Typhoon season worries villagers

With completion of PCB cleanup activities still pending, Tanapag villagers raised concerns that the onset of the typhoon season may pose greater risk of contamination.

Tanapag Action Group member Ben Sablan urged the United States Environmental Protection Agency to immediately lay out plans that will carry out effective cleanup operations especially on excavated areas around the village.

EPA, along with the US Army Corps of Engineers, has been conducting study and excavation activities at the village to determine the extent of contamination level.

Only recently, 22 other residential properties were evaluated and 46 additional samples were submitted for another round of laboratory tests.

According to EPA on-site representative Michelle Rogow, villagers asked that these houses be tested due to concerns that their homes were not included in the first batch of exams conducted by the regulatory agency.

Results of these tests are expected to be completed this week, said Ms. Rogow.

But TAG members claimed the absence of concrete plans for the excavated PCB-laced soils may be detrimental to Tanapag residents especially during the typhoon season.

Several areas in the village were excavated and backfilling are continuously being done. But problems on possible transshipment of PCB contaminated soils and issues of on-site treatment continue to plague affected families.

US-EPA Superfund Division Deputy Director Michael Feeley said several options are currently being looked at to resolve these concerns. Included in these alternatives are encapsulation of excavated soils and landfill closure.

“We don’t like the idea of leaving it the way it is right now. There is a full range of options open to us and we are waiting for proposals from the Army Corps,” said the deputy director.

He assured residents, however, that the liners used by the two agencies are strong and can cover the entire mound of soil, adding that spillage is impossible.

The Northern Marianas is known to be a typhoon-prone area. Once heavy rain started to pound CNMI, contaminated soils are expected to spill over and run off to unaffected areas.

TAG is concerned that water wells might also be contaminated.

Earlier, Superfund stated that there will be no financial assistance for the Army Corps should transshipment of PCB-laced soil from Tanapag Village be recommended as an option.

The USCOE is expected to submit its recommendations by the end of April before the scheduled completion of the excavation activities on May 1, 2001.

EPA has extended due dates for the submission of the detailed Work Plan to March 1, while submission of groundwater investigation plan was extended to April 15.

EPA’s Region 9 Office considers the Tanapag village cleanup as one of the Superfund’s major projects although it was not identified in the National Priorities List. (EGA)