Tonight’s Information Session (Evergreen note: refers to the August 27, 2020 Public Information Session) offers a strong basic primer on geology, groundwater and characterization of the contamination readings, and the presenters are very good at explaining things. Many engaged community members have already studied this material together, and with a variety of other subject matter experts, and are ready to move on to learning more about the key decisions being made now (or soon) about contamination management and clean up. Similarly, at the recent meeting held by SKEO and EPA, representatives were resistant to answering public questions beyond the scope of the TASC report. Limiting what information will be given to the public to arbitrarily defined packages does not support meaningful engagement or transparency as defined by the law. I agree with other suggestions that Evergreen and others focus future discussion on critical paths for decision making about management of risks to adjacent communities and the ecological future of the site. As this meeting approaches its end, will you commit to a part 2 of this meeting, soon, to discuss decision making?

DEP requested Evergreen to re-open the comment period for previously submitted Act 2 reports and provide a venue where the information contained in those reports would be presented to the public.  This was also echoed by the request from the City to begin and end the comment period with meetings about those previously submitted Act 2 reports.  Therefore, the Jan. 14, 2021 meeting included an open Q&A session to mark the end of the comment period for past characterization reports (where geology/hydrogeology, and characterization are the key elements).  Past comments from members of the community also requested that Evergreen provide more explanation about the content of the Remedial Investigation Reports.

Evergreen also agrees that future meetings should be utilized to discuss future activities at the site.  Forthcoming reports are planned for future Act 2 phases – contaminant fate and transport, human health and ecological risk assessments, and site cleanup – which will each have its own comment period and small group meetings to discuss these and other community-requested topics.

With that said, the proposed reporting cannot proceed without first having completed the additional public review process for the remedial investigations.