RUSTON v. RUSTON

Part 3, Special council meeting Town of Ruston, WA Monday Nov.2, 2009 6 pm titled "Kevin Rochlin - EPA - Environmental Issues":

Rather astonishing as the ASARCO copper smelter closed in 1983 and became a superfund site. In 1993 the stack was demolished. In 2006 the site was sold to MC Construction dba POINT RUSTON. One has to wonder as to the timing 25 years later of the Tacoma Cabal dba The Town of Ruston. After exhaustive health studies with no adverse health affects discovered why bring this back to life now. One clue the two council persons primarily responsible for this juggernaut attack on Point Ruston chose not to run for office in the just completed election and will be replaced soon.

Could this be their departing salvo at the Town of Ruston itself disguised as an attack on Point Ruston and under the guise of a health epidemic? I remember attending a Citizens for a Healthy Bay meeting twenty years ago where it was disclosed arsenic had a half life but could not get a definitive date to where it would no longer have a lingering affect. These same two pro Tacoma Annexation council persons also led the effort to dismantle the Ruston Volunteer Fire Department much to the consternation of the Towns people.

Even more perplexing is why the Mayor and another council person would join in the attack on the Town. Pretty scary. One note: all are relative newcomers to the Town and may be reacting to the scare mongering techniques of Jobs for Justice and the Brotherhood of Carpenters Unions. But citizens of the Town who whole heartedly support the Town and who could provide valuable testimony to the proceedings are not allowed to testify or comment. Very peculiar, sounds like a setup to me with their minds already made up and not open to facts or contrasting view points. Very undemocratic and sadly very Ruston.

What follows is a summation of my notes although they do not contain all questions asked repetitively in order to get a different answer which was not forthcoming. Expect more of this until the new council persons are sworn in and saner minds allow two sided discussion. CD of full hour recorded meeting available at Town Hall FOIA Public Records Request required.

Wayne - as Senior council person I am in charge of this Special session and hereby pass my authority to Dan Albertson who will conduct the meeting.
Dan -
1) I understand you have a Power Point presentation how long will it take?
2) Issues I would like to see addressed:
a) Some photographic evidence outside of Point Ruston of dust clouds coming off of the property?
b) Steps taken for containment of contaminated dirt?
c) Monitoring, historical and future how accurate? Limited to Point Ruston.

Kevin -
. In 1983 ASARCO became a SUPERFUND site.
. In 1993 the STACK was demolished.
. In 2006 site was sold to MC Construction dba POINT RUSTON.
. Site and surrounding areas have been under remediation since 1987.
. Main focus has been on Ruston and North Tacoma.
. Yearly information provided. State standard for arsenic is 20 ppm (parts per million).

Dan - interrupts - Where did 20 ppm come from?

Kevin -
. 1 in 2,000 people could be affected.
. Ruston residents did not want cleanup at all.
. We look at every five years.
. Point Ruston meets EPA and Washington State standards.
. Ruston entirely cleaned up except for 3 houses where owners refused.
. EPA sampled 3,700 properties in Ruston North Tacoma cleaned up 2,300.
. Ruston Way not completed some samples contain up to 5,000 ppm.
. EPA cannot do slopes.
. Some cleanup funded with stimulus funds.
. What we do to protect public?
1- EPA is on site.
2- Dust control.
3- Temporary cap material.
4- Air monitors (3)
5- site specific action, level of contamination without adverse health.
6- Air monitors run 24 hours .02 micrograms is action level.
7- For workers 10 mcg - monitor at .05 mcg
8. Only two days from Apr 2008 to mar 2009 exceeded standard .02 mcg
9- 15 YEARS WITHOUT ADVERSE HEALTH AFFECT.
10- Other site managers - Department of Ecology, Citizens for Healthy Bay, EPA, et al.
11- Picture sent in of dust cloud was falsified. Ground contained too much water even puddles.
12- Have picture of car spinning wheels second car/person taking pictures.
13- Our sampling makes sure no re contamination occurs.
14- Our sampling ongoing long after smelter site gone.
15- Always long term problem with arsenic dust.
16- Wash hands when dirty same as swine flu.
17- What more does the Town of Ruston want?

Dan - early on all but 3 or 35 yards in Ruston not cleaned up.
Kevin - three.
Dan - Dirt in street not from yards?
Kevin - Potentially from three not cleaned up or coming from outside Ruston.
Dan - Arsenic on Point Ruston 2-300 above levels off site?
Dan - Provided testing in streets in Ruston 3-400 ppm. Dust blowing off of Point Ruston or blowing in the wind?
Kevin - Can give no credence to numbers without plan.
Dan - Lab tested 400 ppm not a guess.
Kevin -
. Will not give credence to random sample.
. ASARCO Point Ruston site not entirely cleaned up.
. We do the best job we can do on dust control.
Dan - People came down from Seattle and took samples. How much are you doing?
Kevin-
. None, cleanup is not completed.
. Sample not consistent.
. Need number of borings, value of yard.
. EPA looking for lifetime exposure.
. Random, I can not tell you where it came from or validity of.
Dan - MY SAMPLE 10 times state standard for acceptable levels of arsenic.
Kevin -
. Long standing policy of EPA to cleanup to a standard of reality.
1- 20 ppm is background number for state (non reality).
2- EPA has risk range
3- Meet first two criteria.
Dan - you have a better number than state?
Kevin - What is allowed within EPA standards is better than a standard we cannot meet.
Dan - Try to keep on Point Ruston regarding air monitors.
Kevin - Operating 99 percent of the time.
Dan - Some question as to my dust picture (hands it to Kevin). Have you seen it?
Kevin -
. Taken by people not part of site.
. Point Ruston has pictures of person taking pictures while car doing donuts in the dust.
. Sending people out to do this concerns me.
. Donut Dust picture is very suspect.
. STACK HILL I don't have authority but do anyway.
Dan - What is EPA doing to prevent re occurrence?
Kevin -
. We have license plate numbers and they have been turned over to Police.
. We are winterizing site. Hydro seeding.
. Moving as fast as I can. We use resources to water and hire temporary staff.
. I can not control other areas.
Dan - We should not have dust clouds in the streets.
Kevin - (to Dan)
. Issue is, with all due respect, there is no credence to your numbers.
. Cleanup has been going on for 15 years.
. Little evidence of contaminated dust piles.
Dan -
. Lot of dirt off of Stack Hill.
. What is your data in past, going forward of testing in streets?
. Good to see the data.
Kevin - same vehicles causing problems on top and bottom of hill.
Dan - What is your responsibility for cars. Are air monitors working?
Kevin - three monitors working.

Wayne takes over here.

Wayne - Had a meeting in 2006 and 2007 to test monitors. How far back do they go?
Kevin - 15 years back, all in operation.
Wayne - I called Department of Health and Department of Ecology. They would be doing things differently.

Kevin -
. Ecology is welcome to come in anytime they want.
. We have cleaned up to acceptable standards.
. You cannot rewrite history changing to 20 ppm instead of 230 ppm.
. All of Ruston has been remediated under current standards.
Kevin continues -
. If 20 ppm were standard we would not be anyway near cleaning up 300 square miles.
. Lower level (20 ppm) takes much longer.
. Lower level comes with higher risk standard.
. State of Washington has remediated low percentage due to 20 ppm standard relying on "warning" signs.

Wayne - Can Department of Health come in?
Kevin - Fine.
Wayne - Have alleys been cleaned?
Kevin - Dirt alleys yes, paved alleys no.
Dan - Do you have data on alleys?
Kevin - Your Town engineer has it.
Dan - When?
Kevin - Last month.
Kevin continues -
. Town Engineer has data.
. Part of our weekly meeting.
. Levels of contamination amazingly low.
Wayne - Did 100 percent of Ruston/North Tacoma require remediation?
Kevin - Not 100 percent. Further away from smelter levels went down.
Wayne - Did arsenic seep into clay?
Kevin - We had to get past hard clay to get clean back fill.
Bill Walker - (reading prepared statement/questions)
Note: Mr. Walker is currently involved in a Shoreline Permit Appeal v. Point Ruston and Town of Ruston.
. EPA's duty to protect citizens.
. EPA needs to do daily regulation.
(Hard to hear all statement/questions. Buy CD at Town Hall for complete text.)
Kevin -
. Town of Ruston no different from other sites.
. Will do whatever City Council wants.
. Town of Ruston must pay if believe it is necessary.
. Not sure what you mean (Town Council)
. We (EPA) do no oversight of people.
Adjourned 7:03 pm

NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ALLOWED. ONE OUTSPOKEN PROPONENT OF RUSTON SIDE THREATENED WITH ARREST/EXPULSION FOR TRYING TO MAKE CONTRADICTORY COMMENT COUNTERING TACOMA CABAL.

Most puzzling in the juggernaut against Point Ruston, Stack Hill and the Commencement is the Mayor, Bruce Hopkins and council person Jim Hedrick siding with the annexation twins against Ruston and condoning one sidedness. If you thought the recent election would solve the Town's "anti" development, animus problem you may be in for an unpleasant surprise.

Special Guest: Kevin Rochlin, Project Manager, Office of Environmental Cleanup, United States Environmental Protection Agency

Town of Ruston officials:
Mayor, Bruce Hopkins
Council, Bradley Huson, Jim Hedrick, Wayne Stebner, Dan Albertson, Jane Hunt
Attorney, David Britton
Planner, Rob White
Clerk/Treasurer, Karen Carlisle
Fire Chief. Don Torbet
Police Chief, Jeremy Kunkel
Electrician, Mo Fesharaki

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