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EPA Seeks Comment on Cleanup Plan For A Tittabawassee River Island

Release Date: 04/25/2011
Contact Information: Jayna Legg, 312-353-0562, legg.jayna@epa.gov

For Immediate Release No. 11-OPA036

EPA SEEKS COMMENT ON CLEANUP PLAN FOR A TITTABAWASSEE RIVER ISLAND
Open house and public meeting April 28 in Saginaw, Michigan

Chicago (April 25, 2011) --- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public meeting Thursday, April 28, to accept comments on its proposed plan to clean up dioxin on an island in the Tittabawassee River. The public meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Saginaw Valley State University, Curtiss Hall, Banquet Rooms B and C, 7400 Bay Road, Saginaw.

Representatives from the EPA and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will also be available to discuss the plan and answer questions at an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. on April 28 at the Thomas Township Library, 8207 Shield Drive, Saginaw.

The island, located near the intersection of M-47 and Weiss Street, is part of the Tittabawassee River, Saginaw River and Bay Superfund Site. The island cleanup is a part of a long-term cleanup of the two rivers. Dioxins at this site were formed as byproducts of Dow Chemical Co.’s early manufacturing processes at its Midland, Michigan, plant.

The proposed plan is online at www.epa.gov/region5/sites/dowchemical. More details can be found in a document called Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis for Reach MM In-Channel Island, which is on the EPA’s website and filed at these local information repositories: Grace A. Dow Memorial Library, 1710 W. Saint Andrews St., Midland; Hoyt Main Library, 505 Janes Ave., Saginaw; and Alice and Jack Wirt Public Library, 500 Center Ave., Bay City.

Written comments on the plan may be submitted until May 22 to Don de Blasio, Community Involvement Coordinator, EPA Region 5 (SI-7J), 77 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604; via the Internet at www.epa.gov/region5/publiccomment/dowchemical-pubcomment.htm, or by fax to Don de Blasio at 312-697-2442. People who need special accommodations at the meetings should contact Don de Blasio, 800-621-8431, Ext. 64360, 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. weekdays, or via e-mail deblasio.don@epa.gov.