EPA to give south Minneapolis residents chance to speak up
by Ambar Espinoza, Minnesota Public RadioSt. Paul, Minn. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will discuss long-term cleanup proposals for a south Minneapolis Superfund site at a public meeting tonight.
The EPA will show residents several alternatives to remove soil from yards contaminated with arsenic dust that came from a former pesticide plant. A Superfund emergency program has been cleaning up about 200 homes, because the arsenic levels in their soil presented immediate health risks.
The EPA's Tim Prendiville said the main purpose of tonight's meeting is to get feedback from residents about the cleanup proposals.
"We're going to talk about the results of our sampling that was done out there which showed that we think that the impacts from the facility at 28th and Hiawatha are within our current sampling area, which is about a three-quarter mile radius around that location," said Prendiville.
Prendiville said the EPA will also share the results of its health risk assessment. Residents will learn about the acceptable levels of short term exposure to arsenic.
The public comment period ends in early July. Prendiville says the EPA hopes to start the cleanups next spring.
The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at the YWCA in Minneapolis.
