EPA moving forward with additional cleanup of residential yards in East Helena
Publilshed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
EAST HELENA, Mont.—Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the conclusion of a 30-day public comment period and the finalization of an Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD) document that will lower the soil-lead cleanup level at the East Helena Superfund Site from 500 ppm (parts per million) to 400 ppm and remove the 1,000 ppm cleanup action level previously used as a trigger for yard cleanups at the Site. ESDs are documents that EPA uses to modify existing cleanup plans. In this case, the ESD will modify the 2009 Record of Decision (ROD) for Residential Yards and Undeveloped Lands in East Helena.
Both formal and informal public comments were overwhelmingly in favor of the proposal to reduce the soil-lead cleanup level to 400 ppm. With the ESD finalized, EPA will now solicit contract support to initiate yard cleanups later in 2024. The prior cleanup approach established under the 2009 ROD included an action level of 1,000 ppm and a cleanup level of 500 ppm for lead in residential soils. This means that properties with levels above 1,000 ppm qualified for cleanup, and any parts of the property with levels above 500 ppm were cleaned up.
“Reducing exposure to lead, especially for young children, is one of EPA’s top priorities,” said Region 8 Administrator KC Becker. “Lowering the cleanup level for yards in East Helena will enable us to complete new cleanup actions that will further protect the community from potential exposure to lead and its harmful health impacts.”
Previous cleanup efforts under the 2009 ROD led to the remediation of hundreds of yards in East Helena, which involved the removal and replacement of residential soils contaminated by more than one hundred years of smelting by the former ASARCO plant. A better understanding of the health impacts associated with lead exposure, especially for young children and pregnant people, has recently led EPA to reassess acceptable levels of soil-lead contamination at Superfund sites across the country.
EPA also recently released national guidance lowering the screening level for soil-lead in residential yards to 200 ppm, or to 100 ppm if there are multiple sources of lead contamination. Site project managers use screening levels when determining cleanup levels, taking into account Site-specific information on the bioavailability of contaminants and other factors. This means that, in addition to conducting cleanups under the ESD, EPA will now be assessing what the new national soil-lead guidance means for the East Helena Site.
EPA’s East Helena Site team will keep the community informed as they work to implement the new guidance, which may lead to a revision of the 400 ppm residential soil-lead cleanup level determined in the ESD. It is important to note that implementation of this updated guidance will only expand the number of residential properties qualifying for cleanups, and that EPA’s whole-yard approach to yard cleanups moving forward will not require multiple cleanups for qualifying properties.
Health impacts from lead can be permanent. Finding and removing sources of lead from environments, especially where young children live, learn and play, is key in preventing exposure.
Parents who are concerned about potential lead exposure can help reduce harmful impacts by talking to their child’s doctor and getting connected to learning, nutritional and behavioral programs.
For more information on follow-up and case management for children with lead in their blood, please refer to CDC’s Recommended Actions Based on Blood Lead Level.
EPA’s Response to Comments Summary for comments submitted during the public comment period is also available for review.
Read the full article at: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-moving-forward-additional-cleanup-residential-yards-east-helena
