EPA to Begin Soil Sampling as Part of PCB Investigation

Environmental Protection Agency personnel returned Monday to St. Clair Shores to update the community and inform residents of the next steps in the PCB investigation in the 10 Mile drain system.

The EPA has been monitoring plastic "pom-poms" which were placed in the drains and collect the PCBs. If the pom-poms are saturated with PCB-oil, they are properly disposed of by the EPA.

While the EPA continues this effort, and considers cleanup options, the EPA will also begin the follwing efforts in the coming weeks:

• Soil samples will be taken from commercial properties in the Bon Brae and Harper areas from the ground level to about 20 feet deep.
• Take soil samples from front yards along the Bon Brae canal and selected backyard properties along the Lange-Revere canals. This will be done with the approval of residents.
• Obtain sediment samples from the Rio Vista canals which was the outfall for the Rio Vista and Lake Crest Canals for the former Martin drain.

"We know there is contamination in the sediment at Lange and Revere (canals). The question is there contamination in people's backyards," said Colleen Moynihan, EPA Remedial Project Manager.

If contamination is found, those homes would be included in the final clean-up plan, she added.

The EPA will also bring a mobile lab to test the samples and give initial results during the four- to six-weeks of testing before the samples are sent to Chicago for testing.

"We do anticipate coming back in the fall to talk about potential clean up options and present those options to the community," said Moynihan, who added that the input will be used in the final cleanup plan.