Libby Environmental Health Update

5/16/2000

Rainy Creek Road

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be writing to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to formally request the closure of Rainy Creek Road during remedial work in the Libby area. Rainy Creek Road is a popular route for outdoors enthusiasts because it connects to several other USFS roads prior to becoming a private road at the mine site. To minimize traffic and possible exposure to people, the EPA wants to close the road for most of the summer. To minimize dust emanating from heavy equipment traffic, calcium chloride or magnesium chloride (along with water mists) will be used as a dust suppressant.

Property Issues

The five acres or less of land east of the Parkers (the former Screening Plant) is owned by Mark Owens. The EPA took surface soil samples in this area to determine the extent of contamination. Results indicate that asbestos fiber levels are extremely high (8-10%) in the surface soil. EPA will mostly likely cleanup this area in conjunction with remedial work at the former Screening Plant. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is contacting EPA to find out if this cleanup will be included in the Screening Plant remedial action.

Former Screening Plant

The EPA will be in charge of the removal and cleanup work at the former Screening Plant. It is in the process of relocating the Parkers to a home in Libby. The Parkers are now looking for a house. Once a home is found and rented, the EPA will move the Parkers and begin moving the equipment and personal property of the Parkers. All the equipment stored in the buildings is assumed to be contaminated with asbestos fibers and decontamination will occur prior to removal by EPA contractors. Once all equipment and asbestos material are removed from the buildings, a controlled demolition of each structure (not all structures will be dismantled) will take place. Air samples will be taken throughout the entire process.

Prior to the excavation of asbestos contaminated soils, the site will be cleared of all vegetation. The Parkers are in the process of determining which shrubs and trees they want saved and removed prior to excavation.

Once the site is cleared of buildings and vegetation, the contaminated soil will be scraped away. Maximum depth of excavation will be 18 inches (average depth 12 inches), with an estimated volume of soils to be removed around 47,795.3 cubic yards.

Up to an estimated 50 cubic yards of additional soils requiring removal are situated across the Kootenai River, adjacent to the railroad tracks where the conveyor system from the former Screening Plant deposited vermiculite for loading rail cars for offsite transportation. This material will be excavated, transported and disposed along with material collected from the former Screening Plant area.

Excavation is scheduled to begin this month with the relocation of the Parkers by mid-May and the excavation of contaminated soil by mid-June.

Former Export Plant

The EPA is looking at the possibility of W.R. Grace doing the remedial work at the Export Plant under a unilateral order. The EPA is in the process of relocating the lumber business to a site in Libby. W.R. Grace is looking into possibly buying a vacant building for the tenants to use. Once a building is found, the EPA will begin moving the equipment and personal property. All the equipment and lumber stored in the buildings is assumed to be contaminated with asbestos fibers and decontamination will occur prior to removal by EPA contractors. Once all equipment, lumber and asbestos material are removed from the buildings, a controlled demolition of each structure (all buildings except one will be dismantled) will take place. Air samples will be taken throughout the entire process. The business owners are concerned about the loss of business and requested that the larger planner room not be dismantled so they could do limited work. The EPA is looking at the possibility of allowing the business owners limited access to this room during remedial action.

Prior to the excavation of asbestos contaminated soils, the site will be cleared of all vegetation. Unlike the Parkers place, no shrubs and trees will be salvaged prior to soil excavation. Once the site is cleared of buildings and vegetation, the contaminated soil will be scraped away. Maximum depth of excavation will be 18 inches (average depth 12 inches), with an estimated volume of soils to be removed around 36,300 cubic yards.

Excavation is scheduled to begin this month with the relocation of the lumber business by mid-May and the excavation of contaminated soil by mid-June.

Waste Disposal

Waste disposal is contingent on W.R. Grace and Mark Owens coming to an agreement to dispose of the waste material and contaminated soil at the mine site. Although it appears that all parties would like the mine to be the disposal site, an agreement has not been forged. If the parties cannot agree, the material will be trucked out of the area. Alternative sites outside the Libby area for possible repositories for the material include landfills in Kalispell and Great Falls.

If the mine is used, waste materials will be transported to the mine and disposed of appropriately in the designated Hole #23 area. Contaminated soil will be disposed of at either the slumped portion of the coarse tailings pile or at Hole #23 as a cover for the waste material. The latter is dependent on amending the existing mine permit. Pat Plantenberg is looking into this issue.