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STATE OF IOWA Department of Natural Resources
COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN
Lehigh Portland Cement Company Site Mason City, Iowa
Plan Overview
This community relations plan identifies issues of community concern regarding the Lehigh Portland Cement Company site near Mason City, Iowa, and outlines community relations activities to be conducted during the remedial investigation and feasibility study of the site. This plan seeks to provide the public with timely information relative to public release of the remedial investigation and feasibility study, mid to continue with an active information program as the Record of Decision is presented for public review.
Site Description
The Lehigh property covers approximately 150 acres and consists of a cement manufacturing plant and associated buildings, four abandoned limestone quarries, and tailing piles. Three of the abandoned quarries on the Lehigh property are filled with water and are called: Blue Waters Pond, Arch Pond, and Area "C Pond. Another pond, known as Cooling Waters Pond, is located west of the plant.
The Lehigh facility has been in operation since 1911 and is currently manufacturing a hydraulic cement. The process of manufacturing generates large quantities of waste kiln dust (CKD). Kiln dust, when mixed with water causes a chemical reaction which increases the pH level of the water and increases dissolved solids.
The Lehigh site was cited for high pH water in 1981. Blue Waters pond had overflowed into nearby Calmus Creek. The pH level of Blue Waters pond at that time was 10.6, above the limit of 9.0 set for Iowa Class "B" warm water streams. Lehigh was instructed to stop this discharge.
In 1984, the State of Iowa performed a study of Calmus Creek, and determined that surface water contamination was due in part to the Lehigh facility. Northwestern States Portland Cement Company was also contributing to this problem. A highly alkaline discharge of Blue Waters pond into Calmus Creek was believed to be a major source of the contamination.
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) DNR - Community Relatione Plan - Lehigh Portland Cement Company Site
An established pathway from the Blue Waters pond to Calmus creek of contaminated water has had an adverse impact on the local biological community. High pH levels and excessive sedimentation caused by high total dissolved solids have greatly reduced the populations of fish and and other aquatic life-forms in the creek.
As respects the threat to humans, the alkali level of the surface water and some of the groundwater is such that adverse health effects could result from skin contact or ingestion.
Community Background
Mason City was first settled in 1853. The city has since grown to about 30,000 citizens. Mason City developed into a major industrial center for northern Iowa and also serves as a large retail market for six surrounding counties.
There is a long history of tile and lime production in the Mason City area. The first industry in Mason City was a tile and lime producing company which used the same raw materials currently in use by the Lehigh company.
There has been little community interest in the Lehigh site. A local TV station and several radio stations have conducted talk shows on the subject, all of which generated a temporary response from the public. There seems to be no general perception of an environmental threat.
2 DNR - Community Relations Plan - Lehigh Portland Cement Company Site
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DNR - Community Relations Plan - Lehigh Portland Cement Company Site
Highlights of the Program
This community relations program will address perceived public information needs, at a minimum, by taking the following actions:
✓ Publishing a public notice announcing the establishment of an administrative record and fixing a local records repository for the administrative record, and the completion of this community relations plan on May 20, 1991.
/ Publishing a public notice, announcing the availability of the proposed plan1, remedial investigation/feasibility study at the records repository, and the availability of a fact sheet describing the process, conclusions reached and recommendations made. The completion of this plan will be announced at the same time. This announcement includes the opportunity for submission of oral and written comments.
✓ Issuing a press release, announcing the scheduling of a public meeting for the purpose of receiving oral and written comments from the public relative to the proposed plan.
✓ Distributing a responsiveness summary which summarizes the DNR response to received public comment.
✓ Publishing a public notice, informing the public that the record of decision2 has been signed and of the availability of the final remedial plan selected by the State of Iowa on June 30, 1991.
Appendix List of Contacts and Interested Parties
This plan was last updated on May 17, 1991.
The proposed plan is a document prepared Tor public comment which summarizes the remedial alternatives presented in the detailed analysis of the remedial investigation/feasibility study, identifies the preferred alternative, and provides the rationale for the preferred alternative.
2 The record of decision (ROD) is issued as the final remedial action plan. The ROD summarizes the problems posed by the conditions at the site, the alternative remedies considered, and the selected remedy, including the rationale for that selection.
6 DNR - Community Relations Plan - Lehigh Portland Cement Company Site Contacts and Interested Parties
A. Federal Elected Officials
Senator Charles E. Grassley Senator Tom Harkin 301 Federal Bldg, 320 6th St. 901 Badgerow Building Sioux City, IA 51101 Sioux City, IA 51101 712/233-1860 712/252-1550
Representative Fred Grandy 508 Pierce Street Sioux City, IA 51101 712/252-5860
B. State Elected Officials
Governor Terry Branstad State Senator Alvin V. Miller State Capitol 5 Country Lane, Box 287 Des Moines, IA 50319 Ventura, IA 50482 515/281-5211 515/289-3868
Representative John Groninga 200 N. Crescent Drive Mason City, IA 50401 515/424-5787
C. Local Officials
Mayor Bill Schickel City Utilities Engineer John Erickson 19 South Delaware 19 South Delaware Mason City, IA 50401 Mason City, IA 50401 515/421-3601 515/421-3607
City Health Inspector Tim Yezek 19 South Delaware Mason City, IA 50401 515/421-3625
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D. U.S. EPA Region VII Officials
Paul Roemerman Hattie Thomas Remedial Enforcement Section Community Relations Coordinator Waste Management Division Office of Public Affairs U.S. EPA Region VII U.S. EPA Region VII 726 Minnesota Avenue 726 Minnesota Avenue Kansas City, KS 66101 Kansas City, KS 66101 913/551-7694 913/551-7003
Rowena Michaels, Director Office of Public Affairs U.S. EPA Region VII 726 Minnesota Avenue Kansas City, LA 66101 913/551-7003
E. State and Local Agencies
John A. Eure, Ass’t. to Dir. for County Health Officer Ron Osterholm Environmental Health 300 N. Washington Division of Disease Prevention Mason City, IA 50401 Iowa Department of Health 515/421-3080 Lucas State Office Building Des Moines, IA 50319 515/281-4928
F. News Media
KIMT Television 3 KAUS-FM Radio KCMR Radio 112 N. Pennsylvania P.O. Box 159 216 - 2nd St. NE Mason City, IA 50401 Austin, MN 55912 Mason City, LA 50401 515/423-2540 507/437-1480 515/424-9300
Globe Gazette KGLO Radio 13 KLSS Radio 300 N. Washington 341 S. Yorktown Pike 19 - 1st St. NE Mason City, IA 50401 Mason City, LA 50401 Mason City, LA 50401 515/421-0500 515/423-1300 515/423-8634
KRIB Radio 402 19th St. SW Mason City, IA 50401 515/424-1490
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Location of Information Repository & Meeting Facility
Information Repository
Public Library 225 - 2nd St. SE Mason City, IA 50401 515/421-3668 Hours: 9:00 A.M. - 8:00 P.M., Monday through Thursday; 1:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M.,Friday, and 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Saturday
Public Meeting Facility
Public Library 225 -2nd St. SE Mason City, IA 50401 515/421-3668
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