Part four: Upper Columbia River Superfund Series. The release of the Human Health Risk Assessment is significant, because it seems to have been used to justify the proposed listing of the Upper Columbia River on the National Priorities (Superfund) list. What did it conclude?
The declaration of an area as a "Superfund" is massive! This is more of a political control issue, than an environmental issue.
The tests required to ascertain if heavy metal pollution levels are unsafe are not complete, not done. Yet, the EPA rushes into a Superfund Cleanup Site designation. This designation would assign full political control over the waterway and surrounding properties to the EPA.
It would be benificial to require proof that any proposed method of EPA cleanup will IMPROVE, NOT WORSEN any contamination levels before allowing it to begin. Mindlessly stirring up sediment with no feasible plan of disposal or treatment after disturbing it is just crazy.
Furthermore, remember that the gold rush started when pioneers panned for gold in the rivers. The heavy metals have been in our waterways always. Heavy metals go downhill naturally. It is what we do with heavy metals that can cause problems.
The declaration of an area as a "Superfund" is massive! This is more of a political control issue, than an environmental issue.
The tests required to ascertain if heavy metal pollution levels are unsafe are not complete, not done. Yet, the EPA rushes into a Superfund Cleanup Site designation. This designation would assign full political control over the waterway and surrounding properties to the EPA.
It would be benificial to require proof that any proposed method of EPA cleanup will IMPROVE, NOT WORSEN any contamination levels before allowing it to begin. Mindlessly stirring up sediment with no feasible plan of disposal or treatment after disturbing it is just crazy.
Furthermore, remember that the gold rush started when pioneers panned for gold in the rivers. The heavy metals have been in our waterways always. Heavy metals go downhill naturally. It is what we do with heavy metals that can cause problems.
Valerie Woelk