Site search
sponsored by
Home
News
ENLARGE
Resource Advisory Committee members are reflected in a pond of acidic runoff as they tour the Formosa Mine near Riddle in May 2004.
RIDDLE — Formosa Mine, the 76-acre site on Silver Butte that releases contaminants into Cow Creek, has been proposed for the Superfund National Priorities List by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The federal government, through the Superfund program, cleans uncontrolled, abandoned, illegally dumped or accidentally spilled hazardous-waste sites that pose a threat to human health or the environment.
A Superfund site is any land in the United States that has been contaminated by hazardous waste and identified by EPA for cleanup.
Formosa Mine must first make the National Priorities List to be eligible for Superfund trust money.
Sites are put on the list after a public comment period and a Hazard Ranking System score.
The EPA is now accepting public comment on the Formosa site for a 60-day period ending May 7.
Past mining at the site for copper, zinc and thorium — an element used in making computer chips — caused the release of heavy metals into the headwaters of Middle Creek and the south fork of Middle Creek.
The contaminants have severely degraded 18 miles of stream habitat.
From 1910 to 1937, limited mining took place at the site.
In 1990, Formosa Explorations Inc. reopened the mine and produced 350 to 400 tons of ore per day until 1993.
When the mine was closed in 1994, large amounts of crushed ore, tailings and zinc concentrate were placed into the mine workings to seal the mine openings. The company removed waste material from the headwaters of Middle Creek and placed it on a large mound outside the mine.
The federal government, through the Superfund program, cleans uncontrolled, abandoned, illegally dumped or accidentally spilled hazardous-waste sites that pose a threat to human health or the environment.
A Superfund site is any land in the United States that has been contaminated by hazardous waste and identified by EPA for cleanup.
Formosa Mine must first make the National Priorities List to be eligible for Superfund trust money.
Sites are put on the list after a public comment period and a Hazard Ranking System score.
The EPA is now accepting public comment on the Formosa site for a 60-day period ending May 7.
Past mining at the site for copper, zinc and thorium — an element used in making computer chips — caused the release of heavy metals into the headwaters of Middle Creek and the south fork of Middle Creek.
The contaminants have severely degraded 18 miles of stream habitat.
From 1910 to 1937, limited mining took place at the site.
In 1990, Formosa Explorations Inc. reopened the mine and produced 350 to 400 tons of ore per day until 1993.
When the mine was closed in 1994, large amounts of crushed ore, tailings and zinc concentrate were placed into the mine workings to seal the mine openings. The company removed waste material from the headwaters of Middle Creek and placed it on a large mound outside the mine.
Since then, the mine has discharged about 5 million gallons of acidic drainage each year.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Bureau of Land Management worked together to deal with the discharges. A water-diversion system was installed and cover material was placed on the mound.
But the site proved to be too large and complex and the efforts did not prevent the discharge of contaminants to surface water.
In 2006, the EPA did a preliminary assessment of the site and found sufficient threats to human health and the environment.
The main sources of contaminants include underground mine workings and surface tailing piles.
Besides 18 miles of heavily affected stream, the contaminants have also affected a portion of Cow Creek, where certain levels of contamination are 10 to 100 times greater than aquatic life standards.
The EPA seeks to recover costs for Superfund cleanup sites from responsible parties.
• You can reach reporter Adam Pearson at 957-4213 or by e-mail at apearson@newsreview.info.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Bureau of Land Management worked together to deal with the discharges. A water-diversion system was installed and cover material was placed on the mound.
But the site proved to be too large and complex and the efforts did not prevent the discharge of contaminants to surface water.
In 2006, the EPA did a preliminary assessment of the site and found sufficient threats to human health and the environment.
The main sources of contaminants include underground mine workings and surface tailing piles.
Besides 18 miles of heavily affected stream, the contaminants have also affected a portion of Cow Creek, where certain levels of contamination are 10 to 100 times greater than aquatic life standards.
The EPA seeks to recover costs for Superfund cleanup sites from responsible parties.
• You can reach reporter Adam Pearson at 957-4213 or by e-mail at apearson@newsreview.info.
So you know ...
<b>FOR REVIEW:</b> Materials supporting the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed listing for the Formosa Mine site to the National Priorities List are available at the Douglas County Library, 1409 N.E. Diamond Lake Blvd., Roseburg, and the Canyonville Library, 250 N. Main St.
<b>TO COMMENT:</b> Identify the Formosa Mine site by its docket number, EPA-HQ-SFUND-2007-00079. <b>BY POSTAL MAIL:</b> Docket Coordinator, Headquarters U.S. EPA CERCLA Docket Office (Mail Code 5305T) 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20460 <b>BY EXPRESS MAIL:</b> Docket Coordinator, Headquarters U.S. EPA CERCLA Docket Office 1301 Constitution Ave. EPA West, Room 3340 Washington, D.C. 20004 <b>ELECTRONICALLY:</b> E-mail superfund.docket@epa.gov or follow the steps at http://www.regulations.gov. <b>DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS:</b> May 7 |
