Teck committed to EPA effort

Teck Resources is fully committed to operating in a responsible and sustainable manner.

We are supportive of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to ensure the health of Washington communities. This is clearly a concerning issue for residents, and Teck has spent more than $70 million over the past eight years on studies conducted in the Upper Columbia River area under EPA oversight to identify potential risks to human health or the environment associated with historic operations of our Trail facility.

The Spokesman-Review’s April 18 story referred to recent residential soil testing. It’s important to note that an ore and concentrate transfer facility and numerous mines unrelated to Teck were previously located very close to the study area, which we believe would have significantly contributed to metal levels in local soils.

In addition, significant sampling data collected in the vicinity of Trail Operations are inconsistent with soil conditions identified in that area of Washington.

We remain focused on operating at the highest environmental standards to ensure the health of communities and are committed to continuing to work with EPA to delineate any potential impacts from Trail’s historical operations in the context of many other historic metals sources in the region.

Marcia Smith

Teck Resources

Vancouver, Wash.