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EPA schedules open house and public meeting on Indiana Harbor disposal facility health study

Release Date: 12/07/2006
Contact Information: Kären Thompson, (312) 353-8547, thompson.karen@epa.gov

CHICAGO (Dec. 7, 2006) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 will hold an open house and public meeting Thursday, Dec. 14, to present results of a health study on the effects of potential pollution from the proposed confined disposal facility at the Indiana Harbor in East Chicago.

The open house will take place from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the Roberto Clemente Community Center, 3516 Elm St., East Chicago, Ind. The public meeting will follow from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at East Chicago Central High School, 1100 W. Columbus Drive.

The EPA study, undertaken in response to community concern, found low health risks to nearby residents from the planned disposal area being constructed by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers on 186 acres of a former refinery site. The facility will hold contaminated sediment dredged from the harbor and canal starting in 2009. Harbor dredging is a positive step toward a cleaner environment by stopping the flow of pollution into Lake Michigan.

The complete study is available at the East Chicago public libraries at 2401 E. Columbus Drive and 1008 W. Chicago Ave. It is also posted on EPA's Web site: https://www.epa.gov/region5/sites/indianaharbor. For information or special accommodations contact Yolanda Bouchee, EPA community involvement coordinator, at (312) 353-3209, (800) 621-8431 or bouchee.yolanda@epa.gov.