The Quincy Smelter area of the Torch Lake NPL Site is located at 48991 Maple Street, Franklin Township, Houghton County, Michigan. The Site consists of 28 buildings, which historically operated as a copper smelting facility during the 19th century until 1969. Currently the Site is owned by Franklin Township, and the National Park Service (NPS) has designated the Site as a historical landmark within the Keweenaw National Historic Park.
In 2004/2005, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted a removal action at the Site to address drums, tanks, vats, and laboratory chemicals of hazardous substances. During the removal, an asbestos survey documented the presence of friable asbestos inside and outside most of the Site buildings and along the Hancock-Ripley Trail (HRT). To prevent public exposure to friable asbestos the EPA constructed a perimeter fence, abated asbestos outside the fence, and conducted activity based sampling along the HRT. In 2008, accelerated building deterioration lead to EPA’s determination that the continued presence of asbestos inside the fence posed the potential for public exposure.
Historical Properties –
Because the Site is a historical landmark, the EPA Regional Administrator sent a letter to the NPS Regional Director asking NPS assistance in meeting the requirements of the Programmatic Agreement on Protection of Historic Properties during Emergency Response (PA) under the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan. The State Historical Preservation Office was also provided the opportunity to comment.
Structural Safety-
During planning for the removal, a structural analysis of the Site found that asbestos abatement could not be done safely within the 200-foot fall radius of the Reverberatory Furnace Stack under any wind conditions and the window of opportunity to safely repair the stack had passed. Based on this conclusion the stack height was reduced to the roof level prior to abatement work.
Outreach-
EPA’s community involvement coordinator arranged for both the Removal OSC and the Remedial RPM to participate in radio, TV, and newspaper interviews. A factsheet was mailed to area residents.
Between June 9 and June 15, 2008, EPA removed 264 containers of asbestos.* To minimize damage to historical fabric, glove-bagging and framing techniques were used. Clearance air samples collected during and after the abatement work show asbestos air concentrations are now less than the State of Michigan’s 0.05 fibers per cubic centimeter public use criteria.
*Due to structural failure of buildings 6 and 17 and the damage that would be caused by accessing these areas, two areas of asbestos pipe insulation were left in place. EPA has notified Franklin Township and NPS that these areas should addressed during redevelopment.
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Asbestos air concentrations are below State of Michigan's 0.05 f/cc public use criteria; however, structural failure of buildings are an extreme safety hazard.
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