Cleanup Overview

Planning for the cleanup of PCB contamination from the Lower Fox River started over a quarter century ago, and after years of careful study and testing it is finally becoming a reality. This page gives general information on how we got to where we are now; see the Cleanup Activities pages for more specific information on what's currently happening at the cleanup sites.

Studies

Before DNR, EPA and the other involved parties could begin the cleanup of the Fox River, they had to determine how much PCB mass needed to be removed from the river and where most of that mass was located. They also had to determine the most effective way to deal with contaminated sediment in the various parts of the river, and then they had to test these approaches under real-world conditions. To accomplish all these goals, they conducted Demonstration Projects on the Fox River, and they carried out a series of studies called the Remedial Investigation (RI), Feasibility Study (FS), and Risk Assessment (RA). To see these and other reports, visit the Reports and Documents page.

Proposed Cleanup Plan

A major milestone in the cleanup planning process was the publication of the Proposed Remedial Action Plan (3791Kb PDF) designed by the DNR and EPA in October 2001. The plan described the various cleanup options that were considered and tested and identified the option that DNR and EPA believed to be the most appropriate for each reach of the river. These decisions were based on information gathered from the Demonstration Projects and the RI, RA, and FS described above. Once the public had had a chance to review and officially comment on the Proposed Plan-a process that included several public meetings-DNR and EPA worked together to finalize the plan.

Records of Decision

The next step was to issue two separate Records of Decision or RODs, documents that explained the final cleanup methods chosen by DNR and EPA. ROD I was signed on December 20, 2002, and spelled out the remedial action plan for the section of the river from Little Lake Butte des Morts to the Little Rapids Dam. ROD II, signed on June 30, 2003, covered the stretch of the river from Little Rapids Dam to the mouth of Green Bay and the Bay itself.

These RODs call for the removal of PCB-contaminated sediment from the river bed using environmental dredging in all areas that have PCB contaminations greater than the Remedial Action level of 1 part per million. Environmental dredging uses a GPS-guided vacuum-like process to remove sediment from the river bottom without stirring it up, so the water remains fairly clear. The RODs also specify monitored natural recovery for undisturbed areas where no dredging would take place. Monitored natural recovery relies on natural processes to break down, bury, or dilute the PCBs. Finally, the RODs call for dewatering (drying out) the dredged sediment and disposing of it at appropriately designed and licensed landfills. The RODS provide for acceptance of a contingent remedy sediment capping in some areas of the river if capping can be done at a lower cost and shown to result in as good or better risk reduction in both the short and long terms. They also allow for the future consideration of vitrification, a process in which sediment is burned at very high temperatures to chemically break down the PCBs.

The RODs establish an "action level" of 1 part per million (ppm) for the cleanup effort. In other words, any sediment found in the river with a concentration of PCBs of 1 ppm or greater is targeted for removal. By reducing the concentration of PCBs in the river sediment, human health and the environment will be protected.

Agreements with the Paper Companies

At various points in the planning and cleanup process, DNR and EPA have created agreements with some of the paper companies named as "responsible parties" in the Fox River cleanup. These companies were among the entities historically responsible for releasing PCBs into the Fox River. In general, the agreements commit companies to funding, designing, and/or completing work related to the cleanup in various parts of the river. The final cleanup plan for OU 1 is currently being designed by P. H. Glatfelter Company and WTM I Company who signed in July 2003, an agreement with DNR and EPA to clean up this portion of the river (see the Administrative Order on Consent here). The agreement for Little Lake Butte des Morts (also called Operable Unit 1 or OU 1) was signed on April 12, 2004, and specifies that the two paper companies must design, carry out, and pay for a cleanup plan for that portion of the river (see the Consent Decree).

For the rest of the river (OUs 2-5), a final Consent Decree has still not been signed, but an Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) was signed on March 5, 2004, with Georgia-Pacific and NCR Corporation (see the Administrative Order on Consent). This AOC commits these two companies to preparing the cleanup design for OUs 2-5, but does not set out the terms of agreement for completing or paying for the work. A Consent Decree that will address these issues is currently being developed.