Historical and environmental concerns delay Iowa fire site cleanup
A January 2008 fire destroyed several businesses in downtown Maquoketa, Iowa. Fire debris still remains, as it is contaminated with asbestos, a known carcinogen. Removal of asbestos-contaminated debris is strictly regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Though city officials had hoped to finalize bids for the debris removal by the end of 2009, bids may not even open until mid-January.
The EPA required a public forum to solicit input about the cleanup as a requirement of a $250,000 grant toward the project. No one showed up for the forum other than current and future city council members.
The holdup on the project is related to requirements from both the EPA and the state preservation office. The former Sue’s Hallmark building was on both the national and state registries of historic places, so the historic preservation office has the right to approve the plans for the fire site. Until the state office signs a three-way agreement between them, the city and the EPA, no bids can be approved.
The engineer who spoke at the public forum said that there isn’t likely to be more than one-half percent of asbestos contamination on the site, but it still needs to be removed in an approved manner.
For the full story, go to Quad-City Times.
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