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Teno asks DEQ to study relocation of Tanapag residents
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Posted on Nov 17 2000
Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has asked the Department of Public Health and the Division of Environmental Quality to make an assessment whether or not there is a need to relocate some Tanapag residents in view of the cleanup of some areas in the village.
DEQ Director Ignacio Cabrera said the agency will meet with Tanapag residents soon to discuss their demand for relocation, at least temporarily, especially those who are living in contaminated areas.
However, due to recent findings that residents have low levels of PCB in their blood, public health officials may no longer see the need for relocation of some people.
The U.S. Army Corps and its contractor, the Environmental Chemical Corp., have started the cleanup of the 18 sites earlier identified in the village which were found to have high PCB levels.
Excavation of PCB contaminated soil in Cemetery 2 is more than 50 percent complete and is expected to be finished next month. Treatment of the soil will begin early next year using the indirect low thermal desorption process.
Mr. Cabrera and Terence Fitial, branch manager for underground storage tank program and pesticide, recently met with Dorothy Canter, adviser to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator in Washington D.C., and discussed the cleanup process.
The two DEQ staff also visited the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to find out more information about the technology that will be used in the treatment of soil.
The indirect low thermal desorption process was used in a bigger PCB contaminated area in New Jersey. Since Tanapag is a smaller area, the machine to be used will be downsized to suit the project.
During the meeting, DEQ was advised by EPA Region 2 officials on the need to ensure air quality while the soil treatment is being conducted and the availability of spare parts in case the machine breaks down.
“We want to make sure that the contractor can immediately repair the machine if it breaks down,” Mr. Cabrera said. (LFR)
