EPA won’t fund shipment of PCB-contaminated soil

The United States Environmental Protection Agency will not extend any financial assistance to the Army Corps of Engineer should shipment of PCB-contaminated soil from Tanapag Village be recommended as an option.

US-EPA Superfund Division Deputy Director Michael Feeley said funding for the proposed disposal of the PCB contaminated soil should be sourced out by the Department of Defense, not the environmental agency.

He said shipment is the last option being looked at by the agency while other means to resolve the villagers’ concerns are being explored by federal regulatory agencies as continued environmental studies are being undertaken.

The USCOE is expected to submit its recommendations by the end of April, before the scheduled completion of the excavation activities on May 1, 2001.

The US-EPA had extended the deadline for the submission of the detailed Work Plan to May 1, while submission of groundwater investigation plan is extended to April 15.

EPA’s Region-9 Office considers the Tanapag Village Cleanup as one of the Superfund’s major project although it was not listed as a national priority.

Mr. Feeley is scheduled to meet with the USCOE to discuss the status of the excavation activities in Tanapag. The Army Corps’ proposed action to dispose of PCB residues will soon be completed, he added.

There is no decision yet whether to approve on-site treatment of PCB contaminated soil or to ship it off to the mainland US for proper disposal.

“We are not in the position to help in the cost of the shipment, (the) defense department will be the one to identify the funding sources,” said the deputy director.

Further, US-EPA still considers on-site treatment as its best alternative since transshipment will be costlier. He, however, tossed the financial responsibilities to the defense department, adding that EPA will only have to approve or disapprove the recommendations.

“We don’t like the options to leave it here, but we have a full range of options available,” said Mr. Feeley.

The deputy director also met with Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio and legislators to assure the Commonwealth that actions are being taken to resolve the problem.

Mr. Tenorio has stressed that all environmental agencies involved should work collaboratively and implement cleanup measures in Tanapag.

Still, the Commonwealth did not get any firm commitment from the US-EPA on the possible transshipment of PCB residues, as requested by Tanapag villagers. (EGA)