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Dear Administrator Mathur:
We are writing to urge the Environmental Protection Agency to take action to remediate the additional PCB contamination that has been discovered in St. Clair Shores, Michigan.
As you know, in 2002, EPA completed an assessment of the high PCB levels that were discovered in the Ten Mile Drain system as well as two adjacent canals in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. At that time, an investigation of the contamination conducted by EPA and its Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team concluded that the likely source of the PCB contamination was illegal dumping of PCBs into a catch basin or storm sewer. Following the investigation and site assessment, EPA initiated a time-critical removal of the PCBs from the Drain and the canals, which was completed in 2004.
Following that initial cleanup, in 2005, additional testing revealed that PCBs continued to seep into the Ten Mile Drain. EPA agreed to come back to St. Clair Shores to re-clean and line the most seriously contaminated section of the Ten Mile Drain. At that time, EPA again attempted to discover the original source of the contamination, without success.
Unfortunately, extremely high levels of PCBs have again been found in the Drain. The evidence suggests that PCBs are entering the Drain from at least two locations both upstream and downstream of the existing liner.
We strongly believe that EPA should mobilize an assessment and response team to investigate the source of the re-contamination of the Ten Mile Drain system and take immediate steps to address the problem. Unless effective action is taken, the renewed PCB contamination could completely undo EPA’s previous cleanup efforts and once again threaten human health and the environment.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.
Sincerely,
Carl Levin
United States Senator
Sander Levin
Member of Congress
Debbie Stabenow
United States Senator
(####)
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