Beginning June 14, EPA will begin preparations to remove
three 55-gallon submerged drums from Pigeon Lake in Liberty, that contain
unknown, potentially hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants. An
additional 55-gallon drum will also be removed that is currently staged
off-site containing a substance with a high concentration of lead that
previously released a portion of its contents into Pigeon Lake.
On June 15, EPA will use divers and a crane to lift the drums
from the water onto a staging area. Residents can expect to see increased truck
and foot traffic during the removal.
Once removed, the drums will be stabilized, characterized and
disposed of properly at an EPA-approved facility.
Pigeon Lake is a public recreational lake located in
Liberty. The lake is surrounded by residential properties and a summer
camp property. It is unknown how the drums got into the lake and no known
prior environmental investigation has been done at the site.
An Action Memo with more information about the situation
and work to be performed is located in the documents section of this website: https://response.epa.gov/sites/16064/files/AMRedacted.pdf.
If you have any questions, please contact EPA On-Scene Coordinator Andy Maguire
at (312) 758-8672 or by email at maguire.andrew@epa.gov.
