Title
Update on the Status of the Cabot - Koppers Superfund Site (B)
This item involves a request for the City Commission to authorize staff to formally request that the US Environmental Protection Agency extend the public comment period on the Proposed Plan by an additional sixty (60) days (to provide a total of 90 days of comment period) in order to provide adequate time for public and City Commission input.
Explanation
The City of Gainesville has expressed great concern about the need for sufficient time for an adequate public involvement process and citizen participation during the development of a Remedial Plan by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the Cabot-Koppers Superfund Site.
On June 24, 2010, Honorable Mayor Lowe expressed these concerns to the EPA and requested that they postpone release of the Proposed Plan for the remediation of the Koppers portion of the Cabot/Koppers Superfund site until July 15, 2010. The purpose for this request was to allow time for the TAG recipient (Protect Gainesville Citizens) to be able to retain consulting services to assist the community in understanding and providing meaningful input into the process.
EPA agreed to the City's request to delay the release date of the Proposed Plan to July 15, 2010, but stated that while they desired to include greater community involvement in the EPA actions, “we also have a responsibility to complete site cleanup as expeditiously as possible.” The Proposed Plan was released on July 15, 2010 and the EPA has publically noticed a meeting scheduled for August 5, 2010, in Gainesville to discuss the Proposed Plan. The EPA has also set the public comment period for thirty (30) days between July 15, 2010 and August 15, 2010. It is standard procedure that the EPA allows a minimum thirty (30) day public comment period with the release of the Proposed Plan. The City and County has expressed to EPA on numerous occasions an interest in requesting an extension to t...
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