· C:Cu· ~~✓- I/-~;- ,(Jl Contract awarded for mill tailings clean-up A federal contract has been awarded February, but according to a time-line for the clean-up of uranium mill tailings established earlier, Lakeview's would in several Western states, but it is not be touched until at least 1983. unclear whether Lakeview's site is Discussions in the past have indicated actually included. that federal money would pay for 90 Second-district Congressman Denny percent of the clean-up, with the state Smith announced recently that a con picking up 10 percent of the cost. Don tract for $50 million has been awarded Goddard of the Oregon Department of by the U.S. Department of Energy to Energy said the $50 million sounded too Jacobs Engineering, Pasadena, Califor low to accomplish the project, as it is nia, to dispose of low-level radioactive estimated the Lakeview site, one of the mill tailings from uranium mines like smallest, would cost about $6 million. those in Lakeview. "This contract should ensure that the Lakeview site will be brought into com The Lakeview site is one of 24 pliance with federal health standards," uranium mine locations in seven states Rep. Smith said. involved in the federal clean-up project. It is not known whether the $50 The clean-up is expected to begin in million has actually been appropriated. / Al ali lake diSposal site A ~ ,~J /j-S- Reaction to a two-year update report tions from local residents and on the Reiter said, to monitor effects. in case monitoring shows a threi about the Alkali Lake hazardous waste "super-fund" created by the federal It was recommended at the earlier public health or the environment. disposal site ranged from expressed government to help communities clear meeting that the impact of the site on semi-annual monitoring program · satisfaction to marked dissatisfaction up such sites once they have been aban native vegetation be evaluated. This effect, the department's contin Wednesday, October 8, at a public meet doned by the person or firm responsible W?~ d1:ml:' ~nSolid Waste Division, Hazardous To a recommendation that there be for remedial action, just monitor! DEQ supervised the controlled burial Waste Section, acknowledged in reply to continuous and reliable operation of the· Reiter said yes, since additional fun of about 23,000 55-gallon drums of pesti a question that at a meeting two years meteorological station at the Alkali would be required by the legislatlll] cide waste and manufacturing residues ago, he'd had concerns about cattle Lake highway maintenance station, he Sally Bourgeois of the Radiation l in November and December 1976. 'The feeding in that area but when he saw said a check earlier this month with the cation Council (REC) asked if ti drums· had been stockpiled on the site the results of tests made, he was no National Weather Service indicated that were any techniques for remedia~ between 1969 and 1971 for disposal by a longer so concerned. the data is now complete and up-to tion . Reiter replied that a cons private contractor who never was able He referred to tests made on two date. Now they may be able to make engineer two years ago had sugge to carry out the plan. Through court rabbits shot at the site. Some 12 unsuc some predictions about future effects plowing the waste into the surfac\ action seeking proper management of cessful hours were spent trying to shoot of weather on the site. · · bacterial action could break it d the site, the state obtained ownership a coyote for testing. More monitoring of potable ground more quickly. I and contracted for burial on-site in During tests on the rabbits' livers, water supplies in the area was sought at Chris Platt, also of REC, chargl shallow trenches. they were unable to detect any residue the last meeting. Reiter said the de "It seems to me you're waiting until The Alkali Lake basin is suitable for at .2 parts per million (ppm), the limit partment porbably could expand the poison gets into ur groundwater be waste disposal due to the high altitude, of the equipment's ability to detect con number of times the site is monitored doing anything ... " desert environment, unusable shallow tamination. "My opinion is that .2 ppm but first would have to get legislative "From everything we know," water table, low precipitation and re or Jess is insignificant." So testing approval and funding. In the mean Reiter, "it won't get into the w moteness from populated areas ·said cattle livers was not considered so vital. time, the federal Environmental Pro supply." He explained that the 1 DEQ. The area is almost lacking in Bob Weir, a local rancher whose cat tection Agency has given a two-year seemed to be a discharge area wl ,vegetation except for sagebrush and tle graze BLM pastures in that area, grant to the Oregon Graduate Center the water, rather than moving de greasewood. A fence around the area said he had seen no adverse effect in his (which has no affiliation with any state ward, actually showed an upwell keeps out ·animals. cattle and saw no reason to make the university) to do additional monitoring. upward movement. This would ten The meeting last week focused on the cattle liver test. Recommendation : DEQ should have keep the contaminates from reacl 11 areas of concern and recom~enda- Further animal tests will be made, a contingency plan for remedial action the aquifer. (Continued on Pag HERALD Ar DEQ Alkali Lake Actions · Discussed By ISABELLE BARRY Bob Weir, who runs cattle in the area, may said it would be ru~cessary for the state hundreds or thousands of drums of unknown H&N Correspondent provide tissue samples. Legislature to allocate more money for chemicals, Reiter said some holes were dug .In evaluating the ~rea's native vegetation, earthquake studies. He said it is possible an in the top of the mound but could confirm only LAKEVIEW - Actions taken by the it was reported sagebrush samples were inactive fault exists under the site, but said those barrels visible at the west end. He said Department of Environmental Quality during taken near the lake site and near Hutton because the seismic risk is low he believes · the DEQ has unsuccessfully attempted to the past year at Alkali Lake wer~iscussed at Springs. Reports indicated 2,4-D concentra effectsof an earthquake would be minimal. . contact the owner of the -privately owned a recent public meeting in Lakev·ew. - tions less than the 0.2 ppm detection limit. Reiter said studies of old maps showing land. A 10-acre site on the south side of the Alkali Visual observations indicated vegetation is .. strand lines of Alkali Lake 1n 1886 and 1916 Lake Basin had about 23,000 55- allon drums Reiter said he does not believe the Alkali recovering, according to the DEQ. irtdicate the lake appeared similiar then. Lake Basin wili be developed for intensive of pesticide waste and manu acturing re Reiter said the state is gathering Analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey sidues buried in late 1976. The drums were agricultural use in the near future. Most land meteoroligical data at the station on a indicate the possibilities of flooding are is managed by the Bureau of Land Manage• stockpiled between 1969 and 197l for disposal continuing basis and reported the Oregon minim al.-Even if flooding should occur, he by a private contractor. ment, which proposes to allow irrigation only Graduate Center has received a grant that said it would not.l>e severe enough to expose "if groundwater reserves prove adequate and Rich Reiter, supervisor of the hazardous . will be partially used to monitor the area'.s the waste or leach significant quantities of waste program , Portland, conducted the after private lands in Lake County are potable water sources. The center will also waste to surrounding areas. developed first. meeting. drill an additional well to check water quality Reiter said there is no evidence to support It was learned that in response to a at deeper levels. claims that 65,000 drums of waste were Additional monitoring data , taken the recommendation that tissue from animals Sources that will be monitored twice yearly disposed at the site. The department claims morning prior to last week's hearing, will be feeding at the lake be examined Clay Curtis, by the DEQ include North Artesian Well, 23,000 drums were deposited. available when collected from the DEQ lab. Alkali Lake highway maintenance station, Hutton Springs, South Artesian Well, Further ground water studies have bee!l__ Background information and monotiring data shot two rabbits and submitted them for Leehmann Sheep Camp, highway mainte deferred pending an Oregon Graduate Study through April 1981 is available from Gordon analysis. The concentration of 2,4-D in the nance station and Cattle Trough. grant proposal to the Environmental Protec Tracy, Lake County administrative assistant. liver, the organ where toxics concentrate; In response to concerns about earthquake tion Agency seeking a comprehensive study._ Reiter said there are 10 hazardous waste was· less than 0.2 parts p~r million. Reiter potential and contingency plans if the site Regarding a mound outside the waste site's storage sites in Oregon and noted Alkali Lake said no samples were obtained from cattle. should become a public health hazard, Reiter contained area, whieh some claim has holds a low priority. 11, fP/Ll.-5,. /:/ +IV /0-J, 3 ... g; Lakeview Hearing Set On Waste Disposal Site LAKEVIEW - Citizen con cember 1976. Drums were area is fenced to keep out cerns about the closed stockpiled between 1969 and animals. pesticide waste disposal site 1971 for disposal by a private DEQ samples the site at Alkali Lake will be di· contractor who never was semi-annually to determine scussed at a public meeting able to carry out the plan. the effect of the waste on Wednesday in Lakeview. Through court action seeking shallow groundwater. The The hearing, sponsored by proper site management, Or DEQ said data shows some the Oregon Department of egon obtained ownership of waste has migrated to the Environmental Quality, is set the site and contracted for shallow groundwater, which for 7:30 p.m. at the Lake burial in shallow trenches. has a naturally high alkaline County Senior-Community According to the DEQ, the content, is not suitable for Center. Lakeview is the Alkali Lake basin is suitable drinking and is arsenic. nearest major community to for waste disposal because of Besides reporting on public the disposal site. the area's high elevation, concerns, DEQ staff also will Discussion about the 10-acre desert environment, unusable describe additional monitor site on the south side of the shallow aquifer, low precipi ing conducted since 1979. Staff Alkali Lake basin will center tation and remoteness. The also will review the ranking of around concerns raised dur area is practically lacking in the site according to a "de ing a previous public meeting vegetation, except for sage gree of hazard" model devel held in 1979. brush and greasewood. The oped by the Environmental Issues include: Protection Agency. Tlie DEQ • Effect of disposal site on reported that the Alkali Lake local animals and native disposal site rates a very low vegetation. degree of hazard, or less than • Continuous and reliable 10 on a scale of zero to 100. operation of the meteorological station at the Alkali Lake highway mainte nance station. • Earthquake and flooding potential and effects on site. • Preliminary evaluation of installing additional groundwater monitoring wells. • Likelihood of major new irrigation programs adversely affecting the artesian pressure in the deep, fresh water aquifer. DEQ supervised the con trolled burial of about 23,000 55-gallon drums of pesticide waste and manufacturing re sidues in November and De· )'tJ -J .s--c5:7■ ~£ ,1~✓,1/T,Y L ,XllA1)M.:/d Bill may stop tailings clean-up pla Recent actions in Congress threaten Health Division's Radiation Control Sec nection with the tailings. design for placing a containment to eliminate the clean-up of uranium tion, gave the site a clean bill of health. The area was still included in the Mill around the site, or a plan for remo tailings sites in Lakeview and several His monitoring included the entire 258 Tailings Act, to clean it up and avoid all the radioactive material.. This s other locations, and the national Wild acres of the Precision Pine property. future hazards. ment of the program is supposed to life Federation and a local action group "We found the entire area to be es An environmental assessment was finished by 1985, with final action to have urged public outcry. sentially background," Toombs said; no scheduled to begin in July, and be taken by 1986 or 1987. According to the National Wildlife radiation beyond normal background finished by next May. This study will Both the National Wildlife Federa Federation (NWF), Senate action is levels is present. A member of the determine whether an environmental and a local group, the Radiation Ed pending on a House bill, which contains consulting firm that studied the site impact statement for the site is in tion Council, are urging concerned · an amendment that would halt enforce under a government contract said less order. viduals to contact their senators a ment of the Uranium Mill Tailings Ra than one percent of lung cancer cases in Meanwhile, the Department of Ener- the bill which is scheduled for Seru diation Control Act of 1978. This would the Lakeview area would have any con- 1gy is scheduled to be working on a action soon (see Voice of the People bait the "remedial action" program under which a tailings site at Lakeview - ----~------is scheduled to be removed by 1987. Representative Samuel Stratton of New York offered a last-minute amend ment to HR 4144, the House Energy and Water Appropriations bill, which passed almost without notice, according the NWF. This amendment would block the Nuclear Regulatory Commission from orcing the Mill Tailings Act. Two Congressmen, John Dingell, chairman of the energy committee, and orris Udall, chairman of the interior mmittee, wrote to the senate, protest this unwelcome intrusion into their reas of jurisdiction. Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon re rtedly supports deleting the contro- ersial amendment, but is being oppos by New Mexico Senators Harrison hmitt and Pete Domenici. The latter o themselves may offer amendments t would further weaken the Mill Tail gs Act. Under the act, the U.S. Department of nergy has been studying Lakeview's ·te and dozens of others, to set priori ·es for clean-up and determine the best e of action. Lakeview's four-acre tailings site is ted about a half-mile west of Preci Pine, which was formerly the keview Mining Company's uranium essing plant. Lakeview Mining mpany was one of many in the Unit States to process uranium ore in the des from 1942 to 1970. The local nt operated from 1958 to 1960. After processing operations ceased d many mills closed, including Lake- ·ew's, tons of uranium tailings remain at the inactive sites. In 1966, the lorado Department of Health found t the tailings from the Climax Mill, r Grand Junction, had been used ensively in Grand Junction for the struction of homes, schools and er building.s 'lbe principal hazard associated with · use of tailings is the possibility that don gas may be emitted from the terials. Radon gas, when inhaled, n significantly increase an individ l's chances of getting lung cancer. The findings in Colorado motivated Oregon Health Division to investi te the conditions of the Lakeview site, inning in 1972. Extensive surveys in Lakeview area have shown that no · ings have been removed from the e, and actions taken at the site since have satisfied the Health Division re is no present hazard to the public. After monitoring of the site in 1979, rge Toombs, supervisor of the GEOTHERMAL DISCUSSED-Paul Hatha Chuck Kelley (next to him), Earl Parsons and way, left, discussed the future of geothermal Don Llddycoat, all of Lakeview. energy in Lakeview in Lakeview last week. (Examiner photo) After a Rotary Club meeting, he spoke with DEQ to hold Alkali Lake hearing at community center October 28 Those who do, and are concerned, or sistant, setting up the meeting. of Environmental Quality (which was those who don't and want to know more, The biggest concern expressed locally created by the 1971 Legislature), the will have an opportunity to hear the about Alkali Lake is the possibility of Alkali Lake situation posed a dilemma. most up-to-date information on Lake water contamination from the chemi As legislators were attempting to create County's toxic chemical waste dump cals stored there. such a department and to pass environ Alkali Lake, some 50 miles northeast mental laws, the barrels were piling up. ~ONIHI\O!l October 28. n' Oregon Senator Mark Hatfield pesticide manufacturing, and his chief Saturday, February 16, officially opened interest has been at Alkali Lake, where the nation's first hazardous waste 25,000 barrels of phenoxy-herbicide microbiological degradation research wastes are buried in a shallow lake bed. facility, at which research is being done Research work at the Beaverton which could lead to the cleaning up of facility will investigate the possibilities waste dumps such as that at Alkali Lake that naturally-occurring (as well as in Lake County. genetically "manufactured") soil The newly-established Land Use bacteria can safely decompose a wide Research Center, on the campus of the range of hazardous wastes. Oregon Graduate Center in Beaverton, is Ward's research program is being run by George D. Ward on a grant from sponsored by the National Science the National Science Foundation. Foundation, under the guidance of Dr. Ward's firm is working on biological Edward H. Bryan, program manager for ways to clean up waste products from the NSF's Appropriate Technology probes Alkali Lake+J: Program. farm soil, black muck from Tillamook The waste chemical to be investigated Bay and contaminated desert soils from is 2,4,6 Trichlorophenal. It is the Alkali Lake. principal residual waste which results Various soil types and differing from the manufacture of herbicide 2,4-D nutrient and chemical mixtures will be and is estimated to be similar to the main slowly blended together and allowed to ingredient at Alkali Lake, and possibly in "brew" in 22 fully contained metal tubs. the 5,000 drums reportedly buried in These tubs are carefully designed to Portlanp.'s St. John's landfili. simulate actual conditions as they exist During the research, scientists will test in many of the nation's largest chemical the degradation capabilities of naturally waste burial dumps. By changing the occurring soil organisms found in soil types, temperatures, rate of various types of carefully selected and chemical circulaltion and other factors, managed soils. These include ancient, it is possible to simulate almost any organically rich lakebed sediments, rich chemical bµrial site in the country. A Portland environmental engineer Agency grant to further aid his studies. Department of Environmental Quality is says he may be close to a breakthrough He hopes to use Alkali Lake's dump doing some test work this year at Alkali in a process to eliminate toxic wastes site as a testing ground for his studies if Lake, and is also developing plans for stored at such sites as Alkali Lake in he receives the EPA grant, but the Lake action in case such a situation develops. east-central Lake County. County Board of Commissioners in Ward, whose firm is reportedly one of George D. Ward, who has been November turned down a request from the tops in the nation in its field, has experimenting for years with processes Ward that it cooperate with his ·work always maintained that biological of biologic breakdown of such wastes, there. degradation of the wastes was the best may have discovered a mutant strain of method of safely disposing of them. bacteria which thrives on trichlorophen About 25,000 barrels of manufacturing ols, the waste products present at Alkali residues from the herbicide 2,4-D are Now he feels he may have found a Lake. bur.ied on a 10-acre plot at Alkali Lakf. bacteria that in effect eats the toxic The chemicals are leaching into the wastes. He says so in a recent letter to Ward, who heads a Portland shallow, alkaline groundwater table, and Richard Reiter, supervisor of the DEQ's engineering firm, has a research grant Ward, his associates and some others are hazardous waste section. from the National Science Foundation to concerned that they may get into the "Although the concept · is still do such work. He is also currently freshwater supplies. speculative, it appears possible that seeking an Environmental - P_[.=o_te_c_ti_o_n'-""-"'----B~e=ca_u~s-e_o~f~th_o_s...... ec - on=c_e~rn_s_,_,~th~e~O.::...r:...:e_sag.::...on:_::_c_~co~n-ta_m....._in_a_te--'-d- s_o_il~ a~n-d_=._gr_o~u~nd_w~a~t-e__.r Lake may De waste Cisp~sal key a J;r~ ~ 7-19?0 samples recently obtained from the will possibly be followed by genetic potentially great significance. Alkali Lake area may hole! the key for the manipulation to see if the bacteria's "Your work is quite relevant," he says development of a 'super bug' perfectly chemical degradation ability can be in a letter. to Ward's chemist. "I fully adapted, as well as being genetically improved. agree with you that your work on the modified in the laboratory, for thriving Once this is done, "pure strains of development of a bio-treatment system is on and thus neutralizing the type of 'chemical eating' bacteria" will be used extremely important..." phenoxy herbicide wastes burif'd at in a test on soils exposed to the Ward has offered to work with the DEQ Alkali Lake," he says. contaminated water and soil from Alkali in the event that DEQ chooses to go Lake. ahead with the development of a "Ironically," he goes on, "it is the "We believe the results will firmly contingency plan for Alkali Lake. surviving soil bacteria species found in demonstrate the capability to utilize soil The soils in which the "chemical contaminated groundwater and soil microorganisms to safely decompose eating" bacteria were found were samples that may have provided the toxic chemicals into totally harmless source of environmentally adapted byproducts," he says. collected from Alkali Lake as recently as bacteria capable of surviving" by using Another leading scientist, Dr. A.M. December. the wastes as a food source. Chakrabarty of the University of Illinois Ward is still awaiting word from the He is in the process of isolating the Medical Center, is doing similar work, EPA on his $862,000 research proposal for bacteria species in the laboratory, which and says Ward's discovery has Alkali Lake. l j i(;6'unt}' Pr0lfablyw6'1'F'~~lp to get Alkali Lake clean-up funds The Lake County Board of Lake and its current situation. The DEQ believes that most of what Commissioners will probably not Beginning in 1969, a trucking firm was in the barrels was residue from the cooperate with the efforts of George contracted with a Portland herbicide manufacture of herbicides 2,4-D and Ward to obtain federal funding for manufacturer to dispose of chemical MCPA, which are used to kill broad research and clean-up at the Alkali Lake residues. The trucker owned land at leaf plants, and which are mildly chemical disposal site. Alkali Lake, and began storing the poisonous to humans . Ward, a Portland engineer, is seeking chemical residues in 55-gallon barrels "To our knowledge, there is no 2,4,5-T $862,000 from the Environmental Protec there. in the site," said Richard Reiter, tion Agency to conduct experiments in The trucker maintained that he was supervisor of the hazardous waste containing and detoxifying chemical eventually going to experiment with section of the DEQ. waste dumps. The commissioners, techniques of disposing of the chemicals The legislature, through laws passed in though recognizing the reasoning behind by soil incorporation, but as the barrels the early 1970s, forced the owner of the the idea, said they agreed more with the piled up and some of them began leaking, land to sell it to the state. Then the DEQ position of the Oregon Department of people in Lake County and especially the advertised for bids to dispose of the Environmental Quality (DEQ), that the board of comm1ss10ners became chemicals. The legislature allocated money could be better used elsewhere. alarmed. Alengthy battle began, to stop $310,000 for the clean-up. · Ward has applied for the money to the stockpiling of the barrels. The DEQ eventually accepted a bid conduct a research project at an Since there were no laws against from a contractor who said he would dig unspecified site. He said if enough local creating such chemical disposal sites in trenches, push the barrels into the interest were shown, Afkali Lake could Oregon at the time, and no Department trenches, cover the barrels and crush possibly be chosen as that site. of ·Environmental Quality, the Alkali them . This was done in late 1976. He spoke with the commissioners Lake situation posed quite a dilemma. Ward at the time insisted the state was Wednesday, October 17 at their regular Even while iegislators were attempting making a mistake in disposing of the meeting, and also at a public meeting the to create the DEQ and to pass environ barrels by this method, but as he and night before. mental laws to prevent such things from others said at the meeting Tuesday night, The focus of the issue is a 10-acre tract happening, the barrels were piling up. whether it was right or wrong is not the of state-owned land on the bed of Alkali Residents of the area and travelers on issue any more. Lake, some 50 miles north and east of Highway 395 complained of a noticeable "Alkali Lake presents a unique Lakeview, which contains about 25,000 smell. problem in that what's done is done," barrels of herbicide residues . The Finally, when it was noticed that some said Lake County public health officer barrels were buried and crushed there in of the chemicals · were leaking from Dr. Robert Bomengen. "We're faced 1976. Some Lake County residents are corroded barrels onto the highway while with chemicals that are in the soil now ... concerned with the presence of the in transit, the Oregon State Police forced chemicals that there is a lot of conflicting chemicals, some are unconcerned, Ward a halt to the shipments, most of which evidence on ." He said the people of Lake wants to clean them up and the DEQ were by then coming in the dead of night. County now need to know the results of wants to leave everything as it is. By then the equivalent of 23,500 55-gallon monitoring at the site, whether the water Officials at the meeting Tuesday night drums of chemicals were stacked up at supply is endangered and if there is a briefly went over the history of Alkali Alkali Lake. possibility of cleaning up the site. Others echoed Bomengen's sentiments. "We don 't care how it got there," said one woman at the meeting. "We want to know wha t'- u're going to do with it now. We just moved to Lakeview ... and suddenly we find out we're surrounded by these poisons." At the same time, many persons, notably ranchers who actually graze their cattle on BLM land -immediately adjacent to the dump site, feel there is no cause for alarm . Bob Weir, whose cattle graze in the area every winter, said to disturb the site now would create more 1Co11ti11u<•d on Page 8l AI-Rali Lake--to clean up or not to clean u (Continued from Page 1) chemicals which have been discovered in The engineer sees Alkali Lake as: (1) A probably break down in a mal problems than to leave it alone. such infamous dumps as the Love Canal site which, while admittedly not posing months, at the maximum a few ye "Burial is in my opinion the.soundest and the Valley of the Drums. an imminent human health hazard, opposed to the 50-100 years now en way to take care of this," Weir said. "To Ward •and Houck attacked the needs to be cleaned up, and; (2) A perfect ed, he said. go in and disturb that site today would be statements of the DEQ on several fronts. opportunity to carry out research which foolhardy." He said neither he nor other They conceded that the chemicals 2,4-D could be valuable in solving the national DEQ officials said, while they ranchers in the area have ever seen any and MCPA are not acutely toxic, but problem. that the techniques should work, th ill effects on cattle or other animals their effect is cumulative. Unlike not convinced it is necessary at there . aspirin, to which Bromfeld compared the Ward explained his proposal to the Lake. "It appears to me that the state has the chemicals, the herbicides accumulate in county commissioners Wednesday. He only facts that have been presented 'fat cells in animals if they are ingested. would pump the liquid chemicals out of "We do not actively support wl here," Weir said. Thus the comparison with aspirin was the site and spread them just below the (Ward) is doing," said Reiter. Reiter and other officials at the not accurate, Houck said. surface of the earth; he hopes, on ground because we disagree with it...b meeting, including Fred Bromfield and Ward and Houck also claimed that they in the near vicinity. Then, by adding think there are other, more critica Rick Gates of the DEQ, Bill dug up a sagebrush near the site as active bacteria to the ground, he would around the United States that a ~ Bartholomew of the Department of recently as two weeks ago, the roots of induce the natural decomposition of the amount of federal funding should b on." Water Resources and Jack Sceva of the which extended down into contaminated chemicals-a technique he said is proven federal EPA, said they believe the water. Evidence of cattle and rabbits and accepted by environmental situation at Alkali Lake is not hazardous around the possibly-contaminated plants scientists. The county commissioners saic to man or animals. was heavy, they said. too could see the merit of V Reiter said the chemicals are seeping Ward also said there was no guarantee Once they were combined with the proposal, but leaned to the I into the groundwater table at Alkali that the fresh water supplies near Alkali proper bacteria, the chemicals would position. Lake, but the water is alkaline and not Lake will never be contaminated. Since consumed by animals. He stressed that the DEQ has estimated that it will take 50 no contamination has been measured in to 100 years for the chemicals to totally fresh water wells in the area, and none is break down, he said, there is no anticipated. guarantee against anything. Bartholomew, a geologist with the "You'll probably see the day that water resources department, said even if center pivot irrigation will depend on the groundwater is contaminated, it isn't those freshwater aquifers," Ward said. going anywhere. "To allow that, knowing that it could "The only way water can get out of the eventually become contaminated would Alkali Lake basin is through be a mistake." evaporation," he said. "That water isn't going anywhere. It's like sweeping When asked by a woman at the meeting something under the rug--it will be right what the DEQ planned to do if something there in the morning. unforseen, such as freshwater "This may have been a bad place to put contamination, does occur in the future, the chemicals, but they aren't going Reiter said such plans have not been anywhere," Bartholomew said. made. Jack Sceva of the EPA said the Bromfield said the chemicals at Alkali same thing. Lake are "mostly a nuisance. They aren't very acutely toxic," he said. "It would be my impression that 2,4-D is no "We plan to continue to watch the site and actively monitor it," he said. "If a more acutely toxic than aspirin." hazard to the public health develops, then Bromfield also pointed out that phenols (the broad chemical category containing we will make some sort of move." 2,4-D and MCPA), are very offensive to animals, and animals will probably not Ward disagreed with that line of consume contaminated water. reasoning for several reasons of his; own. Ward, bio-chemist Dr . James Houck "I think it's a hazard that should be (an employee of George Ward & addressed," he said. Associates) and Andy Gigler, a Klamath Falls health-food store owner, debated Ward said he has been in contact with the conclusions of the DEQ officials. federal officials who are becoming Gigler claimed that there are traces of alarmed about the number of hazardous 2,4,5-T and dioxin at Alkali Lake, that air waste disposal sites around the country. currents are spreading the chemicals That number is estimated at some 30,000, great distances, and that many dead and a Congressional committee had animals have been found in the area. discussed a figure of $55 billion to Dioxin and 2,4,5-T are highly poisonous eventuallv clean un the mess . c_, ,·, Page Bl~LAKE COUNTY EXAMINER, Lakeview, Oregon, Thursday, October 4, 1979 Environmental officials on slate Alkali Lake public hearing set Ii Representatives of three governmental such leakage, though just how much is into them, crush them and bury tneni agencies will be in Lakeview October 16 involved is debated. was followed. Ward and some others for a public hearing regarding the toxic It was originally thought that the think that decision was wrong. chemical disposal site at Alkali Lake. underground water, if anything, moved Ward also claims that studies by a The exact time and place will be toward the site, rather than away from it. chemist employed by him have shown announced later, said Chamber of But subsequent studies have shown that that the chemicals will not break down as Commerce President Jim Foor. the water supply is moving away from rapidly as the DEQ originally expected; Jack Sceva of the Region X office of the the dump area, and possibly carrying in fact it may take many, many years for Environmental Protection Agency in some of the chemicals with it. them to lose their toxicity. And all the Seattle will attend the hearing, as well as George Ward, an environmental while they are possibly working their two representatives of the Oregon engineer in Portland who was involved in way closer to water tables which could Department of Environmental Quality the case originally to some extent, says contaminate range and cattle for miles and one from the Oregon Department of he has evidence that the Department of around. Water Resources. Environmental Quality deliberately a And yet there are J·ust as many who say Th e Chamber has Sought Such ignored the wishes of the Water heari ·ng as a way of fm' ding out what the Resources Department at the time. A there is nothing to worry about concern- situation is at Alkali Lake, and of making memo from Water Resources in 1972 or ing Alkali Lake, and all the fuss is over th t knowledge Publl·c 1·n much the same nothing. Local officials, notably public a ·tuation' at the tailings 1973, before the barrels were buried, health officer Dr. Robert Bomengen, felt way as Was the Sl reportedly said studies had shown that d earll·er th1·s summer that the public should have a chance to ump · ·cal the chemicals should in no way be placed hear and ask questions of those who do Som e lo •500 barrels Of Cheml any closer than they were to the water residues are buried on a 10-acre tract at table. This memo never came to light at know the score. Alkali Lake. They were placed there in the time. Accordingly, the chamber has been the late 1960s and early 1970s by a As a result, the recommendation of the actively attempting to set up a hearing of Portland chemical company• The DEQ to dig trenches, push the barrels the sort which will take place October 16. majority of the chemicals are believed to .. 1 _..:.__.;.11!!!!!1 __~---....:. ·--"."--:;:---;;-""":'.'-----:~~7, :;;; be dioxin, 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T residues, • ,1\ E , ~ /4.. t-tJ I /0°,(8'/7CJ from the highly-toxic pesticides. When the Lake County Board of u ng I neer wa nfs to C ea up Commissioners and others objected to the indiscriminate storage of such AI k 1• L k chemicalsinLakeCounty,thestatewas I brought into the situation. The state a a e, state says wait through the Department of Agriculture and later the DEQ, which was formed out A Portland engineer Tuesday night federal funds be applied for to clean up of the agriculture and health urged the use of federal funds to clean up the site using soil incorporation techni departments, forced the company to halt Alkali Lake and maintain the "environ ques. But Rich Reiter and other DEQ the storage, and eventually the state mental virginity of the State of Oregon," representatives, as well as a federal purchased the 10 acres. but the Department of Environmental EPA representative, stood by their A series of hearings was held to Quality gave the proposal a cold watch-and-see approach. determine what to do with the land and shoulder. "If there is a problem, we should go the chemicals, some of which were Officials from the DEQ were at after these funds and clean it up," Ward eating through the barrels, seeping into Lakeview for a public meeting Tuesday said. "If there is no problem, we the ground and blowing in the wind. It night, concerning the present condition shouldn't be worried about it." Ward was finally decided to simply bury the of a chemical dump at Alkali Lake. said be is convinced the Alkali Lake barrels where they were. That decision Public sympathy at the bearing situation should be rectified, and the has been the focus of controversy since. seemed to lean toward cleaning up the results of work there could be beneficial The state and federal environmental site, or at least making plans in case of to the nation. agencies are charged with monitoring an emergency there. Some 23,000 barrels of herbicide re "We all have one thing at stake, the the site, which includes seeing if the environmental virginity of the State of chemicals are leaking into the area's sidues were dumped on the site in the early 1970s. The DEQ bought the land Oregon," he said. "If through federally water table. Some evidence has been funded research here, we can solve the reported which indicated there is some and buried the barrels in 1976. Public concern has arisen over whether the nation's problem, then damnit, let's do chemicals are spreading and whether it." they pose a hazard to animal or man. Ward indicated be would approach the George Ward, environmental consult county commissioners for support i:Jig engineer, proposes that available Wednesday. 'Site studied to death' f_/::Jff£ C E ) The Lake County Board of tailings pile anct settling ponds, but this economically depressed area with Commissioners have urged Oregon includes the entire 258 acres of the the DOE 'remedial action' hanging over Governor Victor Atiyeh in a letter to original property at which new owners thier heads? respond to the federal government's have converted the main building to a "And what is to be remedied if, as the request for input regarding Lakl,!view's sawmill. It appears that 'remedial State Department of Health says, there is uranium tailings dump. action' by the two DOE's could shut that no health hazard at the site? And why is Saying the site has been "studied to sawmill down . the entire 258 acre property under the death," the commissioners' letter points "The Lakeview mill site, and indeed DOE gun when only some 30 acres out that federal designs on the site, which the town and area surrounding the site, compose the tailings pile and settling state investigators have declared safe, has been 'studied to death' by both ponds combined? Does no one in the may hold up economic development in federal and state agencies since closure State and Federal bureaucracy use Lake County--an area declared to be in 1960. judgement? economically lagging by a proclamation "How do we get these people of our "We are told that DOE regulations signed by Atiyeh only recently. back? " have been published in the Federal The tailings dump, containing residue The letter goes on to observe that Register and that your office has until of uranium processing done in the late Precision Pine, which only recently went September 14 to respond," the letter 1950s, is a 30-acre parcel about one mile into operation, may be forced with concludes. "We hope you will ." north of Lakeview. Actions by Oregon shutting down as part of the remedial Under the program, the Oregon Health Division officials over the past action program , and that a possible new Department of Energy is compiling seven years have con tained the radiation industry may be scared away from the information about the site, and will make hazard on that site, but a federal site by the remedial action program a recommendation to Atiyeh based on program has recently designated some stipulations . "Will they dare to invest in (Continued on Page 5) 258 acres owned by Precision Pine as part of the site, which is destined for "remedial action ." The letter sent to Atiyeh says, in part: "At a meeting in Lakeview Wednesday Tailings night, August 29, 1979, officers of the (Continued from Page 1) Oregon and Federal Departments of that information. Taken to the farthest Energy explained a program in which extent of federal legislation, the site they are cooperating to 'establish assess could be purchased by the federal ment and remedial action programs' for government and either removed or left tailings piles at inactive uranium mill as it is and monitored forever . sites. "The Lakeview site, in their program. is not limited to the 30 acres of the Firm seeks land to conduct _ 13 11 chemical breakdown resetch A Portland environmental engineer is allow him to experiment with ways of appealing for local help in his quest to try breaking down the toxic chemical and clean up the Alkali Lake waste residues of pesticide 2,4-D on land it owns disposal site. adjacent to the dump site, since on the George Ward, of George D. Ward & other hand the agency is spraying 2,4-D Associates, an environmental consulting in Josephine County, over loud protests engineering firm, has been turned down from residents. repeatedly by the Bureau of Land Management in his requests to use land adjacent to Alkali Lake for chemical tests. So he hopes another landowner in the area will grant him such use. Ward & Associates has applied for a grant of $862,000 from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to do research on a chemical IIONU/\0!::l 9c waste containment process. He has ~v xos 'O'd :ssaJppe 6u111e1111 anv~1s ·M H380 ~ 96vC:-9Lv (£09i = already received a National Science il.NVH0 'J.33Hl.S .. 3 ,, ·3·N ~C:S Foundation grant for the same work. He hopes to develop a membrane which 80/./JSllPU/ / would be used to surround chemical ,9 JO JU0WJ.Jedaa waste dumps such as exist at Alkali Lake and keep the chemicals from entering water supplies. Ward said he could not understand the rationale behind the BLM's refusal to Tailings Reassurances /(. r/J Ll 5 /-) I-# ;?-~l-71 By ISABELLE BARRY around the tailings and cancer in Lake County and Hospital staff to review H&N Correspondent diverted a stream of water radiation from the mill site cancer cases in Lake County that had been running through before stabilization, Toombs over the past several years. LAKEVIEW - Two State the site. said there was not enough The survey will consider type Department of Health of Toombs said there was then information to determine that. of cancer, occupation, place of ficials Monday night outlined no evidence of excessive He said University of Oregon residence, alcohol and smok history of the department's radiation and currently a Health Sciences Center has ing habits and other in work at the former uranium "healthy crop of wheat" is offered to analyze data on the fluences and correlate this processing mill north of town growing on the tailing pile, uranium mill from 1966 to 1977 information to find if there is and reassured residents settl planted to control wind and make the information any relationship to the urani ing ponds and tailing piles left erosion. No excessive radia available to the health um mill before stabilization. by the operation are "not tion showed up in the wheat department. radioactive to the extent it grown on top of the pile; fields Dr. Bob Bomengen, Lake Bomengen said the survey might be hazardous to the around the site have been County health officer, said a will continue and information health of the community." scanned and show no danger, local survey is being made will be made available to George Toombs and Ray according to Toombs. with the help of Lake District anyone wanting it. Paris, who work in environ Precision Pine, now being mental radiation surveillance, put into operation at the attended the public meeting. uranium mill site, has in Toombs said his department's stalled equipment and put up attention was focused on some new building's and the Lakeview in the late '60s after · state will again monitor the the problem of uranium waste site to find if anything has material being used in been done to disturb the landfills and roadbeds in tailing dump which is not Grand Junction, Colo., re excessively radioactive at this vealed radiation was being time, Toombs said. There are trapped in houses and other two monitoring stations at the structures built on such sites, site now, checked every six causing a definite health haz months. Ambient monitors ard. These conditions came are in place to show whether about after a uranium radiation travels into the processing plant had been water supply. closed in Grand Junction. Toombs said at a monitor at Toombs' department found Swan Lake, about 50 miles similar conditions in from Lakeview, radiation Lakeview and a crew, sent to level is no different than at the investigate, found radioactive tailing pile north of Lakeview. dust blowing off the area, the When asked about the radia area not properly fenced or tion level before the area was signed and motorycle tracks stabilized, Toombs said there going through the tailing was no radioactivity in the dump. ground water and some slight Oregon Health Department excess in a field south of the contacted the Atomic Energy mill. Commission which sent a Asked if the State Health mobile monitoring system to Department feels there is any · scan the entire Town of correlation between the re Lakeview and a radius around ported high incidence of the uranium mill site. No excessive radiation was found in town except in a few homes where extensive collections of uranium rock were stored. In each instance, any ex cessive radiation . was in vestigated until the source was discovered and steps taken to eliminate it, Toombs said. Atlantic Richfield Co ., which owned the old uranium plant at the time poor condi· lions were discovered, was notified it was in violation of state standards. Richfield scientists and state represen tatives. assembled and found radiation on the north side of the building; several hot spots around the mill yard. Richfield then moved all the material to the tailing site, covered it with 18 to 24 inches of earth, reworked berms -- Page A4-LAKE COUNTY EXAMINER, Lakeview, Oregon, Thursday, March 1, 1979 Engineer still concerned Despite an apparent lack of concern the Examiner, that he was approaching 10 acre site with an impervious barrier locally, Portland engineer George Ward Thomas Jorline, assistant EPA extending to a considerable depth below continues to express concern over the administrator, to express his ideas. the surface of the ground," to cut off any situation at Alkali Lake's chemical "I'm going to write him and let him escape of containment by ground water. disposal site, hoping to receive a grant to know there is some chance for use of Reassuring words from Paul study containment and breakdown containment techniques on Alkali Lake," McCormick, extension agent, on the · methods at the site for possibJe use at he said. results of state Department of Environ more hazardous sites across the country. Ward's firm has received a grant from mental Quality monitoring of the site's A recent move by the federal Environ the National Science Foundation to test wells failed to convince Ward that mental Protection Agency Alkali Lake and its chemical waste found that leakage did exist, possibly disposal site are again threatening to endangering the environment. enter the limelight in Lake County and "There we were in the wide-open the state of Oregon, as efforts continue to spaces and it smelled like a chemistry THESE BARRELS are some of the 25,000 at Alkali Lak1 ensure that the site is and will continue to lab," said the leader of the expedition, they were buried. be safe. Representative Nancie Fadeley of George D. Ward, an environmental Eugene, as quoted in the Eugene consulting engineer who has maintained Register-Guard. interest in the site for several years, has As a result of this investigation and been awarded a grant from the National subsequent recommendations of the Science Foundation to make a broad legislature, the Environmental Quality study of a method of making such sites Commission began proceedings to safe, and he is interested in combining condemn and buy the land for the state in this project with work at Alkali Lake for January 1974 . the mutual benefit of both . Several methods of disposal were Ward has also expressed concern over discussed, with much imput from all over the contamination of groundwater by the the state, and the controversial decision chemicals al the lake. on the method was arrived at in August Ward and his firm have received a 1976. The proposal was to dig three-foot grant from the National Science ;ontinued_ fr(?m Page 12) Ward hopes to get the project under p trenches between the rows of the intent of the legislature and the interest to warrant the necessary fUI way as soon as possible, through stirring irrels, shove the 25,513 barrels into the legislative emergency board in the way it to correct the problem. Perhaps if up local interest. nches and crush them with bulldozers, allowed the chemicals to be disposed of. local community knew more of the act "My purpose for keeping an eye 011 n cover them with dirt and rocks. The Ward said state estimates of the life of facts surrounding the errors made Alkali- Lake is in hopes that we may tract to carry out the burial was the chemicals show them to be a serious Alkali Lake, the necessary funds m· rded to Chem-Nuclear Corporation somehow be able to stir up enough eventuall~ be made available." $78,420. threat if they remain in their present ard's firm at the time presented a condition. · ~nter-proposal, with much pleading "At the April 30, 1976 Environmental cajoling on the part of Ward, to use Quality Commission meeting in Albany, ,ne method of chemically decomposing toxic material, rather than to merely one state official stated that if the it. Current investigation by Ward chemicals were left exposed to sunlight it others seem to show that the burial would require 50 to 100 years time span thod may have negative results on the for the 2-4-D wastes to degrade," Ward 's groundwater and may actually said in his letter to the Examiner. "He aten Alkali Lake and its surround- went on to concede that very little degradation would take place with burial ard thinks he now has a method of on the Iakebed, whether the burial was in dering the chemicals harmless in a an aerobic soil horizon or not." rt time, and hopes to alert the local Ward disagreed, saying a study done ulation to both the current hazards by his firm under an earlier NSF grant to his plans. showed that, under the right conditions, ard has photographs which show the break-down of these chemicals could e disturbing things: Sink-holes near be accomplished in considerably less chemical dump which presumably go time. the water table, crushed barrels " ... Almost total degradation occured in inning to show through the soil due to less than 60 days when the same toxic ion, and a pile of barrels outside the materials were properly mixed into ced-in-10-acre area, some of which bacteriologically active soils." LEAKERS--These leaking barrels, photographed by Ward, an ar to have the same toxic chemicals The Lake County Board of outside the protected area owned by the state. ide them. Ward said local sources Commissioners have asked that they be e informed him that wells in the kept appraised of any actions inity have pink-tinted water, indicat contemplated by Ward or the DEQ at contamination from the chemicals, Alkali Lake. No decision has been ich are of a reddish color. announced yet by the BLM concerning ard alleges that the DEQ violated the the adjacent lands. ♦ . al\t oun- ramtntr 1 · 99th YEAR NUMBER 9 THUR.§Ql\t,...JANUARY 5, 1978 'PRICE 15 CENTS .:. ;LAKEViEW, OREGON 97630 ► Alkali Lake burial site in good shape According to Paul McCormick of the would be checked periodically by the persislance of this hump in the absence erosion," McCormick said. The report Lake County Extension office, the bur DEQ and by McCormick. of significant precipitation recharge to goes on to say that the fence and gate ial grounds at the Alkali Lake dump The report submitted to the county the lake is somewhat puzzling," said a were in good condition and there s tUl is site is in good shape. in December covered the period of June DEQ inspector. "Evidently the con no indication of wind erosion around the "In my opinion we are basically in 20 through October. tinual running of the south artesian well burial mounds. better shape than we thought we would During that period of time, wells and the various lakebed seeps are have been," he said. "We are not were installed on BLM land west of the providing sufficient water to maintain They also said that there was a very getting any of the 24-D or Phenol acids burial site. Their purpose was to it." slight phenolic odor on the site when the in the underground pools as we fear permit the monitoring of possible diff The groundwater level at the area air is still. They said that evaporite has ed." usion of waste from the site. has uniformly dropped more than two begun to appear in small scattered The Alkali Lake ,burial site was the The wells were installed sufficiently · feet from June 20, 1977. The DEQ quantities on the mounds. "This is a scene of much discussion last year deep to assure continued intersection of relates this with the unusually dry good sign," McCormick said. "It is when the Environmental Quality Board the shallow ground water. Wells lo year. evidence of upward movement of the decided to bury contaminants that had cated in the shallow swale west of the The concentration of phenol in some contaminants instead of down into the been placed there for many years. The site are 8' deep. Another that is south of of the wells has remained approximate water." people of the Lake County area and the the site is 12' deep. ly the same in June and October as it The DEQ has proposed to install two surrounding towns had many questions According to the DEQ there is a was in March. The several springs and more wells due west of the site at a concerning the burial. Much fear was marked difference in the solids in seepages in the area continued to show distance of 500 and 1200 feet from the expressed as to the seepage of the which these wells are located. Hope no phenol. number 10 well now in existance. "We contaminants into underground water fully they will give a good cross-section The report stated that the general feel that the latter well will be beyond used for farming and ranching in the of the underground water in the area. appearance of the site on both June 20 the area of loose fill," the spokesman area. According to tables now in the hands and October 12 was satisfactory. "We .said. "This will probably be done next It was decided that the acids would be of the DEQ, the groundwater level is found that the mounds are holding well spring after we review the results of buried in large mounds and that they slightly humped toward the lake. "The and that there is little sign of wind ·another monitoring survey." (j LAKE COU NTY EXAMINER. Lakeview , Orego~, Thursday, ~ary 20, 1977 Page t ·Alkali burial ·dump ef~ective There has been no change in the birth defect problems there. However, status of the Alkali Lake chemical if it is used properly and at the dump, according to extension agent recommended rates, there are no Paul McCormick. McCormick was problems with it." commissioned by the Lake County Board of Commissioners to make on-site inspections of the dump period According to McCormick,· on-site ically through the year. inspections will be continued through " We were last out at the site on Jan. out the year. 3," said McCormick. "The smell has almost entirely left the area in the short period of time it has been buried and that was the most noxious part of the problem." There has been no visual change on the site and McCormick does not expect that there will be. "The rock that they have used on the top is such that it will not blow away. It isn't gravel as some had thought but heavy rock." Ernie Schmidt of the Department of Environmental Quality was at the chemical dump at the end of December to make an on-site inspection, but the results of that inspection are not known al this time. According to the EPA, there was some chemical in the brine pool close to the dump during the time of burial. McCormick said that the level was not poisonous and that he was not sure how the chemical got into the pool. " It probably happened over a period of years," said McCormick. " We do want to assure people that it is not serious." When asked about the possibility of 2-4-5-T chemical being buried in the Alkali Lake area, he said that he had been fairly well guaranteed that, durinl! the period of time Rhodia Corporation was making_ chemicals, they did not make 245-T. "Even if there were some there, the possibility of ill effects from it are remote," said McCormick. "The basis of the 245-T scare comes from the concentrated use of it in Viet Nam. They did have some ----- ll0Nll3h0~ 9GSL6 NO03l::IO 'SSVd S.lNVl::10 'Ht XO8 ·o·d :ssaJppe DU!l!l:!V\I 0nv~1s M HJao~ 96vC::-9Lv (£os; 3NOHd 9GSL6 NO03l::IO 'SSVd S.lNVl::10 '.i33l::l.1S ,.3., '3'N ~GS sa1.11snpu1 1e.1au1w pue /f.io1oa9 10 1uaw1.1edaa /d-<"/-16 LAKE COUNTY EXAMINER. Lakeview. Oreg, 1-- Final work done on burial of chemical waste Final work was being done at Alkali of heavy rock. Lake on Monday, Dec. 6, when local On Monday, the contractor, Chem people and officials of th~ Department Nuclear, was completing a fence of Environmental Quality made an around the burial site and putting the inspection of the chemical waste burial finishing touches on a ditch which is project. intended to prevent run-off water from Those from Lakeview were County entering the burial grounds. Commission Chairman George Carlon, DEQ officials were John Borden, of Watermaster Howard Daggett, Demo Bend; and Pat Brown and Fred cratic Central Committee Chairman Bromfield, of Portland. Also present Jim Ogle, and Extension Agent Paul was the contractor, Pat Wicks . McCormick. The latter has agreed to monitor the pro]ect for the county commissioners. Carlon said the site contains about ten long mounds in which have been buried the more than 25,000 drums of chemical wastes, mostly herbicides. The mounds have been piled high with a DEQ Believes 'No 2,4,5-T' heavy clay soil and covered with layers /t--l The State Department of ed the chemical wastes to of Oregon could potentially Environmental Quality Alkali Lake during a period kill as many as 200,000 people. (DEQ) said in a statement to- from 1969 to 1971, said he "We are not aware of Mr. day there Is no reason to "presumed" 2,4,5-T was Hunt's motives In raising such believe that waste from among the materials taken a claim after all these years," production of the herbicide there. The company, Young said. "Obviously, the 2,4,5-T, said to contain the Chemical Waste and Issue of 2,4,5-T has been In the deadly poison dioxin, was Disposition, Inc., had a con press recently, and Mr. Hunt among materials burled last tract with Rhodia, of has been in an adversary posi month at remote Alkali Lake Portland, to dispose of the tion with the DEQ over the In Lake County. _ wastes. past several years for his in Bill Young, new director of The military used 2,4,5-T for volvement In causing the the DEQ, in Portland, said, defoliation of forests in Vlet pesticide wastes to ac "We have reconfirmed with nam along with another her cumulate there (Alkali Lake) Rhodia Chemical Co. that no blclde, Agent Orange. in the first place." 2,4,5-T or the dioxin contami- Last week the Air Force Young said that in the light nant associated with It were in shipped a half-ounce of dioxin, of the scientific evidence and the materials that were which had been stored at statements by the producer of shipped," to Alkali Lake. Chem-Nuclear Systems, Inc., the material the DEQ has no Monday, Howard Hunt, · Warehouse in Arlington, to reason to believe there is any Hillsboro president of a now Johnston Island In the Pacific 2,4,5-T or TCDD dioxin at defunct c~mpany which haul- Ocean . The dioxin was a Alkali Lake. residue from the manufacture --~------ of Agent Orange. Young said experlemnts by Oregon State University at Alkali Lake from 1970 through 1972 also failed to turn up any of the dioxin TCDD. Further laboratory analysis of the materials by the Environmen tal Proteciion Agency this year found no trace of 2,4,5-T, he said. Scientists have said that a half-ounce of the concentrated residue that was shipped out PAGE 20-HERALD and NEWS Klamath Falls, Ore. Friday, Dec. 10, 1976 ... =-=-=-·-=-=-=-···-·-=-=.•-=-·-·-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-·-=:=.•: .:::.:::·:::·:·:::·.-·.-:·:··· ·::·:···:·:·:·:·:·: :·:·:·:• Says A rllngton Inelden t 'M Is take':::::::::·:=:=:=:::=:=:=:=:=:·:·:··=:·:·:·:·:·:·.=:=:=:=:=:=::: ::_::=<==-===:_._: :::::::-:·:•.=.,-:=:===« ~ I I Straub Wants Word On Chemical Storag~ I ~ ~ ·· SALEM, Ore. :::: r L_... . m ••1-.J f \,I r, * * 1 LL.I ~ a: U) 0 1- * * 6; - Z Chemical Move U) <( .Q U) a: C ~ (!) 'Insignificant' U) ,-.: I- ..... Transfer of a dozen can tB z-.:t- nisters of a deadly chemical < X from Arlington is "in 't..... a: 0 C!J CD significant" when compared C to the volumes of potentially ...... ,:-w ci. deadly chemicals buried at w a.. Alkali Lake, according to I-a: .. local environmentalist ~ U) gi Andrew Gigler. . ~ Gigler said earlier today he s w -o believes the 25,000-plus cans - 'O - <1l buried at Alkali Lake in Lake ~ W Cl County contain the same Z·c __ chemical, Dioxin, that was ~ ..... 'iij moved from Arlington to a ~ ~~ South Pacific island. Gigler noted the same con Itractor is involved in both the Arlington and Alkali Lake "'::, areas. He also said the Alkali ~ "' Lake chemicals were buried ,; Iafter only six of the 25,000-plus ~ "' cans were tested. In addition, he noted final results of the 2 six tested cans have still not ~ u .E~ l'z/i./7,:; Monitoring of chemical waste assured in letters sent here Visual monitoring of the chemical ment's commitment t.o future mainten waste burial program at Alkali Lake, ance of the burial site. and immediate steps to correct any "This commitment is unqualified. problems, were assurances given Lake We are beginning a program of periodic County people this week in letters from visual monitoring of the site. Should Ernest A. Schmidt, administrator of any significant deterioration of the the solid waste division of the Oregon fence, berm, rock cover, or any other Department of Environmental quality. aspect of the site become evident, we The letters have been received by will take immediate steps to correct the James W. Ogle, chairman of the Lake problem." County Democratic Central Commit tee, and Glen Bogart, president of the The chemical wastes, primarily from Lake County Chamber of Commerce, the manufacture of herbicides, have and possibly by others who were at been stored at Alkali Lake on private Alkali Lake Nov . 17 for an inspection of land since 1969. Disposal of the wastes the project. The letters to both Ogle has been the subject of wide concern and Bogart stated : among ranchers, environmentalists "Thank you for visiting with Fred and others for some time, and the DEQ Bromfeld during his inspection trip to has assured the people that burial of the Alkali Lake on Nov . 17. He has materials will not harm the under indicated your concern over the possi ground water or other parts of the bility of wind erosion and the Depart- environment. Alkali Lake Dispute Continues 1/-23 -lb Gigler Says Che~icals Will 'Have To Be Dug Up Again' "They are going to have to representatives and our herds and Upper Klamath dig it all up again. And the Congressmen, the major Lake fish· kills as well as cost will be far greater than news-wire services and the jeopardizing agricultural the burial," said Andrew public generally." crops. These are apart from Gigler, Klarnath Falls, Gigler now senses this is the dangers to potable water businessman and environmen changing, however. in the lake region, he said. talist. "Now everyone is coming According to Gigler the lake Gigler was referring to his around on this," he said. "The was one of the least harmed lost fight to prevent the Klamath County Medical by man until the Rhodia Inc., state's massive burial of Association asked Gov. Straub Portland, chemical wastes chemical wastes at Alkali to halt the burial pending began being stored there Lake in Lake County. further study. The Lake Coun several years ago. Gigler was at the State ty Chamber showed its con "They do not proceed scien Department of Environmen cern by its trip to the site. tifically, with all possible tal Quality's (DEQ) chemical "And environmental groups safeguards," he continued. waste disposal site last are contacting me offering to "Even the DEQ admits in Wednesday, along with the help," he added. "This cineration of the wastes is the Lake County Chamber of disaster-in-the-making is thing to do - but costs too Commerce. becoming a national issue." much." The burial was temporarily Gigler complained of "the "Mrs. Sally Borurgiois, Box halted by DEQ as result of arrogance and indifference" 408, Lakeview, asked Fred concern expressed by the of both the DEQ and the Bromfeld how many barrels chamber. But later Chem federal Environmental have been tested, and he said Nu clear Systems Inc . , Protection Agency (EPA) in 'six,' " Gigler said. "When Portland, doing the work un his struggle to stop the burial. asked if rabbits or other area der an $84,200 contract, was "They listen to you - and animals had been tested, he ordered to resume. then go ahead and do as they hinted that would be too com ''They had three-fourths of damn well please," Gigler plicated. " the job done Wednesday," said. Bromfeld (hazardous waste Gigler said. "The DEQ heard "The assurances they give specialist with DEQ's solid us. But what we had to say are worthless, because they waste division in Portland) made little account in the long do not know exactly what they was asked " both by Dr. run." are burying without a true in Borurgiois and me about Gigler says he is determin ventory," he said. " And the testing for dioxin, and seemed ed to stop any more of the testing they've done is both di entirely disinterested," he long-stored and leaking quieting and incomplete." said. barrels from going into the Dioxin is found in the her dry Alkali Lake bed . "I met Gigler has long stressed the bicide 2,4-D - which DEQ of a solid wall of official hazards of airborne emissions ficials say formed the con resistance from the begin from the volatile residues of tents of a good portion of the ' ning ... he said. " And there has the barrels, believing it barrels. Dioxin in even drop 1 been apathy by local political responsible for dwindling deer amounts can kill hundreds, even thousands of people, if it reaches their systems, ac- c cording to Gigler. ( ~O Nlfl!,Q') 9l9L6 NO03HO 'SSv'd S.1Nv'H0 'H "A Rhodia official only this r. jM amlMlS M 1M390M 96vl-9Lv (£OS) 3NOHd 9GSL6 NO03HO 'SSv'd Sl year stated he 'doubts but ~g doesn't know' whether dioxin is in the company's old waste barrels at the site," the en- 7 sa1.1Jsnpu1 1e.1au1w pue ADO/Oat vironmentalist said. "Doesn't that show a thorough test was in order before burial? '' :R1/P1">nes 6 hot between Chamber, 1/:/!tt,1 bl5Ecfover waste burial · Telephone lines were hot Tuesday, · On Nov. 8, the CC board of directors the KOTI-TV pictures had been taken Bogart had been informed that v. 16, between the Lake County had been joined by other organizations on Friday, Nov. 12, showing the burial work was stopped pending the Wed amber of Commerce in Lakeview in advising the DEQ of certain pre work already in progress. day inspection. d the Department of Oregon Envir cautions that should be taken in the On the phone Tuesday morning, On Monday, Nov. 15, the chairmar mental Quality in Portland. Cham burial program, and Bogart felt the CC Bogart asked DEQ officials to halt the the Democratic Central CommitteE President Glen Bogart had been had been assured he would be informed work until officials of that department Lake County, James W. Ogle, had b, prised by a telecast from Klamath before the burial was started. Actually, and local people could meet at the site told by DEQ that officers from t Is showing the burial of chemical on Nov . 8 equipment to accomplish the on Wednesday, Nov. 17, to inspect the department would be at the site on N stes in progress at Alkali Lake. burial had been started to the site, and work. Shortly after noon Tuesday, 17._ arguments fall on deaf ears BY LESLIE SHAW 135,000 acres of land to dispose of the it out by allocating only $310,000. Also, They talked and they listened for estimated 1,200,000 gallons of wastes at said DEQ, it would be difficult now to three hours ... but it appeared that the dump site. (Since then, barrel re~mulsify the congealed wastes so nobody heard anybody Thursday night, leakage and evaporation have left an they could be impregnated into the soil. October 28, when people from the estimated 600,000 gallons at the site, HAUL IT AWAY? Department of Environmentat Quality and much of this has become a tar-like There was much public opinion at the met at Lakeview High School with local substance that would not feed through October 28 meeting that the wates residents to talk about Alkali Lake nozzles to be fed in to the soil.) should be hauled away from Alkali chemical waste dump ... and how to THE COURT SAID "NO" Lake. One of the DEQ bids had dispose of it. In his letter-to-the~ditor After DEQ was given charge of suggested hauling them to Idaho to be this week, John Scoville makes that chemical waste disposal in 1971, that dumped into abandoned missile silo point pretty well . agency tried to make Howard Hunt pits which have concrete walls six feet The DEQ has accepted a bid for dispose of the materials. In 1974, the thick. Also, the state does now have a burying the chemical wastes at the Oregon Court of Appeals upheld a chemical waste storage depot near lakebed site, which aroused local fears circuit court decision that denied the Hermiston, owned by Chem-Nuclear. of basin water contamination, and of DEQ contention, stating in effect that The answer by DEQ officials was that winds blowing the debris across the Hunt's company had been forced out of the barrels are in such deteriorated country. business by the state, and that "the condition that they would not stand the The DEQ people came to Lakeview to state will not be allowed to complain in handling and loading, and there would explain their thinking and reasoning, a court of equity where the condition of be much spillage along the highways but the local people heard nothing they which it now complains was aided and during transportation. (Some propon said. abetted by the state itself and it would ents of hauling the wastes away were Which was matched, in fact, by the now, after disabling the defendant, not hearing: - There were comments to non-hearing DEQ representatives ... ask this court to require the defendant the effect that "There was spillage answering repeatedly with only "We to abate the nuisance." along the roads when the stuff was have reason to believe that burial at the The DEQ asked the 1975 Legislature hauled to Alkali and you didn't care; site will be safe ... " for funds to dispose of the chemical why do you care now?" ... forgetting THERE WERE NO CONTROLS wastes, and a fund of $310,000 was that DEQ was not in existence when the There were hints, too, that the county allowed. Last summer, DEQ called for wastes were hauled to Alkali.) commissioners and county planning bids, asking the bidders to propose the DEQ personnel, throughout the three board had not done their duty when the . method and the cost, allowing them to hour meeting, contended there is no dump was permitted. People forget bid on burial, hauling the wastes away danger to the basin water from burial... that in 1968-69 there were no controls ... for disposal elsewhere, or securing the "and if there is, we will have to do federal, state or local. They forget that area and leaving the wastes where they something." One member of the staff · • ~,., ~""' 0 into being are. drew a diagram showing water run-0ff rock away and demolish the buri:d i;ito The bid of a firm called Chem and permeation of the soil, by which he DEQ spokesmen said that if the rock is Nuclear, Inc., was accepted at $84,200 proved to his own satisfaction that the ~!own away, they will have to replace for burial at the site, and later the state chemicals will not saturate through the 1t..:but there was no indication they emergency board authorized that a soil and into the basin's underground believed Leehmann's knowledge of mount. Announcement of the plan water. Alkali basin winds. brought objections from ranchers in the WHAT'S THE HURRY? area and from environmentalists, who Ernest McKinney asked about the The Lakeview meeting of October 8 could see the buried chemicals contam hurry. Why not, he wanted to know, was held . because the Lake County bury some of the wastes and see what Democratic Central Committee adopt inating the basin water and being carried even to fresh-water wells and happens? Then, if all is well, bury the ed a_ resolution asking for such a remainder ... but since the stuff has been meeting, and. aski?g that nothing be springs. HAVE NO FEAR at the site for eight years, he wanted to done at Alkah until the meeting was DEQ spokesmen stated that they know why the present hurry. The hel~. Democratic Central Committee answer from Ernie Schmidt, head of Chairman. James Ogle, who presided have no fear of this happening, that a clay underlayer will prevent such DEQ's hazardous waste division, was at the session, got the meeting schedul that "We see no danger in burying the ed by contacts with Governor Straub seepage into the water supply. The burial plan calls for a pit three feet chemicals; we believe it will be safe .. ." ~.s. Rep. AI illlman and other influen: A Portland engineer, George D. tial Democrats. deep, the barrels and contents to be placed in that and crushed, and covered Ward, director of the non-profit Land Use Research Institute, agreed with After the meeting, I asked Schmidt with dirt and crushed rock. Six wh~t the next step will be. He said the ten-feet- Klamath Falls environmen Gigler concedes he is con with a mound - riot crushed, talist Andrew R. Gigler today ducting an uphill fight so far as was originally planned. He issued a plea for public sup to prevent an additional 800,- believes the elements will port in his fight to stop the 000 gallons of herbicides from soon expose them again. burial of 25,000 barrels of being buried at Alkali Lake. "The U. S. Army learned a chemical wastes at Alkali He has written, telephoned big lesson in Vietnam about Lake in Lake County. and talked in person to the effects of Agent Orange "I'd like to ask all those who politicians, pertinent (TCDD), the highly toxic care about our environment to governmental agencies and defoliant," Gigler noted. write their legislators, the private groups. "Besides killing vegetation, Department of Environmen "I call the politicians and the defoliation aircraft runs tal Quality (DEQ) in Portland they say, 'No, there is nothing have had devastating after and the Environmental I can do,' " Gigler said. "Why effects harming the Vietnam . Protection Agency (EPA) in can't they · do something? soil ;o even burrowing Seattle," Gigler said. They allowed the barrels to animals are not safe in it. But "In question here is not only collect at Alkali Lake .. or at worst of all are the fears it the public's safety from the least did nothing about it. Now has aroused regarding future additional massive release of why can't they disallow this genetic effect on human and poisons into the air and the burial?" ' animal offspring. earth, but also one of According to Gigler, "the "We have phenoxy her morality," he stressed. "Not politicians and the pertinent bicides at Alkali Lake, by the only human and animal life of governmental agencies seem DEQ's own statement," the present is involved, but to have more concern for in- Gigler said. "All of the life of future generations.'' , dustry then the people ,they- phenoxy herbicides contain "People still do not have are paid to protect. .. . dioxin -2, 4-D does." sufficient grasp of the high "Air emissions from the "One drop of dioxin can.kill degree of toxicity and the volatile materials from the 1,200 people," he declared. hazards involved with these barrels have been whirled into "And 30 gallons could k~II chemicals," he said. "They do Klamath County, and in my every Jiving thing on this not realize these chemicals opinion played a major hand earth. In addition, it has can be caught up by the wind in the large fish kill in Upper proven to be a mutagen - it • and spread in still potent form· Klamath Lake,'' he said. destroys the genetic pattern over large ar,eas; and that Winds also pick up the dry - and it is also a carcinogen they can penetrate to wells re.sidue poisons after they - capable of causing cancer." and drinking water, and even have leaked onto the dry lake bed. he pointed out. food .. ~"~~-"---'""=-~-~ He does not think this air pollution will stop with the burial since the barrels will be placed in three-foot trenches and then covered Chamber suggests chemical cautions I-AKE e:,J, E'f..A-m JM£e, 11-11~11,, While Portland and Klamath Falls urged all citizens to write their legisla- environrtlental interests are seeking tors and the state and federal environ- the help of Governor Bob Straub and mental agencies, demanding a halt to the general public in halting the burial the burial plan. "In question here," of chemical wastes at Alkali Lake, the · said Gigler, "is not only- the pul?,lic's Lake County -Cham6er of Commerce safety from the massive release of and other local organizations have poisons into the air and the earth, but joined in acquiescing to the burial plan also one of morality." but suggesting a number of pre- In Portland, Ward addressed a cautions. seven-page letter to Governor Straub, In session Monday, Nov. 8, the with copies to state and national Chamber of Commerce directors and legislators,agencies and officials, and representatives of other groups drew to public and private environmental up and adopted a resolution stating that groups. He strongly urged a close look a the disposal of the chemical waste a new federal law LAKEVIEW-The State Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Tuesday temporarily stopped its burial of more than 25,000 barrels of hazardous wastes at Alkali Lake in east-central Lake County after a protest by the Lake Coun ty Chamber of Commerce. A group of Lake County people were to meet with DEQ of ficials today at the site of the burial to discuss the project. The chamber of commerce had objected to the method in which the wastes were being buried and last week made recommendations to the DEQ on how it wanted the project to proceed. · l Glen Bogart, president of the chamber, said the recommendations were made from suggestions from a "good cross section" of the county. The chamber asked the projeet be delayed because of some indication the project was not being done in line with the recommendations. · ·Bogart said the recommendations were "safeguard re quests." Chem-Nuclear Systems Inc., Portland, us burying the barrels of herbicide wastes in three-foot deep trenches under a $84,200 contract with the state. Bogart said Ernie Schmidt, administrator of the DEQ's solid waste division, has said that the DEQ will comply with the chamber's recommendations. The burial operation started last week and is "40 to 50 per cent" completed, according to Jim Swenson, DEQ public af fairs officer. However, -it was reported that most •of the barrels are already in the ground. · A rock covering is to be put over the area after the barrels are all in the trenches. Swenson said concern had been expressed about barrels breaking open, however, that had been expected. The barrels are rusted and leaking, having been stored at the site for about seven years. Fears about the burial project have centered around what some believe is a possibility the wastes will eventually con taminate ground water. Swenson said DEQ inspected the project last week and there were "no problems." The Klamath County Medical Association has also asked Gov. Bob Straub to consider delaying the project until further stud¼' is done on disposal of the wastes. It has recommended incineration as a possible method of disposal. Dr. Glenn Miller, president of the medical association, said the association may ask the Oregon State Medical Association to adopt its stand on the issue. Gigler Battling Chemical Burial Andrew Gigler hasn 't given decision. It hasn't. reference to their possible up. "It's a half-burial," Gigler . storage in fatty tissues of the The decision has been made said. "With the barrels human body. by the Department of En mounded above the lake bed's Gigler claimed later, "They vironmental Quality (DEQ) to surface, and a little crushed are cumulative. Thus they bury 25,000 barrels of rock added - is there much affect not only present pop chemical wastes at Alkali difference now and the way ulations but future Lake in Lake County. they will be? And the state is generations," Gigler said. The barrels have been $84,200 poorer." He said today he is not con- standing on pallets at the lake Gigler noted that Lake vinced of Bromfeld's since 1969. County residents at the assurances, because a com Gigler, a Klamath Falls meeting showed doubt about plete inventory and proper businessman, has mounted a the new-type burial, especial- barrel labeling are lacking. crusade of several years ly from cloudburst and fierce Some Alkali Lake area against the barrels. He has wind . residents complained of the made several trips to the Wants To Act disposal site's "odor" - and a state's remote chemical dis The DEQ representatives, man who said he was a pilot posal site in the northeast cor with Ernest A. Schmidt, ad- declared "flying over it (the ner of Lake County. ministrator of the Solid Waste lake) at 3,000 feet - it gives The DEQ revealed Friday it Division, acting as chief me the smarts." was allowing Chem-Nuclear spokesman, indicated his Schmidt sympathized Systems Inc., Portland, to department "after five years regarding the situation, bury the barrels, the entomb of being involved" with the stating, "Portland is my ing arrangements a bit barrels, wanted to act. home. Still, my job relates to altered from those originally ''The shallow-trench this area" - which prompted announced . The firm has a approach is new," Schmidt Gigler to declare: $84,200 contract to do the job. acknowledged. "We want to "How would you like this The decision followed a make the situation better than stuff dumped in your back public meeting in Lakeview it has been." yard? We need some coopera- Thursday night. Despite the previously an- lion down here." "It's just another step in the nounced contract award to The Environmental Protec state's "out-of-sight, out-of. Che m-N uc I ear Systems, lion Agency was represented mind ' policy it has always Schmidt said his department by Robert A. Poss, chief, pursued about the her has "not actually signed the Pesticides Branch, Seattle. bicides," Gigler declared. contract," and is only now "This is a situation that is in " Now they will try to hide " securing property and the hands of the state," Poss them under the desert sand so easements involved." said, later adding, "there is they will be out of sight once Law requires the disposal of nothing here to involve the and for all. " chemical wastes on state- EPA ." The altered burial plan now owned land. This was disputed by includes putting the barrels Fred Bromfeld, supervisor George Ward, Portland civil upright in three-foot trenches, of the department's Hazar- engineer and representative covering them with a three dous Waste Section, stressed of a Portland firm which foot mound of lake bed soil, the barrels contained only two offered an unsuccessful bid to 1 then topping the mound with a herbicides, 2,4-D and MCPA dispose of the chemical · six-inch layer of crushed rock. - both of which he described wastes through soil incor Previously the contractor as being "little different" - poration. was directed to crush the and that highly toxic 2,4,5-T "Federal guidelines have I barrels in three-foot trenches, was "never at the site, as been ignored," Ward said. "It then fill the trenches. provenbyrandomsample." (the federal government) The revised burial plan was provides a lot of money for disclosed at the Thursday Gigler said he asked if this type of problem." night meeting. Bromfeld had tested CouldPolluteLake? "The DEQ men said they specifically for 2,4,5-T, and Ward warned of danger of would await word from Lake that "the answer was "disturbing the soil'' by the County people," Gigler noted. negative." burial method proposed. He "The people present couldn't "Thus while the wastes can- also thought poisons from the seem to agree on how to take a not be considered innocuous, barrels '~can pollute the lake" straw vote. I got the idea the they certainly are not highly by movement laterally department would wait a few toxic," Bromfeld continued, through "porous layers." days until it heard from the adding, "these are not GiglerandafellowKlamath people before announcing a cumulative poisons," a Falls environmentalist, Lloyd lir------~Baker, who also spoke at the akeview meeting, advocate inc n ra harmful method of disposing of chemical wastes. The DEQ people agreed in cineration "ideally, it is best," but noted its high cost and the lack of a proper in cinerator in the Northwest. n. .. "' Aieo_ ••- -w•--- • ..., ....,._,\, 11 harmful method of disposing ~ of chemical wastes. 1 ~ The DEQ people agreed in- · ~ cineration "ideally, it is ' ~ best," but noted its high cost 1 and the lack of a proper in cinerator in the Northwest. Schmidt promised the dis posal site will be fenced, regularly monitored and a berm raised around it. The " disadvantages" of the site were listed as its remoteness; the necessity for the monitoring; the liability of the state regarding the property and the wastes, and the breakdown (degradation) of the chemicals over a long period of time. Ogle called for a "yes" or "no" vote on the burial proposal. But no vote was taken because the people could not agree on how it should be worded. Gigler said today he hasn't decided what his next step will be in the matter. A.fi(ali·Lake Dispute Chemical Burial·OKd By BRIAN HOPKINS Bill Bartholomew, of the possibility that the chemicals H&NCorrespondent State Water Resources would get into usable gro~nd Department, explained the water. LAKEVIEW - The Depart water conditions at Alkali Bartholomew said the site ment of Environmental Quali Lake. He said it was his opi would be watched and if dirt ty (DEQ) plans to go ahead nion and that of his depart and rock blows away it will be with burial of 25 ,000 ment that the wastes would replaced. He added that in deteriorated barrels of hazar not infiltrate the ground stead of filtering down the dous waste at Alkali Lake, 60 water. materials would have a miles north of Lakeview. Walter Leehman, a cattle tendency to filter up and A meeting on the planned rancher in the area, said that probably be caught between burial of the herbicide wastes the wind in , the area would the dirt and rock covering. was held Thursday night at easily blow away the gravel He said the DEQ will main- Lakeview High School by cover and underlying dirt. He DEQ officials. It was attended also was concerned about the (Continued On Page 2) by more than 60 persons. Some Lake County residents &u._ had expressed fears about possibility of ground water be ing contaminated as a result CONSOLIDATE TH JAILS? of the burial of. 2,4-D and MCPA wastes in shallow trenches. Ernie Schmidt, ad it ministrator of DEQ's solid waste division, said the of rrels will be buried three to et deep and covered with a ' O yer of dirt plus six inches of ro frushed rock . m II l [t e g 0 V coun 11er per ;ween$ ,wer an unty an . ~YEE SHERIF ..Committee lo Elecl Tom Duryff Sheri terrace. * Alkali (Continued From Page 1l tain wells to monitor the site. There will also be periodic visits to the site by DEQ per sonnel. Fred Bromfeld. of the DEQ hazardous waste section. said if the waste had been buried eigt,• years ago. when the wastes were produced. "the problem probably would be behind us." The wastes have been stored at the site since thev were trucked there in 1969 through 1971. Several Lakeview residents were at the meeting to voice displeasure at materials be ing left at the site at all. Two opponents of the DEQ plant wanted the materials moved out of the area to a waste dis po sa I site operated at ' Arlington by Chem-Nuclear Systems. Inc .. which has a contract to bury the materials at Alkali Lake .. DF. 1J officials felt that proposal would be more hazardous in view of the deteriorated condition of the barrels. Also it would be ex tremely costly. they said. · Schmidt said that most of the barrels are leaking and some are only half-full. He said no date has been set for the burial. The steel drums containing the tar-like waste are contain ed on a 10-acre site on the dry Alkali Lake bed . Chem Nuclear was awarded a con tract to bury them for $84.200. Delay Sought In Bhriai"'0]°C},,;m,~~J;"·m• By LAYNE CREASON with the Department of En Borden reported that one I "I suspect we will ask him "If it is seriously toxic and water, "two elements H&N Staff Writer vironmental Quality (DEQ) in trench about 150 to 200 feet to seriously consider holding material and water goes down which we live with." Bend, visited the site earlier long had already been dug and p the burial until there has instead of up and evaporating, Dr. Miller said the associa The Klamath County this week and said one of partially filled with drums. een investigation," Dr. then water for a long ways tion has "come lately into the Medical Association is asking about 10 or 12 trenches in Work was moving ahead, he iller said. could be affected," he said. situation;" however, "sup Gov. Bob Straub to consider which the barrels are to be said. He estimated that a Of concern are the possible He said a determination posedly we have agencies holding up burial of 25,000 buried had been dug. trench would be completed oxic effects the chemical should be made of just exactly looking out for our welfare." drums of hazardous chemical every two days by the way wastes could have on water in what chemical wastes are He said the association is wastes at remote Alkali Lake Dr. Glenn Miller, president work had proceeded thus far. the area, Dr. Miller said. If contained in the barrels. not satisfied with the way the in Lake County until further of the local medical Chem-Nuclear Systems the wastes will "break up" in Dr. Miller said if the drums DEQ has handled the disposal study is done on the disposal association, said members of Inc., Portland, is burying the the soil the association has no just contain organic her problem. foject. the association met this week wastes said to be 2,4-D and cbjection, he said. bicides and pesticides then a The barrels of wastes have However, it was learned and expressed concern about MCP A residues under con Miller said the association "much more realistic way" of been stored on the Alkali Lake Thursday that burial of the the chemical wastes in the tract with the state. lso has contacted Rep. Gary disposing of them would be by site for about seven years. wastes has already begun on drums and the method chosen Dr. Miller said a letter was ilhelms, R-Klamath Falls, incineration. They are leaking. It is es the dry lake bed 60 miles north by the DEQ to dispose of to be sent to the governor on nd Sen. Fred Heard, D He said the processes to do timated about half of the of Lakeview. John Borden, them. Thursday. lamath Falls, about the this are available, although it original 1.25 million gallons ituation. He said the associa would be more expensive than has leaked out. ion has received information the current disposal method. which "shows a real cause for However, it would decompose concern." wastes into carbon dioxide Indications are that the Alkali Lake area may not be a • "dead basin" from which water cannot escape. Dr. Miller said there are concerns that wastes could indeed reach ground water because of geologic conditions in the \ area. Alkali Lake chem-waste hearing The Oregon Department of Environ be a public hearing in which interested Democratic Central Committee, that mental Quality will hold a meeting at persons can offer oral or written no action will be taken to bury the the Lakeview High School library at testimony about the dump and its materials until after the hearing, and 7:30 tonight (Thursday, October 28) problems. final decisions about the project will be regarding the disposal of chemical The hearing was scheduled last week made after tonight's hearing. wastes that are stored at Alkali Lake. after the Lake County Democratic The chemical waste dump was A part of the meeting will be Central Committee adopted a resolu started in 1968, and through 1971 many informative, in which DEQ staff per tion petitioning the DEQ to hold such a thousands of tons of waste materials, sonnel will give a history of the dump hearing before proceeding with plans mostly from the manufacture of herbi and a discussion of recent plans for for burying the waste materials and the cides, was stored there. The purpose disposal of some 25 ,000 drums of drums at the site. The DEQ has told was to hold the materials until a chemical wastes. The other part will James W. Ogle, chairman of the suitable disposal method was arrived s1.ated here tonight mentalists statewide. at or until new technology found ways Officials who will be present at to ' refine them into useable products. tonight's meeting will be Fred Brom Hauling materials to the dump was field, supervisor of the hazardous waste stopped in 1971. Recently DEQ took division, DEQ ; Bill Bartholomew, head bids and let a contract to Chem Nuclear of the ground water department, wat~r to dispose of them by burial at the site. resources division, DEQ; Ernie The bid was $82,400 and this amount Schmidt, executive assistant to Bud was approved by the state emergency Kramer, director of DE~; and a board. representative of the Environmental Since that time, however, a furor has Protection Agency, federal counterpart developed over the burial plan, an:iong . to the state DEQ, from Seattle. local ranchers in the area and environ- A r J.\.. -...... _ - r~e 6 LAKE COUNTY EXAMINER, Lakeview, Oregon, Thursday, October 21 , 1976 "Apathy" story on n-waste BY LESLIE SHAW some 25,000 barrels and their toxic Ward continued : "Anywhere else in Last week's story about the Alkali contents at the site. the state, it would be absolutely illegal Lake chemical dump said Lake County The story, at least triggered response (under rules of the same DEQ) to people are apathetic about the prob to the contrary. Local people do oppose construct even a single septic tank lem ; that only people in Klamath Falls, the burying plan. drain field so close to a known Salem and Portland are interested in The first to call me was Walt ground-water reserve, regardless of blocking the Department of Environ Leehmann whose ranch operation ex the quality of water involved. To mental Quality project to bury the tends to the Alkali Lake country. Far deliberately cause the release of so from not caring, he is horrified that the large a quanity of known hazardous DEQ would consider burying the waste liquids at less than three feet above the chemicals left over from the manufac known water table is sure to bring a ture of herbicides, paint and other storm of protest from many Oregonians products, where it will contaminate the and quite likely may result in unfavor basin's underground water. And he able national attentjon to Oregon's knows there is underground water for highly respected environmental image. there are springs nearby. "I (have searched) for an acceptable "When that desert ground is disturb answer that would be in keeping with ed," he said, "it will blow, won't stay the original intent of the Legislature in place." And Leehmann believes the and one that is in keeping with the buried toxicants, when uncovered by safer, soil-incorporation plan orginally the desert winds, will blow over the specified by Mr. Pat Wicks in his 7-10-73 countryside even as they penetrate into report to the DEQ. It may be that I the ground and pollute the basin's have found one worth consideration. water. "I appealed to Mr. Howard Hunt on Leehmann and other ranchers joined behalf of the Land Use Research last spring in writing a letter of protest Institute and received his verbal pledge regarding plans to bury the chemical to permit us to use his land free of wastes. He has talked also to the charge so long as it is used only for the county commissioners and they oppose purpose of solving the problem as burying the materials; they would originally intended by the Oregon prefer, and Leehmann would prefer, Legislature. This means soil-incorpor that' the dump remain as it is. At least, ation in controlled doses in bacteriolog above ground, said Leehmann, the ically active soils only, and absolutely materials are dripping slowly to the prohibits us to engage in any form of ground as the barrels deteriorate, and trench burial or any other form of many of the wastes are solidifying. As disposal that has not first been author they solidify, even the potent fumes are ized in writing by the appropriate less detectable in the area. But to agency of the federal government." dump the whole mess ...an estimated At Klamath Falls, well-known area 600,000 gallons of waste chemicals and environmentalist Andy Gigler also the barrels themselves .. .into a hole, he forwarded a written plea to Gov . Straub declares, would certainly speed the to intervene and halt the state's burial water pollution in the Alkali basin. project. Gigler sent the governor a Last week, I talked also with the news release in which he stressed his three county commissioners, and they pasition against "the carpi_.,_ h,.,.,u:"~ sopuedxa OLXtl uo 8U!lUeu!J Jeai 81 triggers Lake County reaction How did it all come about? By 1971, about 25,000 drums were chemicals are solidifying, many of the In 1968, Howard Hunt of Chemical stored at the site. Oregon State barrels are not full. Was.te Storage and Disposition, Inc. University scientists got a federal The DEQ condemned the ten-acre (Chem-Waste) bought 5600 acres of grant to test the degradation theories, storage site and took possession, and private land at Alkali Lake and, with a and this did prove feasible. It was since has been trying to find a means of Department of Agriculture storage estimated at that time that from 500 to disposing of it. Bidders were required permit, began storing waste chemicals 750 acres would be needed to degrade to <>Utline the disposal plan, and the from herbicide, paint and other manu the waste materials, according to a 1972 plan and bid of Chem-Nuclear was facturing firms. The purpose was report by the DEQ. A 1971 law had accepted. In this plan, the barrels two-fold: - One, to hold the waste transferred supervision of chemical would be crushed in a three-foot-deep materials until possible development of waste storage and disposal from the pit, to be covered wi~h dirt and rock, technology for their refinement into Department of Agriculture to the DEQ. and monitoring wells to be placed usable products; or, two, to determine In 1971, Chem-Waste was ordered to around the area. The bid was for whether the toxicity of the chemicals stop transporting the waste materials $84,200. The DEQ then went to the; might be erased (biodegraded) by to the Alkali site. Observers have State Emergency board, which ap- ; incorporating them with the soil...a reported that many of the barrels are proved funds for the contract, and these l degradation of the chemical elements decomposing due to weather, the waste facts have brought the Alkali Lake ! through action of the sun and soil is leaking to the ground, some barrel chemical dump question very much ' bacteria. heads have come apart, some of the alive.
solutions to disposal problems concern- feasible to move the 25,000-plus barrels ing toxic chemical wastes. to another disposal site, the several Ward told the governor that contam- precautions were suggested:- ination of the underground water First, the chemical wastes should be supply has already started, for he found buried at a minimum depth, retaining seven-foot deep fissures inside the sufficient impervious material below 10-acre storage plot, into which water the burial depth to prevent contamina- had descended, carrying with it the tion of the Alkali Basin waters; chemical wastes that have leaked from Second, current tests should be made the barrels onto the ground since on adjacent wells and water sources storage was begun there in 1969.