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Show THE SAN JUAN RECORD Wednesday March 25, 1998 - Page 5 Monticello Mill Tailings Site Operable Unit III IPublic Comment Sought Interim Remedial Action Proposed Plan to address the contaminated surface and ground water and an Alternatives Analysis to address contaminated soil and sediments at the Monticello Mill Tailings Superfund Site have been released by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The public is invited to comment on the Plan, the Alternatives Analysis, and the results of a Remedial Investigation (Rl)Feasibility An Study (FS). The documents apply to Operable Unit III (OU III) of the site. OU III activities include addressing contaminated surface and ground water at and downstream from the former Monticello millsite and soil and sediment deposits adjacent to Montezuma Creek. The Interim Remedial Action Proposed Plan and a fact sheet summarizing the Alternatives Analysis are being made available to known interested parties. The draft FS, which identifies remedial action alternatives, concluded that, because of changing conditions at the millsite that are due to excavation and restoration activities, a final solution for surface and ground water cannot be proposed at this time. DOE is proposing that an interim action be implemented until a long-tersolution can be determined. Its recommendation, supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Utah and of the Environmental Agency (EPA) Quality (UDEQ), is to Department m Implement institutional controls to restrict potential future use of contaminated ground water; Continue ground water extraction and treatment during excavation and dewatering of the millsite, determined necessary, in if areas of concentrated contamination; Install a permeable reactive treatment wall to reduce contaminant levels in ground water; and Continue to monitor and to collect more data to determine the final preferred action. The following alternatives were considered to address contaminated soil and sediment along Montezuma Creek: No action. Excavation to cleanup standards contained in 40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 192 and disposal in the repository. Excavation to an alternative cleanup standard and disposal in the repository. Implementation of institutional controls in the form of restrictive easements that would prohibit residential construction within contaminated areas immediately adjacent to Montezuma Creek. on-si- te on-si- te The Preferred Alternative for soil and sediment is to excavate affected soil and sediment, determined by the alternative cleanup standard, to place this contamination in the repository, and to prohibit residential construction in defined areas. on-si- te public meeting will be held to present related information and to take written and verbal comments. The public is invited to comment on alternatives in the Interim Remedial Action Proposed Plan and in the RIFS for surface and ground water and in the Alternatives Analysis for y comment period. The Proposed Plan, the RIFS, the soils and sediment. The public may also bring any other ideas forward during the Alternatives Analysis, and other related site documents are available during the comment period for public review at the location listed below. DOE will select, and EPA and UDEQ will concur on, the final remedies after all public comment has been considered. A all 32-da- Public Comment Period March 27 to April 27, 1998 Public Meeting Public Record Tuesday, April 7, beginning at 7 p.m. Monticello High School Auditorium 197 South 2nd West - Monticello, Utah Monticello City Offices 17 North 1st Street Monticello, Utah Hours: Monday Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday Evenings 6 to 8 p.m. Comments may be submitted verbally or in writing at the public meeting. Written comments will also be accepted through April 27, 1998, by mailing them to Audrey Berry, Public Affairs Specialist U.S. Department of Energy Grand Junction Office, 2597 B Road, Grand Junction, CO 81503 For more information, contact Donald Metzler DOE Project Manager (970)248-76- 12 David Bird PaulMushovic EPA Project Manager ext. 6662 Individuals who need special accommodations to participate in the public meeting should call least 3 working days before the meeting. UDEQ Project Manager (801)536-41- 00 r 8 to make arrangements at |