Leech Lake Residents Weigh In On Proposed EPA Cleanup

Leech Lake residents have made their voices heard, and they stand their ground. Their demand is simple: They want safety. They want toxin off their backyards.

For decades, a Leech Lake Superfund site located south of the railroad tracks is said to be poisoning band members. Earlier this May, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed an excavation, and to bury the contaminated dirt deeper underground.

The EPA says their on-site proposal is safe as these dioxins are stuck to the soil and not run through ground water. Still, many residents want it off their grounds.

“The EPA is making some strides but 30 years is a long time and a lot of people have died in this community,” Winona LaDuke of Honor The Earth said.

The open hearing Wednesday also focused on one section of the land called Operation Unit 7.

The EPA continues to take in public feedback through September and hopes to finalize a decision soon after. Even so, any ground work on site will likely be two years away.

The public is encouraged to send in their comments by e-mail to [email protected] or fax Leon at 312-697-2754.

Previous coverage on the Superfund site: http://lptv.org/epa-details-leech-lake-site-cleanup/