United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region V
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

The removal action at the residential component of the Western Mineral Products site began in October 2000.  Since that time over 1600 residential properties have been inspected for the presence of asbestos containing materials at surface level.  Of those, over 260 have been remediated.  The asbestos containing materials are suspected to have come from the former Western Mineral Products exfoliation plant, owned and operated by WR Grace until the late 1980's.  This facility processed ore from the Libby Montana mine.  There is evidence the waste material from the exfoliation process was piled outside the plant and made available to the general public free of charge.  Hundreds of neighbors took this waste home and used it as fill in their yards, gardens and driveways.

This year, 2005, we are back to address contamination at a park, Gluek Park, property of the Minneapolis Park District.  The Park site is a former brewery and seems like waste from the Western Mineral plant was used as fill when the brewery was demolished.  EPA inspected the Park in 2003, found it to be contaminated, and the Park has been closed since.  On June 13, 2005, we began removal activities at the site, which encompasses about 2.6 acres including 550 lineal feet along the Mississippi River.  The scope of work for this removal includes the stabilization of the slope, excavation and off site disposal of contaminated soils, and the restoration and re-vegetation of the Park.  It is expected this project will last at least 4 months.

Prior to removal activities initial Site setup activities occurred the week of June 6, 2005.  It included trailer set up, utilities, ect.  

Removal activities began on June 13, and will follow the grid system established for the site inspection and sampling event.  See attached map on the Documents section for grid locations. The work to be performed at each grid includes:  excavation of a minimum of 24 inches of contaminated soil, collection of confirmatory soil samples at the bottom of the excavation, placement of geotextile fabric at the bottom of the excavation, backfilling of excavated areas with top soil, seeding for grass and placement of straw matting. Tree roots will be immediately covered with wooded matting, kept wet and backfill as soon as possible, in an attempt to save as many trees as possible.

At all times during the excavation work, there will be perimeter air monitoring.  Also, some crew members will wear personal air sampling pumps during the work day to monitoring the air in their breathing zone.  The excavated soils are stockpiled on site and kept moist and covered with plastic until disposal takes place.  Also, dust control measures will be in place at all times during excavation activities.

During this reporting period grid numbers 10 and 11 were excavated and restored.  Please see photos on the Images section.

Continue excation on grids 9, 8 and 7, and restore them.  Also, the placement of riprap on the Mississippi River bank for stabilization, should start as soon as the water level drops.

Stabilizing the Mississippi River bank by placing riprap, and continue excavation and restoration of the grids.

None at this time.