Jeremy L. Dillon
RW Monitor
7/25/2014
Members of Missouri’s Congressional delegation are concerned with the unclear timeline of the construction of an isolation barrier at the West Lake Landfill near St. Louis, according to a letter they sent to the Environmental Protection Agency late last week. The EPA plans to construct an isolation barrier to prevent the spread of a smoldering fire to the radioactively-contaminated section of the landfill. In their letter, Sens. Roy Blunt (R) and Claire McCaskill (D), along with Reps. William Lacy Clay (D) and Ann Wagner (R), called on the EPA release a detailed summary to when construction will be completed. “We remain concerned by the lack of a clear timeline for completion of the proposed isolation barrier barrier to separate the subsurface smoldering even in the Bridgeton Landfill from the radioactively impacted portion of the West lake Landfill,” the lawmakers wrote. “Though it is critical that the best science continue to guide the design and implementation of this barrier, residents living and working nearby deserve to know when they can expect to see progress made. As such, we ask that the EPA provide a detailed summary as to when this project will be completed.”
The EPA has maintained that field and design work, along with other analysis, needs to be completed before any construction could take place. The results of this analysis would affect how an isolation barrier would be aligned and placed at the site, according to EPA spokesman Chris Whitley. “It would be irresponsible of us to project a start date for construction at this time, when those discussions with the [Army] Corps [of Engineers] and the Potentially Responsible Parties are continuing in earnest toward the goal of selecting the proper alignment and placement for the barrier,” Whitley said. “Those factors—the alignment and placement of the barrier—will greatly influence the design of the project, and in turn, the timetables for its construction.” The EPA is working on a timely response to the lawmakers’ letter, Whitley said.
Currently, the West Lake Landfill is under the supervision of the EPA’s Superfund program, which took over responsibility for the site in 1990. After a large public outcry, the EPA established an inter-agency working agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers for support services in the construction of the barrier. According to Whitley, work with the Corps is still ongoing. “We also greatly value the support of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the isolation barrier project,” Whitley said. “Their professionals are working closely with us to ensure the final decision on the isolation barrier is comprehensive. We want to get it right with the Corps and that takes time.”
