The Torch LakeSuperfund Site

Houghton CountyMichigan

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What is Superfund?

• Superfund is a program at EPA that focuses on the cleanup of hazardous waste sites.

• National Priorities List• Community Involvement• Reuse9/9/2011 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2

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1. Site Assessment2. Listing3. Investigation4. Review Alternatives5. Decision6. Design7. Action8. Maintenance9. Deletion10.Reuse

Map of Site

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1 = Calumet 2 = Boston Pond3 = North Entry4 = Baltic/Atlantic Stamp Mills 5 = Adventure/Trimountain/Champion Stamp Mills 6 = Michigan Smelter7 = Quincy Smelter 8 = Isle Royale Sands9 = Dollar Bay10 = Gross Point/Point Mills11 = Mason Sands12 = Tamarack/Hubbell13 = Lake Linden

OU 1• Lake Linden• Hubbell/Tamarak• Mason Sands

OU 2• Surface Water• Ground Water • Sediment

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OU 3• Boston Pond• Calumet Lake• Isle Royale

Sands

• Michigan Smelter

• Point Mills • North Entry

• Quincy Smelter• Dollar Bay• Scales Creek

Site History• Over 100 years of copper mining, milling and smelting

activities were conducted in the area which resulted in deposition of millions of tons of stamp sands into Torch Lake.

• 200 million tons of stamp sand in Torch Lake• Contamination and Risk

– Copper from stamp sands– Risk to benthic community

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Torch Lake Site Time Line

1970’s: Environmental concern develops concerning century -long deposition of tailings

1983: Torch Basin designated as Great Lakes Area of Concern (AOC) by MDEQ; fish advisory set for Sauger & Walleye

1986: Listed on USEPA National Priorities List (NPL)

1988 - 1992: Remedial Investigation/ Feasibility Study (RI/FS)

1992: OUI and III Record of Decision (ROD) signed

1994: OUII ROD signed

1994 - 1998: NRCS Remedial Designs for OUI & III

1998: EPA and MDEQ obligate funding for Remedial Action

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Torch Lake Site Time Line

1999: RA begins – Lake Linden construction

2000: Hubbell/Tamarack construction

2001 - 02: Mason Construction

2002: Point Mills & Dollar Bay Construction / Lake Linden & OUII delisting from NPL

2003: Calumet Lake, Boston Pond & Michigan Smelter completed; Isle Royale Sands partially constructed, first FYR

2004: Isle Royale Sands Construction completed; Hubbell/Tamarack delisted from NPL

2005: North Entry & Scales Creek construction

2005-2008: Stabilization period

2008 - : Operation and Maintenance (O&M), second FYR

2009 - 2011: Quincy Smelter RD and RA

The Cleanup• OU 1 and OU 3

– Implement vegetative cover to prevent wind and wave erosion of stamp sands into the Lake

• OU 2– Monitor recovery over time– No drinking water wells screened in stamp sands

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Torch Lake & Superfund Process

• The project is active in many areas of Superfund– Remedial Action (Quincy Smelter)– Operation and Maintenance (All OUs)– Delisting from NPL

• Delisted: OU 2, Hub/tam, Lake Linden• Potential Delisting: MI Smelter, Isle Royale, Mason

Sands– Reuse (Quincy Smelter)

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Recent Activity:Quincy Smelter

• Historical Significance– a copper smelter that operated during the nineteenth and twenty century,

closed in 1971– one of the most intact examples of copper smelter sites in the world

• Implementation of Vegetative Cover– July 25 to August 25

• Reuse– Quincy Smelter Steering Committee– National Park Service – Stabilize buildings to preserve history

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Quincy Smelter

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Construction atQuincy Smelter

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•Quincy Smelter Reuse Plans

•National Parks Service

•EPA Land Revitalization

Five- Year Reviews (FYRs)

• When waste is left in place EPA must review the remedy every five years.

• Two FYRs Completed (2003 and 2008)• Next FYR will start in March 2012 • FYR will report on how the vegetative covers

are working and what additional benefits they provide to the environment.

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Monitoring the Covers

• Coverage, Erosion, Vegetation, plant and animal life

• Data collected by students will be used in the upcoming FYR

• EPA needs robust, accurate, and timely information for this report.

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If you want to know more…

• http://www.epa.gov/superfund/cleanup/index.htm• http://www.epa.gov/R5Super/npl/michigan/MID98090

1946.htm• http://www.epa.gov/region5/cleanup/torchlake/

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