Columbus residents now have more time to submit comments and concerns regarding a proposed $13.6 million cleanup of the former Kerr-McGee main plant site.
The Environmental Protection Agency submitted a cleanup plan for public comment in October through Nov. 16. After a written comment was submitted asking for a 30-day extension, EPA pushed the final date to Dec. 18.
The proposed plan is to encase up to 20 acres of the 56-acre-main-plant area, with a 4,550-foot-long and 50-feet-deep concrete barrier wall to contain creosote still in the ground. There would also be a 12-foot-tall soil cap placed on top. The encasement would be located in the southwest corner of the site, south of 14th Avenue North.
At that point, trees would be planted on top for phytoremediation, a method of growing trees to soak up the creosote contamination from the groundwater and soil through root systems.
The project would take two to three years to complete.
EPA Remedial Projects Manager Charles King said once the comment period is ended, EPA will then make a final decision based on the feedback and submit a final record of decision to the Greenfield Environmental Trust Group, which is responsible for site cleanup.
Comments can be submitted in writing by email to EPA’s Remedial Project Manager Charles King at king,[email protected] or by mail to Charles King, U.S. EPA, 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303. All comments submitted by mail must be postmarked by Dec. 18 to be valid.
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