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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 19, 1997
97-145
Contact: Dave Nazy, (425) 649-7258
Marianne Deppman, (425) 649-7254
Everett, WA - In an effort to begin final cleanup at the Everett Smelter site as soon as possible, representatives from the Department of Ecology, the City of Everett, ASARCO Incorporated, and several other organizations agreed Monday to use a mediator to help resolve outstanding issues and reach agreement on the final cleanup actions for the site.
The smelter site is in a predominantly residential area in northeast Everett that is contaminated with lead, arsenic and cadmium. Studies and interim cleanup activities have been occurring at the site since 1990.
By using a mediator, Ecology and the city hope to bring all parties with a stake in the cleanup to the table and, with the help of a neutral third party, negotiate the plan for the final cleanup of the site. The goal is to come away from the mediation with a cleanup plan that all parties can agree with while still meeting the requirements of the state cleanup law, the Model Toxics Control Act.
"The northeast Everett community has been living with this problem long enough," said Ecology Director, Tom Fitzsimmons. "Mediation offers the greatest promise of getting the issues resolved up front, avoiding lengthy lawsuits, and getting on with the cleanup of this site more quickly."
This is the first site in Washington where a mediated process will be used in which the affected community and other stakeholders have a seat at the table in negotiating cleanup decisions.
At a meeting in Everett yesterday, the following groups agreed to participate in the mediation:
Department of Ecology City of Everett Asarco Incorporated Everett Housing Authority Snohomish Co. Public Utility District Northeast Everett Community Org. Snohomish County Snohomish Health DistrictAlthough a representative from the Northwest Everett Neighborhood Association was not able to attend yesterday's meeting, this group is also expected to participate in the mediation.
"There are a lot of issues to work through and a wide variety of perspectives represented," said Mary Burg, Ecology's Toxics Cleanup Program Manager, who will represent Ecology during the mediation. "But I'm optimistic after yesterday's meeting that with all the key stakeholders present and negotiating in good faith, we will develop a final cleanup plan that everyone can live with."
The timeline for the mediation will not be known until a mediator is hired and the number and scope of issues to be mediated are agreed upon. A mediator is expected to be on board in September.
Any proposed agreements arrived at during mediation will not be legally binding until Ecology and the city carry out the formal public processes required by the Model Toxics Control Act and local land use laws.
The work required in the enforcement order issued in March will continue during the mediation.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
