Congressman Kagen Questions Capping PCB's in the Fox River

About 600,000 to 1,000,000 pounds of PCB's poison the waters, fish, and animal and human life in North Eastern Wisconsin and have for more than four decades. The former Governor Tommy Thompson promised that the PCB poisons would be REMOVED. That was about 18 years ago. Nothing has been REMOVED. Now the paper companies and the derelict WI DNR and EPA want to "CAP: the PCBs in sediments of the Fox River and let them remain. This in-situ CAPPING simply covers the sediments containing PCB's by using unproven technology. The fast moving currents, storm churned waters, ice shoves, plus ship and boat traffic will inevitably break and dislodge the capping materials (essentially rock slabs, stones and gravel) and release the PCB's again. The inadequacy of in-situ capping has been demonstrated by Carnegie Mellon University researchers who worked with ALCOA. Capping simply covers the PCB's temporarily and cannot eliminate the hazard.Real long-term testing (for durations of at least 50 years)of the proposed EPA/WI DNR capping method has never been conducted. If allowed, we the residents of northeastern Wisconsin will be the guinea pigs of an unproven technology, that the EPA and WI DNR leadership are advocating.

Capping costs much less than dredging and removal, and that is why the Chamber of Commerce and other politically indebted organizations (seemingly including the EPA and WI DNR) are supportive since it favors the paper companies that were responsible for poisoning the waters with PCB's to begin with. Previous Congressman Green had "earmarked" our tax dollars to remove the carcinogenic PCB's The time has come to REMOVE the PCB's. The paper companies that poisoned the Fox River and bay of Green Bay did so even after the toxic dangers had been well documented. The US Navy rejected the use of PCB's for submarine heat- transfer coolants as early as 1969 because of their toxicity. Our federal government finally banned the production of PCB's in 1978, but their use by paper companies continued into the 1980's. PCB' are very persistent and they do not decompose. They remain in sediments and river and bay waters ingested by fish and animal life(including human). They have been classified as probable carcinogens and are known to accumulate in human and animal tissues(including the fish caught in the waters of Green Bay and the Fox River).

Congressman Kagen is correct in demanding that proof be given before the cheaper in-situ capping method is foisted on the public; particularly a method that prolongs the dangers as the capping materials inevitably break and causes continuous and persistent PCB poisoning. I challenge any one, including the Chamber of Commerce President Paul Jadin, WI DNR leadership, paper company executives, and EPA leadership to prove to the public that capping is a reliable long term fix. Prove it if you are able, not with theory and modeling, but with experimental evidence and tests that proves the durability of the proposed in-situ capping (of large masses of PCB's such as exists in the FOx River) for at least 50 years without releasing PCB's. NO SUCH PROOF EXISTS! Tell the truth. REMOVE the PCB's from the Fox River and other contaminated areas of the bay of Green Bay as was promised by then Gov. Tommy Thompson more than 18 years ago. Make the paper companies that originally poisoned the waters with PCB's REMOVE all remaining PCB's NOW. Stop the lobbyists favoring the paper companies from undermining public health and safety with their advocacy of unproven technology.

Tell Congressman Kagen that you support his resistance to in-situ capping unless long-term sustainability is proven by real long-term tests that represent real Fox River and bay conditions and existing PCB sediment loads . Demand TOTAL REMOVAL of PCB's. Stop poisoning our children. We have waited long enough! Send Congressman Kagen an email or letter showing your support. Finally, an elected politician has shown real concern our environmental well being. If you are able join Congressman Kagen at Voyageur Park in De Pere, WI on Saturday, April 21 at 10:30 am for his press conference on this very important water resource issue.