Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund Site - - PDF document

Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund Site Briefing Book

Georgia-Pacific LLC Kalamazoo and Allegan Counties, Michigan February 2011

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Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund Site Fast Facts

• The Kalamazoo River was added to the National Priorities List

(the formal designation for the Superfund program) in 1990. The Site and associated investigation areas span nearly 80 miles of river in urban, rural, forested, agricultural, and marshland areas. Investigations of the Site since 1993 by have resulted in an extensive, robust, Site-specific database: Sediment: 3,000+ sediment cores, 7,100+ sediment samples Exposed Sediment: 1,400 samples Floodplain Soils: 1,270 samples Surface Water: 900+ samples Biota: 2,300+ samples USEPA, the State of Michigan, and companies involved in the work There are fish consumption advisories in place cautioning the public to avoid or restrict consumption of Kalamazoo River/Portage Creek fish; however, according to the Michigan Department of Public Health, “recreational activities and water sports on the river are safe to enjoy.” In the February 2007 Supplemental Remedial Investigation/ Feasibility Study Administrative Order on Consent (SRI/FS AOC), the river portion of the Site was divided into the seven Areas shown on the map. Each Area is bounded by a dam, and future work will proceed on an Area-specific basis. Field work in Area 1 began in September 2007. Work on the Time-Critical Removal Action (the formal name for the cleanup project) in the former Plainwell Impoundment began in 2007; restoration efforts finished in June 2009; a second removal action/cleanup project in the Plainwell No. 2 Dam Area began in August 2009 and was completed in October 2010.

• LAKE MICHIGAN

Morrow Lake Lake Allegan

PLAINWELL OTSEGO ALLEGAN SAUGATUCK DOUGLAS 12th St. Landfill Operable Unit Allied Paper, Inc. Operable Unit King Highway Landfill Operable Unit Willow Boulevard/ A-Site Operable Unit

Portage Creek

KALAMAZOO

Trowbridge Dam Otsego Dam Plainwell Dam Otsego City Dam Allegan City Dam Lake Allegan Dam Morrow Dam

Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6 Area 7

Plainwell No. 2 Dam Area

Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6 Area 7 : Morrow Dam to Plainwell Dam; lower 2 miles of Portage Creek : Plainwell Dam to Otsego City Dam : Otsego City Dam to Otsego Dam : Otsego Dam to Trowbridge Dam : Trowbridge Dam to Allegan City Dam : Allegan City Dam to Lake Allegan Dam : Lake Allegan Dam to Lake Michigan

Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund Site Overview of the River Study Areas

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River Reach/ Area Length (miles) Slope (ft/mile) Average Water Depth (ft) Average River Width (ft) Area (acres) Area 1 Morrow Dam to Plainwell Dam 21.9 2.7 3.4 181 487 Area 1 Portage Creek 2.0 1.9 2.3 32 8 Area 2 Plainwell to Otsego City Dam 1.7 0.88 2.5 450 96 Area 3 Otsego City to Otsego Dam 3.4 4.3 3.8 200 83 Area 4 Otsego to Trowbridge Dam 4.7 1.5 5.0 248 131 Area 5 Trowbridge to Allegan City Dam 9.1 2.1 4.3 292 317 Area 6 Lake Allegan 9.8 1.2 6.7 1,500 1,650 Area 7 Allegan Dam to Lake Michigan 26 0.68 5.5 212 670

The Kalamazoo River has long been influenced by the presence and operation of its

• dams. There are seven dams between Morrow Dam and Lake Michigan. Only one –

Lake Allegan Dam – is still an operational hydroelectric dam. The other six are no longer used to produce power. The dams provide useful geographic boundaries within the river portion of the Site (see table below and map on page 1). Lake Allegan Dam and the dams that created the former Plainwell, Otsego, and Trowbridge impoundments have been particularly important in the consideration of fate and transport of PCBs at the Site. The extensive database compiled since 1993 shows continuing and consistently declining PCB concentrations in fish, sediment, and surface water. availability of PCBs in the Kalamazoo River system. While the erosion of the river banks in certain formerly impounded areas of the Site is the largest ongoing source of PCBs to the river, an extensive series of response actions throughout the Site (summarized

• n page 4) has greatly reduced or eliminated the contribution of PCBs

from a number of the former landfills associated with the historical operation of the paper mills along the river (the Operable Units of the Site) and other locations. The cleanup projects in the former Plainwell Impoundment, the Plainwell No. 2 Dam Area, and future actions, in conjunction with

• ngoing natural processes will continue to

reduce the presence and

The waterfront in Allegan owes its character to the presence and maintenance of the Allegan City Dam (the downstream boundary of Area 5). The Otsego City Dam – a retired hydroelectric dam – marks the boundary between Areas 2 and 3

• f the river.

Land use varies along the Kalamazoo River.

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Views of the Lower River

The lower 26 miles of the Kalamazoo River (Area 7 of the Site), which runs from Lake Allegan to Lake Michigan, is filled with expansive, high-quality habitats and is home to nesting pairs of bald

• eagles. Several marinas are located in

and near Kalamazoo Lake (seen below, left), and the recreational boating industry is a significant component of the local economy – particularly in Saugatuck and Douglas.

Lake Michigan Kalamazoo Lake

Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund Site Former Trowbridge Impoundment, Lake Allegan, and the Lower River

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Lake Allegan

Former Trowbridge Impoundment & Lake Allegan

Area 4 of the Site is the nearly 5-mile stretch of river called the former Trowbridge Impoundment – its downstream boundary is the Trowbridge Dam, shown at the left, one of the former hydroelectric dams on the river. Further downstream is Lake Allegan (shown below, left), which covers nearly 1,600 acres, making it the largest surface water feature on the Kalamazoo River. The Lake Allegan Dam (shown below, right), which marks the downstream boundary of Area 6, is a functioning hydroelectric dam that was relicensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in 2010.

Lake Allegan

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Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund Site Cleanup Progress Across the Site

Extensive cleanup work has already taken place across the Site, particularly at the locations that were used as for paper-making residuals and wastes and at the . In addition, as a result of a second Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent between the USEPA, Georgia-Pacific, and Millennium Holdings signed on February 21, 2007, a (TCRA) was . Georgia-Pacific has moved ahead with more cleanup work, signing two additional agreements with USEPA – one to perform a in the and another to complete the

• f the

. Work in the Plainwell No. 2 Dam Area began in August 2009 and was completed in October 2010. Work on the disposal sites former paper mills Time-Critical Removal Action conducted in the former Plainwell Impoundment between April 2007 and June 2009 follow-up TCRA Plainwell No. 2 Dam Area final cleanup Willow Boulevard/A-Site Operable Unit Willow Boulevard/ A-Site project will begin in spring 2011.

LAKE MICHIGAN

Morrow Lake Lake Allegan

PLAINWELL OTSEGO ALLEGAN SAUGATUCK DOUGLAS

12th St. Landfill Operable Unit Allied Paper, Inc. Operable Unit King Highway Landfill Operable Unit Willow Boulevard/ A-Site Operable Unit

Portage Creek

KALAMAZOO

Trowbridge Dam Otsego Dam Plainwell Dam Otsego City Dam Allegan City Dam Lake Allegan Dam Morrow Dam Plainwell No. 2 Dam Area

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Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund Site Former Plainwell Impoundment Time-Critical Removal Action

May 2007: the start of the project, the western channel was blocked by a berm, and the river flowed over the Plainwell Dam Before October 2007: the first year of the project (2007), the river continued to flow

• ver the dam while the berm was removed

and the water control structure was constructed During August 2008: the second year of the project (2008), the river flowed over the water control structure while sediments behind the dam were removed During May 2009: construction was complete, the water control structure was removed and the river began to flow freely through the restored western channel After

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

• Site preparations began in

; replanting was complete in

• f bank soils and

sediments excavated and disposed

• f in commercial landfills
• f PCBs removed

from the system

• f river bank habitat restored
• f river between Plainwell No. 2

and Otsego City Dams returned to free-flowing condition used in revegetation along the river April 2007 June 2009 130,000 cubic yards 5,000 pounds 3 miles 5 miles 2,000+ trees and shrubs and 30+ native plant species

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Excavation areas were replanted with native grasses, flowers, and shrubs.

Recent progress began with success in . The two-year cleanup project addressed the first in a series of old State-owned dams that once created depositional areas for river sediments. These dams at Plainwell, Otsego, and Trowbridge were originally built to generate hydroelectric power, but since being decommissioned decades ago – the remaining structures pose potential safety risks and limit recreation on the river. have deteriorated significantly Plainwell

Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund Site Plainwell No. 2 Dam Area Time-Critical Removal Action

18,500 cubic yards 210 pounds 11 acres 3,100 trees and shrubs

• The

is a series of low-head diversion dam structures constructed to divert a portion

• f the river flow to the mill race

am structures are owned by State of Michigan and City of Plainwell The mill race and the main channel of the river encircle part of Plainwell, giving the “ ” its nickname The project area stretched along Work started in ; the project was complete by Plainwell No. 2 Dam Island City 1.9 miles of riverbank August 2009 October 2010 The d When in operation, the dam created an area of increased flooding that led to historical PCB accumulation, but to much lesser degree than in the former Plainwell Impoundment More than

• f floodplain soil and

sediment were removed and disposed in commercial landfills (all non-TSCA), and more than

• f PCBs were removed from the system
• f river bank habitat were restored with

more than

• Removal work along the banks of

Island 2 in June 2010 Excavating in the Oxbow Area in September 2010 Page 6

2009 REMOVAL AREA 2010 REMOVAL AREA

PLAINWELL NO. 2 DAM PROJECT AREA The temporary floating bridge to Island 2 in June 2010 Building a new canoe portage in the Plainwell No. 2 Dam Area in 2009 View of removal work on Island 2 from the temporary bridge in June 2010 An off-road truck crossing the temporary floating bridge to Island 2 in June 2010 Installing coir logs to provide temporary protection along the restored river banks in October 2009

OXBOW AREA

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Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund Site Capping the Willow Boulevard/A-Site Landfill Operable Unit

• In September 2009,

Georgia-Pacific finalized an agreement with USEPA to design and build permanent caps over both the Willow Boulevard and A- Site Landfills. Currently, there are temporary soil caps in place. Design work is nearing completion, and construction is expected to begin later this year. The project will take two construction seasons (2011 and 2012) to complete. The primary components of the final remedy for the Willow Boulevard/A-Site Landfill Operable Unit include: Pull back material along river Consolidate soil/sediment from adjacent areas into landfills Design and install permanent landfill caps, and groundwater and landfill gas monitoring systems Build storm water and river erosion control measures Georgia-Pacific will also restore wetlands, woodlands, and shoreline habitat in designated areas (see an artist’s rendering

• f post-construction conditions at left) and plant a natural screen
• f trees (the forested upland habitat) along the southern

boundary of the landfills by the Lakewood neighborhood.

• Cut off sheet pile wall currently in place along A-Site to

below the normal water level

Willow Boulevard Landfill A-Site Landfill Kalamazoo River

F

• r

m e r O l m s t e a d C r e e k D a v i s C r e e k Lakewood Neighborhood

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Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund Site Continuing Downstream: Otsego City and Otsego Impoundments

• The Otsego City and Otsego

Impoundments are potentially the next downstream areas that will be addressed. Land use in these two areas ranges from the urbanized/industrialized section in the City of Otsego to the rural, open stretch downstream near the Otsego Dam.

Otsego City Dam, looking upstream Braided section of the Otsego City Impoundment Otsego Dam and Impoundment, looking upstream Otsego City Dam, looking upstream Otsego Dam Otsego Dam A portion of the City of Otsego

PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL PREPARED AT THE REQUEST OF COUNSEL

Past, Current, and Future Cleanup Areas

NEXT STEPS FOR THE RIVER: Georgia-Pacific envisions continuing removal actions in downstream areas, moving to the Otsego City and former moving to the Otsego City and former Otsego Impoundments.

Th Alli d P I /P t The Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund Site Study Area is located in southwest Michigan and includes the lower 3 miles of Portage Creek 75 miles of the

1

Portage Creek, 75 miles of the Kalamazoo River between Morrow Lake and Lake Michigan.

PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL PREPARED AT THE REQUEST OF COUNSEL

What does this mean for Michigan in the next several years? in the next several years?

Project Area Direct Expenditures in Michigan for Science & Engineering Work Direct Expenditures in Michigan for Construction Number of Michigan Jobs Sustained Otsego City Impoundment $1.4 million $36 million Science & Engineering: 10-20 Construction: 60-80 Former Otsego Science & Engineering: 10 20 Former Otsego Impoundment $1.4 million $44 million Science & Engineering: 10-20 Construction: 60-80 TOTALS $2.8 million $80 million 140-200

Total Expenditures Next 6 to 8 Years: $80 to $90 M

* In addition to the direct expenditures these projects also draw visitors to the Kalamazoo River during the construction

Total Expenditures Next 6 to 8 Years: $80 to $90 M 140-200 jobs sustained

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In addition to the direct expenditures, these projects also draw visitors to the Kalamazoo River during the construction phase in particular, and generate revenue associated with hotel stays and restaurant visits. This added benefit can be significant – over the two years of construction for the cleanup work in the former Plainwell Impoundment, more than 400 people visited the project site.

PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL PREPARED AT THE REQUEST OF COUNSEL

Cleanup Areas

NEXT STEPS FOR THE RIVER: Georgia-Pacific envisions continuing removal actions, beginning in the Plainwell No. 2 Dam Area then moving downstream to the Otsego City and former Otsego Impoundments. former Otsego Impoundments.

Th Alli d P I /P t The Allied Paper, Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund Site Study Area is located in southwest Michigan and includes the lower 3 miles of Portage Creek 75 miles of the

3

Portage Creek, 75 miles of the Kalamazoo River between Morrow Lake and Lake Michigan.