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NORTHERN INDIANA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY
COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN
Former Manufactured Gas Plant Hohman Avenue at Wilcox Street Hammond, Indiana February 2006
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Northern Indiana Public Service Company COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN Former Manufactured Gas Plant Site Hohman Avenue at Wilcox Street Hammond, Indiana February 2006
1. Overview of the Community Relations Plan
The community relations plan outlines the Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) strategy for informing the public about an environmental remediation project at a former manufactured gas plant site west of Hohman Avenue on the south bank of the Grand Calumet River. The goal of the project is to restore the site to a condition that is protective of health and the environment and available for productive use, in accordance with the provisions of the Indiana Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP). The project has been assigned VRP project #6980801, and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) project manager is Richard Harris (317-234-0966, e-mail: [email protected].)
The community relations program for this site will involve complete and timely communication with government officials, neighboring residents and other interested individuals and organizations. The program is designed to assure individuals there is no immediate threat to their health, explain the results of past studies, solicit and provide responses to concerns and opinions about the site and NIPSCO’s remediation plans.
The community relations plan is based on interviews with City of Hammond and state and federal officials, representatives of civic and environmental organizations and NIPSCO staff. Information about the site’s history was obtained from the VRP Remediation Work Plan, 1999. The community relations plan will be revised as additional information becomes available.
2. Site Description
Gas for Industrial, commercial and residential use was produced from coal at the site from approximately 1901 to 1924. Between 1924 and 1955, the site was used to store and distribute gas produced at offsite locations. The site is vacant at the present time, with only the foundations of some of the gas operations structures remaining. The site is located in the northwest portion of Hammond’s business district, west of Hohman Avenue and north of Wilcox Street. The Grand Calumet River borders the site on the north. Area land use is primarily commercial, although there is senior citizens’ housing across Hohman Avenue.
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3. Environmental Investigations and Remediation Plans
NIPSCO contracted with independent engineering firms to conduct a series of environmental investigations at the site to evaluate impacts from manufactured gas production residues. Past investigations include the following:
• Phase I Site Investigation in 1997
• Upland Pre-design Field Investigations in 1998 and 2004
• River Sediment Investigation and Supplemental River Sediment Investigation in 1999
• River Sediment Pre-design Investigations in 2000, 2001 and 2002
A typical gas manufacturing byproduct is coal tar, which under certain conditions could present a potential risk to health or the environment. The listed investigations identified impacts to surface and subsurface soil, groundwater, and river sediment from gas manufacturing residues.
In 2006, NIPSCO expects to implement an upland remediation plan for the site, following the provisions of the Indiana Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP).
4. Community Background
A. Community Profile
Hammond, Indiana, population 83,048 in 2000, is located in the northwest corner of Indiana, in the Calumet region, which has a long industrial history and has been a major contributor to the state’s economy.
Hammond’s elected city officials include a mayor and nine council members, three of whom are elected at-large. City government also includes a board of public works and safety and an environmental management department.
City water is drawn from Lake Michigan. NIPSCO supplies electric and gas service to Hammond.
Local media covering Hammond include The Northwest Indiana Times (the Times) and Hammond radio station - WJOB-AM. Public notices specified in IDEM’s VRP Community Relations Plan guidance will be published in the Times. The address is 601 W. 45th Ave., Munster, IN 46321, and the telephone is 219/933-3200.
According to those interviewed thus far, the Hammond community has a goal of managing impacts from historic industrial activity in order to restore the quality of its land and waters. A variety of partnerships consisting of multiple levels of government, individual citizens and civic and environmental organizations have been working to reach this goal in recent decades. Due to
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Based on comments received from city officials during a meeting in 2002, there have been strong community concerns about odors generated by a composting facility located in Hammond. Those officials anticipate similar reactions from the community during implementation of the remedial action.
B. Chronology of Community Involvement
Staff members from NIPSCO's Environmental, Health & Safety and Public Affairs Departments have maintained active relationships for the past several years with community leaders regarding activities at the former gas plant site.
Presentations and discussions regarding prospective remedies and potential future uses of the site have been held with numerous municipal and community organizations, including the City of Hammond Mayor's Office, the Hammond Department of Environmental Management, and the Area of Concern’s Citizen's Advisory Committee for Remediation of the Environment (CARE).
C. Community Concerns
The following potential concerns may need to be addressed during the course of the remediation:
• The potential for air emissions from on-site activities during the project. If workers encounter buried coal tar, observers may regard the odors associated with coal tar as a nuisance or may become concerned about the potential for fumes to drift from the area under going remediation.
• Trucking waste material from the site to a disposal facility.
It is NIPSCO’s experience that these concerns and others that may be identified can be addressed through an ongoing public communications effort before and during remediation. An effective emissions monitoring and control program will be implemented to minimize the air quality concerns.
5. The Community Relations Program
The community relations program for this site will involve complete and timely communication with government officials, neighboring residents and other interested individuals and organizations. The program will monitor possible concerns and provide responses as needed. NIPSCO will carry out its community relations program in a manner compatible with the Voluntary Remediation Program community relations guidance throughout the remedial action phase of the project.
The community relations program will:
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• Identify through personal and telephone interviews the officials, community leaders, nearby property owners and occupants, sensitive institutions within two miles and other area residents and organizations that may have an interest in the remedial project. Media organizations will also be identified, including the newspaper in which IDEM will publish a public comment period announcement.
• Provide copies of investigation reports, communication documents and the Upland Remediation Work Plan and Upland Remediation Work Plan Addendum for IDEM to place in the information repository to be created in the Hammond Public Library, 564 State Street, telephone 219/931-5300, which is the closest public library to the site.
• Maintain a public notice list to distribute fact sheets and status reports to the community. The public notice list will be provided to IDEM for its use as specified in the IDEM VRP Community Relations Plan guidance. The list in Attachment A includes nearby property owners and occupants, known or registered neighborhood organizations serving the site area, sensitive community institutions within a two-mile area, and affected government units with jurisdiction within one mile of the property as required by IDEM VRP Community Relations Plan guidance. Other interested individuals and organizations are included as well, and the list is likely to be updated as public dialogue continues.
• Issue a fact sheet and cover letter that explains the upcoming remedial work, describes how citizens may comment on the Remediation Work Plan and directs interested citizens to the information repository at the library. Attachment B is a copy of the fact sheet that includes the information required by the IDEM VRP Community Relations Plan guidance. NIPSCO will mail a copy of the fact sheet to the lists of contacts provided in Attachment A before the pubic comment period for the Upland Remediation Work Plan begins.
• Issue additional fact sheets or letters to the public notice list during the upland remediation work as needed to keep interested parties informed of the project’s status.
• Provide opportunities to interested persons for a personal response to their concerns and opinions. All communications issued by NIPSCO will include company staff contact information. Company staff will make presentations to community organizations and host informal meetings as the level of community interest indicates.
• Develop with the City of Hammond Department of Environmental Management a working relationship during the upland remediation so that it is able to respond to community inquiries. NIPSCO will share with the city air monitoring data and all fact sheets and similar public communications that it issues.
• To ensure that inquiries are handled in a timely and consistent manner, a NIPSCO contact person has been designated to receive comments and requests for information from
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individuals in the community. The information below for the NIPSCO contact and the IDEM project manager will be included in informational materials distributed to the public.
Michael Suggs Public Affairs NIPSCO 1460 E. 15th Avenue Gary, IN 46402 219/886-5655 e-mail: msuggs@nisource.com
Richard Harris Section Chief – Voluntary Remediation Program Section Indiana Dept. of Environmental Management 100 N. Senate Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46206 317/234-0966 e-mail: [email protected]
• Distribute news releases to area media. Tom Cuddy, NIPSCO Media Relations, 219/647- 6556, [email protected], will handle inquiries from the media.
• NIPSCO believes the extensive communication activities described above are effective approaches for notifying the community of the planned remediation. It has selected these alternatives rather than erecting a sign at the site, as allowed in the VRP community relations guidance. A fence will be maintained around the entire site for the foreseeable future that will keep the public from accessing the site.
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Attachment A PUBLIC NOTICE LIST February 2006
1. Federal Elected Officials Sen. Frank Mrvan 1st District Rep. Pete Visclosky Indiana Senate U.S. House of Representatives 6732 Maryland Avenue 701 E. 83rd AV, Suite 9 Hammond, IN 46323 Merrillville, IN 46410
4. State Agencies 2. Federal Agencies Malini Goel Rick Nagle Director, Northwest Indiana Regional Office Great Lakes National Program Office Indiana Dept. of Environmental U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Management 77 W. Jackson BLVD 8315 Virginia ST., Suite 1 Chicago, IL 60604-3507 Merrillville, IN 46410
Kirston Buczak Richard Harris Chicago District Chief, Voluntary Remediation Program U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Indiana Dept. of Environmental 111 N. Canal ST, Suite 600 Management Chicago, IL 60606 IGC-North, 100 N. Senate Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46206 Dan Sparks U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alex daSilva 620 S. Walker Street Indiana Dept. of Environmental Bloomington, IN 47403 Management 8315 Virginia ST., Suite 1 Mike Mikulka Merrillville, IN 46410 U.S. EPA Region V 77 W. Jackson Street Steve West Chicago, IL 60604 Office of Land Quality Indiana Dept. of Environmental 3 State Elected Officials Management ICG-North, 100 N. Senate Avenue Rep. Linda Lawson Indianapolis, IN 46206 1st District Indiana House of Representatives Jim Smith 200 W. Washington ST Office of Land Quality Indianapolis, IN 46204 Indiana Dept. of Environmental Management ICG-North, 100 N. Senate Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46206
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4. Local Officials and Agencies Daniel C. Repay Thomas McDermott Jr. Councilman 5th District Mayor City of Hammond City of Hammond 5925 Calumet Avenue 5925 Calumet Avenue, Room 207 Hammond, IN 46323 Hammond, IN 46323
Robert Markovich Homero “Chico” Hinojosa Councilman at Large Councilman 6th District City of Hammond City of Hammond 5925 Calumet Avenue, Room 207 5925 Calumet Avenue, Room 207 Hammond, IN 46323 Hammond, IN 46323
JoAnn Matonovich Marty Wielgos Councilman at Large Chief of Staff City of Hammond City of Hammond 5925 Calumet Avenue, Room 207 5925 Calumet Avenue, Room 207 Hammond, IN 46323 Hammond, IN 46323
Kathleen Pukalik Ronald Novak Councilman at Large Director, Environmental Management City of Hammond City of Hammond 5925 Calumet Avenue, Room 207 5925 Calumet Avenue, 3rd FL Hammond, IN 46323 Hammond, IN 46323
Mark Kalwinski Patrick Moore Sr. Councilman 1st District Administrator City of Hammond Hammond Parks and Recreation 5925 Calumet Avenue, Room 207 5825 Sohl AV Hammond, IN 46323 Hammond, IN 46320
Alfonso L. Salinas Helene C. Uhlman Councilman 2nd District Administrator City of Hammond Hammond Health Department 5925 Calumet Avenue, Room 207 649 Conkey ST Hammond, IN 46323 Hammond, IN 46324
Anthony W. Higgs Thomas Adams Councilman 3rd District Director, Environmental Health Division City of Hammond Hammond Health Department 5925 Calumet Avenue, Room 207 649 Conkey ST Hammond, IN 46323 Hammond, IN 46324
Cynthia Berdine-Matasovsky Councilman 4th District City of Hammond 5925 Calumet Avenue, Room 207 Hammond, IN 46323 Hammond MGP CRP 8 REV. 0
Margaret Evans Director Hammond Public Library 564 State ST Hammond, IN 46320
Civic Organizations
Kathy Marks Hammond Parks Foundation, Inc 250 Ogden AV Hammond, IN 46320
Melissa Ferral Pulaski Park Association Hammond, IN
Paul Labus Southern Lake Mich. Rim Project Office The Nature Conservancy 2400 New York AV, Room 269 Whiting, IN 46394
Media
The Times 601 W. 45th Ave Munster, IN 46321
News Director WJOB-AM 6405 Olcott ST Hammond, IN 46320
Private Citizens
John Beckman Hammond, IN
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Attachment B NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD [to come]