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The EPA held hearings in Hayden last week to help inform the public about the new safety requirements being implemented and how they will affect local employer Asarco.
Copper Area News
Public meetings were held on Oct. 21 and 22 in Hayden to update the public on the investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the ASARCO Hayden Plant Site. The investigation of the industrial areas of the site has been on going for a year. The EPA has been monitoring and sampling air, soil and water in the area to determine the nature and extent of contamination of the environment.
About 35 people attended the meeting including members of ASARCO, EPA, Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) as well as Hayden/Winkelman residents. Pete Rios, Pinal County Supervisor for district one and Ken Montoya representing Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick’s office also attended.
John Hillenbrand, EPA Remedial Project manager provided the presentation on the investigation updates. There was a discussion session during and after the presentation. Printed information on the updates and proposed testing for blood lead and urine arsenic in Hayden and Winkelman was made available. Ben Gerhardstein, ATSDR gave the presentation on the planned lead and arsenic testing. Due to findings of arsenic and lead in levels above the EPA standards, free testing of blood and urine for arsenic and lead is being offered to children and pregnant women. (see article on free testing)
Air monitoring systems have been placed in and around residential areas near the plant site. They have measured the air quality for the past year and it has shown that arsenic, lead and cadmium are present in amounts above the EPA’s safety levels. The Hillcrest neighborhood and the area around Terrace Hill Drive had the highest levels of concentration of the metals. The air monitoring will continue for another year.
Soil sampling was conducted in non-residential areas of the industrial plant around the smelter and concentrator and outlying natural areas. High concentrates of the metal have been confirmed in the Hayden plant and former Kennecott concentrator. Concentrations of the metals have been found in outlying non-residential areas including arroyos in the area. Hillenbrand said parents should keep their children from playing in those areas.
The drinking water supply wells of Hayden/Winkelman have been monitored and sampled and found to meet EPA drinking water quality standards. Storm water, ground water and river water has been sampled. Stormwater samples collected from the Kennecott wash area showed arsenic, copper and lead greater than EPA standards in the runoff. Pockets of groundwater have showed levels of metals above the drinking water standards. More testing of river water sampling will be conducted.
Most of the soil and water data has been collected and the air sampling will continue for another year. Once all the data is analyzed and information is collected, options for clean up will be determined and presented to the public at a meeting for comment. This should occur in early 2016. After plans are completed for the clean up the clean up of the site will begin. Information repositories for community members have been established at the Hayden Public Library and the Arthur E. Pomeroy Public Library in Kearny. Documents can be reviewed there.
For more information you can contact Sarah Cafasso, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator, 415-972-3076, cafasso.sarah@epa.gov or John Hillenbrand EPA Remedial Project Manager 415-972-3494, Hillenbrand.john@epa.gov. You can also contact Wendy Flood, ADEQ Community Involvement Coordinator 602-771-4410, flood.wendy@azdeq.gov.
More information can be found at the EPA website at: www.epa.gov/region09/AsarcoHaydenPlant or ADEQ website at: www.adeq.gov/environ/waste/sps/ASARCO_Hayden_Plant.html.
The contact for information at the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry is: Jamie Rayman, Health Educator, Region 9, 415-947-4318, jrayman@cdc.gov.
John Hernandez lives in Oracle. He is retired and enjoys writing and traveling. He is active in the Oracle Historical Society. He covers numerous public events, researches historical features and writes business/artist profiles.
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