SierraScape March 2016 - August 2016
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by Caroline Pufalt
Conservation Chair
Eastern Missouri Group

In December the Eastern Missouri Group Executive committee agreed to join a letter, addressed to the Missouri's U.S. Senators and local Missouri Congressional delegation, requesting transfer of authority over the Westlake Landfill clean up from the Environmental Protection Agency to the Army Corps of Engineers. While this may sound counterintuitive, it was viewed as the best option by us and by several other environmental and community groups, including the local JustMomsStl activist group.

The St Louis area unfortunately has many radioactive waste sites, some going as far back to the 1940s. The Army Corps of Engineers obtained authority over most sites under its program called Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). The Corps has gained experience in remediation and clean up in the area. But for ambiguous reasons the Corps was not given authority over the Westlake Landfill. That authority was later given to the EPA.

EPA eventually classified the site under its Superfund program, it did studies, held hearings and made clean up and containment recommendations in 2008. But the agency's conclusions were not well received and for several years it continued to oversee additional feasibility studies. The added underground combustion event complicated matters and no decision has been implemented.

Eventually it became clear that consideration of the FUSRAP program could be a plus. But a transfer of authority requires Congressional action, thus the letter to Missouri's Congressional delegation requesting the change. At the time of this writing the Senate has approved the transfer, but the House of Representatives has yet to act. This issue is nothing if not complicated. Please view our EMG website for additional information and references.