EPA Announces Proposed Cleanup Plan for Anniston PCB Site

Anniston, Alabama – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has unveiled a proposed plan to clean up the contaminated soil, sediment, surface water, and biota at Operable Unit 4 (OU4) of the Anniston PCB Site. OU4, known as Choccolocco Creek, is located in Anniston, Alabama, and the comprehensive plan aims to address the contamination in this critical area.

The Proposed Plan outlines several cleanup alternatives evaluated by the EPA and highlights the preferred methods for remediation. The plan also includes extensive site-related information and emphasizes the importance of public input in the decision-making process. The EPA, in coordination with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), will finalize the remediation methods for OU4 after considering comments from the public during the comment period, which runs from June 1, 2024, to July 30, 2024.

Key aspects of the Proposed Plan include the removal of PCB-contaminated soil and sediment, with disposal in an approved offsite landfill. The estimated cost for this extensive cleanup effort is $85.2 million, which will be funded by the Potentially Responsible Parties. The cleanup strategy for each area within OU4 is detailed below:

– Residential Soil: Excavation and disposal of surface soil with PCB levels above 1.0 mg/kg and subsurface soil PCB levels above 10.0 mg/kg.
– Oxford Lake Park Interim Measures: Long-term monitoring, maintenance, and soil management.
– Non-Residential Soil: Excavation of the top 0 to 6 inches of soil, offsite disposal, institutional controls, and implementation of a Soil Management Plan.
– Creek Banks and Sediment: Source control for contaminated soil in erosion-prone areas, dredging of sediment in both fast- and slow-moving waters, backfilling dredged areas, offsite disposal, monitored natural recovery of sediment, long-term monitoring, institutional controls, and implementation of a Soil Management Plan.

To provide a better understanding of the proposed methods:
– Dredging: Excavating sediments from the creek beds.
– Monitored Natural Recovery: Using natural processes to contain or reduce contamination levels.
– Long-term Monitoring: Collecting samples over extended periods to ensure cleanup goals are met.
– Institutional Controls: Administrative actions to place restrictions on land use to maintain the remedy.
– Soil Management Plan: Assisting property owners in managing potentially contaminated areas.

The EPA will host public meetings to present the Proposed Plan and gather public comments. The meetings will take place from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at the Oxford Civic Center, 401 McCullars Lane, Oxford, AL. Additionally, an Open House will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 20, 2024, at the Lincoln City Center, 140 Jones St, Lincoln, AL.

Community members can access the Proposed Plan, a recording of the Proposed Plan presentation, and other supporting documents on the Site’s webpage . Local libraries in Anniston, Oxford, and Lincoln provide computer access for viewing these documents.

The public is encouraged to review the documents and provide comments verbally at the public meetings, by mail to Pam Scully at U.S. EPA Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, or by email to scully.pam@epa.gov . Comments must include the phrase “Anniston PCB Site” and be received or postmarked by July 30, 2024.

The next steps involve the EPA reviewing all comments and incorporating them into a Responsiveness Summary within the Record of Decision (ROD). The ROD will detail the selected cleanup methods and will be published on the Site’s webpage.

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