Document YDKBGnooLxMe8bgqvzV13Zrj0

MUftTGAK >U hfWS-SUA t O >0 * oo (/) z o X jiOV 8 1979 OMC won't fund PCB cleaning of lake kBy iUnTvtmmatMuwN um mum Outtaerd Maine Carp. will not contribute any funding to, but wilt cooperate with. * project timed at easing the throat to Lake MkMgan of contamination from heavy PCB pollution in the North Ditch, official* of the Waukegan-based fine decided Wednesday afternoon. The decision drew fearsh criticism from the U S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Lake Michigan Federation, a Chicago-based environmental group. Jsba McGuire, regional director for the U.S. EPA. said urgent action necessary to prevent a release of "great quantities" of PCBs iato the lake next spring The ditch and Waukegan Harbor have been identified as the worn site in the U.S- lor PCBs (polycholonnated biphenyls), a highly toxic chemical that has been proven to cause cancer and reproductive failures in laborator.y ammats. Humans have lish from the lake. chan row mead weufctyof targe McGuire Iasi Friday, to** separate from theongoing lawsuits ovar the PCB pollution, pro`pose`dJ *....N..o...r.t.h "Dit`ch` project be started immediately and asked OMC to accept responsibility for (ho work. He indicated that if OMC would not accept respeasibikiy the U.$. EPA. waiting with the U .S. Const Guard, could secure the necessary funding. OMC officials Wednesday decided not to participate and released (ho foUowing statement: "Last Friday the U S. EPA asked Onboard Marine Coop wtadwr we or the EPA should proceed with, as yet uaMentiflod measures, to dual with the_ualleg.edrwP-CB accumulation in a draiaaga ditch on . .. . .. ..... from the Lake Michigan Federation, grad Marion, assistant the north side of our property federation director, said. "It is certainly disappointing that "After careful consideration we have concluded that the OMC officials do not lerl they are is a position to exhibit the EPA is best-suited to proceed with the proposed actions. We environmental consciousness that they havebeen professing have indicated tothem that we will cooperate fully with their lor so long. Thi indicates their real environmental efforts. As sad others kav been saying for severalyears, .......... " the EPA his the authority, expertise and very likely the responsibility to resolve wtat It Ms Mortified as an environmental problem which originated before the environmental taws u%re pasted. Most importantly, the PCB situation seems to be well on its nay to resolution.'' Asked bow OMC intended to cooperate. Hugh Thomas, OMC seniorcounsel, said. "We will give the EPA full access to the ditch ot reasonable times aad make available the studies we have canduaed." Recent studies have shown ttat *er df pounds of PCB* would be washed out of the ditch into the lake nail spring, urtesi preventive measure* erwqwckly taken. Morton said. The ditch is estimated to contain two tnUltoa pounds of the u *' 1 1 _ _____ ______ funds with the Coast Goaid through s soctian of the Clean "At this point that would be the sum total of our cooperation," ho added, saying no funding would be provided. "We are willing to talk firther, (or some typo of soiutioo to the harbor and the ditch. The harbor is net part of the EPA'* current consMeratfcme." Water Act which empowers the agency io remove haiardous substances discharged te navigable waters that could present a substantial danger to public hoahh. Several alternatives are being evaluated by EPA engineers, includingdredgfntaut theditch, bat theproposal most likely would involve (he butalbiion tf a system ef "In our opinion several parties may have financial responsibilities, including Monsanto Chemical Carp , OMC, and both the minors and ll.S. EPA*.'4 said Thomas. culverts and coffer dams, slang with a groundwater retentionpond, to prevent the arising of theditch pediments, which are high in PCBs. with the lake water. "Monsanto invented, manufactured am) was the sole supplier ot thehydraulic fluid that contained the PCBs. They refused on several occasion* to identify what I* to OMC has not porckased the fluid since 1P7I. The OMC decision draw immediate and harsh criticism The culverts would carry the surface water runoff to a reieniion pond, while the coffer dams would limit the contaminated PCB-ladaa sediments whhin the ditch. The project is estimated to cost *410.000 and b projected for completion by March l. J9M .................. McGuire told The News-Sun late Wednesday the OMC decision "is one of a series e( outMndkh and irresponsible actions by OMC They have already put several million pounds of PCBs into Lake Michigan and lfe tad the opportunity to, with mmimuat effort, remove a lew hundred pounds." "U is especially ironic that OMC. which makes Its profits selling outboard motors sportsmen, continues a callous disregard r fishermen who have te worry about eating fish out of the lake that art centsmtnated with PCBs." "We believe strongly ttat the legal structure b not suHktent to mm the environmental needs." sold McGuire. "The Clean Water Act provides authority to prevent wem pollution, but there is no authority to clean up easting contaminants. w are hopeful that MB 43dt now before Congress, will allow us io proceed with a cleanup aad assess charges to those responsible-" "We oouM be tied up tor an unlimited period of time in the courts, studs for tour to five yours without cleaning op the fundamental problem in the tartar." McGuire said- "We can expect further obstructioeist efforts from OMC. despite their pious annorarcemcnu." McGuire said the U.S. EPA will proceed with the North Ditch project. Fine) engineering reports are expected bock "in a week to I* days." he added, "with canstrocbcn Starting ia JP to 4$ days " "We can count an OMC ta try IP stop or stall the wrok," McGuire concluded.