CAG website and traffic — Ed Lorenz
5. EPA Community Involvement - Diane Russell, Site Community Involvement Coordinator
6. EGLE Report - Erik Martinson, Project Manager
· Residential bird/nest study
· Aging fish study (paused by DGVBW installation)
7. EPA Report: Velsicol Burn Pit Site – Jennifer Knoepfle, RPM 1, and Anna Nguyen, RPM 2
• OU1 ISTT Operations – Jennifer
• Ephemeral Channel Sampling West of VBP (ditch sampling) – Anna
8. EPA Report: Velsicol Former Plant Site - Jennifer Knoepfle, RPM 1, and Anna Nguyen, RPM 2
· OU1
o Downgradient Vertical Barrier Wall
o Upgradient Vertical Barrier Wall Repair
o PSA 1 & 2
o PSA 3 (ISCO)
o Site-wide PFAS Groundwater Sampling
· OU3 & OU4 (downstream)
9. Technical Advisor/TASC Report
· The CAG still seeks a TA.
· TASC Report - Gary Smith
10. Ongoing Business
· PBB Leadership Team update – Ed Lorenz, Norm Keon, Jane Jelenek
· Update on CMU Class Site Reuse Ideas — Dr. Richard Hayes
· Update on collaboration with Alma College AmeriCorps VISTAs — Brittany
11. New Business
12. Adjournment
ZOOM DIRECTIONS
*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
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Meeting ID: 894 4146 3812
Passcode: 279283
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Meeting ID: 894 4146 3812
Passcode: 279283