Comments continuing on Silver Valley clean-up plan

Exciting summer! Activities abound! The DEQ public outreach team wants to update you on recent events: EPA Proposed Plan meetings, web site changes, North Idaho Fair, and utility company maintenance near East Mission Flats. The community has been buzzing with summer activities. Among all the fun, over 200 community members participated in recent meetings, and nearly 50 testified about their perspective on EPA’s Proposed Plan. I also recently attended a few civic meetings where EPA presented and responded to great questions from the audience. Please keep in touch, and follow up with your concerns. As a local DEQ employee, I am here to take your questions and connect you with the right person. Send written comments about EPA’s Proposed Plan to cdabasin@epa.gov. What do people think about cleanup? As I talk with people about cleanup issues in general, I hear many points of view: the yard program cleaned up the town; construction can be a pain; communities should be cleaned up; cleanup should be done by now. Some people say they choose to not be involved; some like the local job availability; some would rather talk with someone in person rather than attend meetings to get information; some seek information on the internet and some rely on the local buzz for information; some say they don’t get enough information; some say they know that there are health risks in certain areas and they don’t need reminders; some say there isn’t enough information for visitors and new residents about health risks. How can we best serve your information needs? We are working on a new DEQ Web site feature so you can ask questions and make requests and comments directly to DEQ’s public outreach team! How can we help you stay informed? What information do you want to know? Superfund Straight Talk is just one way; what are some other ways to stay informed with the issues you care about? Look for this web feature appearing soon! DEQ public outreach is participating in the North Idaho Fair and Rodeo this year! Stop by Building 1 between August 25 and 29 in Coeur d’Alene at the Fairgrounds. The Kellogg Office will feature the yard program (also known as the Basin Property Remediation Program) and soil repositories along with many other local environmental programs. Why are some trees being cleared near the East Mission Flats soil repository? The East Mission Flats property, which the State of Idaho purchased for disposal of contaminated soil, sits between the rights-of-way of Canyon Road, Dredge Road, and I-90. Avista utility company’s above-ground power lines are located within a utility corridor on the repository property. The utility corridor allows Avista to maintain the power lines. As a part of routine maintenance, Avista recently cleared trees and vegetation within the utility corridor at the east end of the property. Visual screening on the property remains an important priority. The state is not depending on public rights-of-way or utility corridors to be vegetated to provide a visual screen; however, the tree screen is now less dense on the east end. Trees on the property which the state has control over will remain protected so that a visual screen can be provided. For quick updates, on-demand information, and scheduled citizen-invited meetings, visit the BEIPC calendar (http://www.basincommission.com), DEQ Straight Talk columns (www.deq.idaho.gov/bunkerhillsuperfundsite), and EPA’s ROD Amendment page (http://go.usa.gov/igD ). Send comments by calling, emailing or stopping by 1005 West McKinley, in Kellogg.