The second phase of site reclamation work at the former Byford junkyard has been put on another hold, as the state’s environmental agency responds to a new project report prepared on behalf of Wrangell’s tribal government.
Wrangell Cooperative Association has taken an opposing stance to a monofill the Department of Environmental Conservation has been preparing to construct at a state rock pit, which will situate 18,500 cubic yards of treated soil removed from the Byford yard.
Privately run for decades as a repository of junked vehicles, batteries and other scrap, the 4-Mile property has since 2000 been on the Environmental Protection Agency’s radar as a contaminated site. After the City of Wrangell acquired it through foreclosure, it received the assistance of both agencies to remediate the land of its lead, heavy metals and petroleum content, which was migrating to neighboring properties.
In 2016 contractors began unearthing increasing quantities of waste and sullied soil as they underwent their work. Under the DEC’s management, the project began expanding in scope and expense. While some 60 containers of scrap and the most contaminated soil were removed by barge during the first stage of cleanup, project costs meant a considerable volume of soil with lead content would still need to remain on island.
The monofill DEC designed for that purpose was to be situated at Department of Natural Resources rock pit number two, 0.2 miles away from Pats Creek, which along with its namesake lake is a popular system for fishing and recreation to the island’s residents. Work on the monofill meant to begin last summer was put on hold, primarily following concerns voiced by WCA that the lead content still found in the soil could pose a safety threat to the nearby creek.
Engineers on the project last August sought to allay concerns about the site and its safety in a public presentation. The Borough Assembly remained undecided, while WCA continued to object to the placement. During the project lull still ongoing, alternative sites for the monofill had been investigated but the DNR pit remained a top candidate for the project.
Looking to resume in April, the DEC’s commissioner visited Wrangell earlier this month to meet with WCA and city officials. During the visit, WCA tribal administrator Esther Ashton presented the department with a recently completed overview of the Byford project prepared by Kendra Zamzow at the Center for Science in Public Participation (CSP2), on behalf of the Tribe.
WCA had been trying to take on Zamzow’s services since November, after she was recommended by its environmental IGAP office. Based in Montana, CSP2 provides technical expertise on water quality contamination and other impacts associated with industry, primarily mining. According to CSP2’s site, Zamzow is an environmental geochemist with a doctorate in environmental chemistry, and represents the center in Alaska.
“We gave her every single document we had on the monofill,” Ashton explained.
While a copy of her report has been issued to DEC for review, the WCA Council will need to consider its public release at its meeting this week, scheduled for Tuesday. In its review of the project, the report identifies potential problems with other, non-lead contaminants that could be present in the soil, the design of the monofill’s cap and cover, the destination of its drainage, and gaps in the data DEC is relying upon.
DEC has decided to again put the project on hold as it reviews and responds to Zamzow’s report.
“The state is currently looking at the report,” project manager Sally Schlichting confirmed. “We’re working to address the recommendations that she raised in that report.”
Some additional sampling of the groundwater at the rock pit and soil pile is being done, to test for other heavy metals. Schlichting expected a written response and some meetings with stakeholders may be next before the project resumes, though she was uncertain when.
“We’re working to address these recommendations as soon as we can, but it will take some time,” she said.
For its part, WCA will wait for DEC’s response before venturing a guess as to its next step. Likewise, the Assembly decided last week it would issue an opinion on the project once more information was made available.
Reader Comments(0)