I was able to attend the most recent Coalition for a Clean CFAC on Sept. 18. My wife and I have been able to attend most of the Coalition meetings but also most of the public informational meetings that have been held within the past year in regard to the cleanup of the toxic residue of our residual aluminum plant site. We were not able to attend the most recent meeting of the Columbia Falls City Commission.
We are grateful for the patient explanations of alternatives by various parties. However, at a relatively early stage of discussions over the past year or so, the alternatives seemed to boil down to transporting toxic materials from the site to an Oregon site (either by truck or train) or containing the toxic materials on site (in a capped enclosure surrounded by a slurry wall).
We are convinced that transporting these materials away compounds certain problems and is not practical for a variety of technical reasons that have been adequately explained. But there does appear to be an on-site alternative to the slurry wall solution that has been employed at some other sites for longer than the slurry wall solution. While more expensive, this alternative has at least the possibility if not the likelihood of being a technological solution of greater and more assured permanence. That is worth continuing investigation.
It is clear that public interest is not waning in this compelling issue as there were 40 people in attendance in which Coalition leaders and technical advisor, Karmen King, presented their most recent researched information before encouraging community members to engage in focused conversation.
We are gratified that EPA has provided an independent liaison to our community regarding the decision making process EPA uses and how factors are or may be weighed as the decision moves forward. That person appears to be a keen listener, albeit not one who will engage in any way in a final decision. It has been in some ways a rather thankless and tiring task the Coalition has undertaken but citizens are taking note and are engaged as well as appreciative.
Larry D. Williams
Columbia Falls