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Tittabawassee River, Saginaw River & Bay site
Site Information
- Bay City, Carrollton, Essexville, Freeland, Midland, Saginaw, Shields and Zilwaukee, MI (Bay, Midland and Saginaw Counties)
- EPA ID# MID000724724
- Alias(es): Dow Chemical
Newsletter
Check out the fall issue of Our Rivers Today to learn about recent cleanup actions and more. (PDF, 4pp, 2.38MB)
Contact Information
Saginaw Field Office
111 S. Michigan Ave.
Remedial Project Manager
Diane Russell (russell.diane@epa.gov)
989-790-5200, ext. 6667
Community Involvement Assistant
Mary Breeden (breeden.mary@epa.gov)
989-790-5215
Chicago Office
Toll-free: 800-621-8431
Community Involvement Coordinator
Patricia Krause (krause.patricia@epa.gov)
312-886-9506 or 800-621-8431, ext. 69506, 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. CST
Community Involvement Coordinator
Don de Blasio (deblasio.don@epa.gov)
312-886-4360 or 800-621-8431, ext. 64360
Remedial Project Manager
Mary Logan (logan.mary@epa.gov)
312-886-4699 or 800-621-8431, ext. 64699
Listserv
Sign up for the dow_dioxin listserv to receive EPA updates by email.
Repositories
(where to view written records)
Alice and Jack Wirt Public Library
500 Center Ave.
Bay City, MI
Grace A Dow Memorial Library
1710 W. St. Andrews St.
Midland, MI 48640
Hoyt Main Library
505 Janes Ave.
Saginaw, MI 48607
Contents
Listserv
Sign up for the dow_dioxin listserv to receive EPA updates by email.
November 2011
EPA and Dow Chemical Co. signed a legal agreement on November 2, 2011 requiring Dow to clean up sediment in Segment 1, a three-mile stretch of the Tittabawassee River next to Dow's Midland Plant. There are six Sediment Management Area (SMAs) identified within Segment 1 where chemical pollutants are targeted for cleanup. Most of the pollution in Segment 1 is from chlorobenzenes and other chemicals rather than dioxin. A form of the contamination, dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL), a heavy liquid made up of materials that do not mix with water and sinks to the bottom of the river, is targeted for cleanup in three of the SMAs. EPA selected its plan after carefully considering public comments. EPA's cleanup plan for each is as follows.
- SMA 1 - Place a clean cap over contaminated sediment to isolate and stabilize the sediment.
- SMAs 2 and 3 - Remove and treat DNAPL, isolate contaminated sediment with sheet pile and a cap, and capture water within the sediment and treat it.
- SMAs 4 and 5 - Place a clean cap over contaminated sediment.
- SMA 6 - Dredge and dispose of sediment contaminated by ethyl parathion; remove and treat DNAPL; isolate remaining contaminated sediment with sheet pile and a cap; and capture water within the sediment and treat it.
Materials will be treated and disposed at approved locations, sites will be monitored during and after the cleanup and the cleanup systems will operate and be maintained.
Related Documents
- EPA Proposes Cleanup Plan for Polluted River Section (PDF) (8pp, 1MB) August 2011
- Enforcement Action Memorandum w/Responsiveness Summary as Attachment C (PDF) (45pp, 8.5MB) November 2, 2011
- Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent (AOC) for Segment 1 (PDF) (45pp, 9.3MB) November 2, 2011
You will need the free Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.
Documents
News Releases
- EPA Selects Cleanup Plan for Tittabawassee River Island July 26, 2011
- Residents invited to comment on Tittabawassee River January 14, 2011
- EPA Meeting On Tittabawassee and Saginaw Rivers Site July 19, 7 P.M. July 15, 2010
- EPA and Michigan launch comprehensive Superfund evaluation of area dioxin contamination January 15, 2010
- (view all news releases)
Fact Sheets
- EPA Proposes Cleanup Plan for Polluted River Section (PDF) (8pp, 1MB) August 2011
- EPA proposes cleanup action for small island (PDF) (8pp, 630K) April 2011
- Interim Actions Proposed for High Use Floodplain Areas (PDF) (8pp, 661K) January 2011
- Signed Agreement Triggers Cleanup Plan and Work (PDF) (4pp, 1.8MB) July 2010
- EPA/MDEQ Approve AOC, Continue Enhanced Community Engagement (PDF) (2pp, 147K) January 2010
- Fact Sheet: EPA Conclusions Regarding Citizen Concerns on the Dredged Materials Disposal Facility (PDF) (5pp, 319K) January 2010
- Proposed Settlement for Superfund Cleanup Process (PDF) (8pp, 455K) October 2009
- EPA Seeking Members for Community Advisory Group (PDF) (2pp, 150K) September 2009
- Workshop to discuss community advisory group (PDF) (2pp, 150K) July, 2009
- Proposed Community Involvement Activities (PDF) (2pp, 62K) June 2009
- Superfund Process and Negotiations at the Dow Site (PDF) (2pp, 65K) June 2009
- Timeline for Achieving Comprehensive Cleanup (PDF) (2pp, 255K) June 2009
- New Talks Will Explore Dioxin Cleanup Process (PDF) (2pp, 141 K) December 2008
Presentations
- Segment 1 EPA's Proposed Cleanup Option, Public Meeting August 16, 2011 (PDF) (133pp, 6.2MB)
- Summary of Ecological Studies within the Tittabawassee River Floodplain (PDF) (53pp, 17.5MB) June 20, 2011
- Presentation from the April 28, 2011 public meeting
- Presentation from the January 19, 2011 public meeting
- Proposed Plan for Interim Actions at High-Use Floodplain Areas (PDF) (31pp, 4MB) presentation delivered by Mary Logan, U.S. EPA
- Presentations from the July 19, 2010, public meeting
- Update on the Work (PDF) (21pp, 1.9MB) presentation delivered by Mary Logan, U.S. EPA
- Update on Community Involvement Activities (PDF) (7pp, 230K) presentation delivered by Diane Russell, U.S. EPA
- "Proposed Settlement for Superfund Cleanup Process" November 5, 2009
- "U.S. EPA Review of the University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study," delivered by Peter Preuss and Jeff Frithsen (PDF) (22pp, 592K) October 2009
- "Plan for Interim Preliminary Remediation Plan for Interim Preliminary Remediation Goals for Dioxin in Soil," delivered by Betsy Southerland (PDF) (1pp, 45K) October 2009
- Community Advisory Group (PDF) August 21, 2009
- Saginaw Valley State University Presentation (PDF) (27pp, 491K) June 2009
- Tittabawassee River Residential Floodplain Sampling (PDF) (13pp, 559K) August 2008
- Presentations from community meeting in Saginaw, MI, January 31, 2008
- Tri-Cities Dioxin Community Meeting November 28, 2007
Maps
- Overview map (PDF) (1pg, 128K) May 2011
- Segment Map for Tittabawassee and Saginaw River (PDF) (1pg, 900K) April 2011
- West Michigan Park Area (PDF) (1pg, 1.5MB) September 2008
- Reach overview aerial photo Middle Tittabawassee River Project (PDF) (1pg, 135K) June 2007
- Reach overview aerial photo Upper Tittabawassee River Project (PDF) (1pg, 213K) June 1, 2006
Legal Documents
2011
- Enforcement Action Memorandum: Non-Time Critical Removal Action at an In-Channel Island at Reach MM (PDF) (38pp, 3MB) July 2011
- Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent for Removal Action(PDF) (52pp, 2.6MB) May 2011
- Enforcement Action Memorandum: Non-Time Critical Removal Action at Portions of Exposure Units (PDF) (62pp, 3.1MB) May 2011
2010
- Final Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) (PDF) (65pp, 1.3MB)- approved January 14, 2010
- Appendix B: Tittabawassee River, Saginaw River & Bay Site Superfund Memorandum of Agreement between U.S. EPA and MDEQ (PDF) (20pp, 363K) January 14, 2010
2009
- Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent (AOC) for Remedial Investigation, Feasibility Study and/or Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis and Response Design (PDF) (65pp, 4.5MB) October 2009
Appendices to the AOC:- AOC Appendix A: Remedial Investigation, Feasibility Study and/or Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis, and Response Design SOW (PDF) (73pp, 4.7MB)
- AOC Appendix B: Memorandum of Agreement between US EPA and MDEQ (PDF) (20pp, 731K)
- Attachment A (PDF 17" x 11") (1pg, 609K)
- Attachment B (PDF) (1pg, 133K)
- AOC Appendix C: Map of the Site (PDF 17" x 11") (1pg, 594K)
- AOC Appendix D: Map of Respondent's Midland Plant (PDF) (1pg, 220K)
- AOC Appendix E: License Modification language (PDF) (3pp, 178K)
- AOC Appendix F: List of Sampling, Analysis, Studies, and Orders (PDF) (4pp, 175K)
- AOC Appendix G: Map of the Saginaw Bay and inner Saginaw Bay areas of the Site(PDF) (1pg, 147K)
- AOC Appendix H: Corresponding Obligations of the License and Settlement Agreement(PDF) (4pp, 174K)
- Administrative Order on Consent for Exposure Unit 002 (West Michigan Park and adjacent properties) (PDF) (39pp, 597K) February 2009
- Enforcement Action Memo for Exposure Unit 002 (West Michigan Park and adjacent properties) (PDF) (28pp, 979K) February 2009
- Administrative Record Index and maps and photos for Exposure Unit 002 (PDF) (44pp, 4.8M) February 2009
2008
- Special Notice Letter (PDF) (9pp, 152K) December 15, 2008
- Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent (PDF) (58pp, 1MB) December 15, 2008
- Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent for Removal Action - Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI (PDF) (51pp, 2.0MB) July 15, 2008
- Attachment A: Site map EU 001 Properties - residential floodplain sampling (PDF) (1pg, 11"x17", 3.3MB)
- Attachment B: Site areas map of EU 001 Areas - residential floodplain sampling (PDF) (1pg, 11" x 17", 3.3MB)
- Attachment C: Enforcement Action Memorandum (PDF) (34pp, 1.18MB) July 2008
- Attachment 3: Site areas map of EU 001 Areas - residential floodplain sampling (PDF) (1pg, 11" x 17", 3.3MB) (same map as Attachment B above)
- Attachment 4: Map of final TEQs for EU 001 (PDF) (1pg, 145K)
2007
- Confidentiality Agreement (PDF) (6pp, 615K) October 23, 2007
- Special Notice Letter (PDF) (9pp, 273K) October 10, 2007
- Requests for Information Pursuant to Section 104 of CERCLA:
- to Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr, and Huber (PDF) (13pp, 534K) August. 31, 2007
- to Miller Canfield, Paddock, and Stone, P.L.C. (PDF) (13pp, 531K) August 31, 2007
- to the City of Midland, MI (PDF) (13pp, 538K) August 31, 2007
- to the Dow Chemical Company (PDF) (38pp, 2.0MB) August 13, 2007
- to the Dow Chemical Company (PDF) (16pp, 873K) August 10, 2007
- General Notice of Potential Liability to the Dow Chemical Company (PDF) (3pp, 244K) June 27, 2007
Technical Documents
- Community Involvement Plan (PDF) (98pp, 3.7MB) - December 2011
- Tittabawassee River Segment 1 (OU1) Response Proposal (PDF) (154pp, 616KB) April 4, 2011; Tables (PDF) (36pp, 184KB) April 4, 2011. (Because of their large size, some figures and appendices have not been posted. You can view the entire response proposal at one of the site repositories or contact Patricia Krause.)
- Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis for Reach MM In-Channel Island (PDF) (37pp, 1.1MB) April 2011
- Potential Acute or Near Term Exposure Risks (PDF) (27pp, 323K) November 17, 2010
- Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) for Early Response Action to Address November 2010
- Responsiveness Summary (PDF) (50pp, 1.5MB) January 2010
- May 2010 Water Supply Sampling Report (PDF) (256pp, 7.66MB) December 6, 2010
- Tittabawassee River, Saginaw River & Bay site technical assistance plan (PDF) (12 pp, 198K) June 2010
- Post-removal Monitoring Plan and Sample Results (PDF) (8pp, 392K) November 2009
- Midland/Saginaw/Bay City Water Supply Sampling Report (PDF) (235pp, 6.9MB) October 5, 2009
- Field Sampling Plan for Midland/Saginaw/Bay City Water Supply (PDF) (27pp, 1.5MB) July, 2009
- EPA's Science Plan for Activities Related to Dioxins in the Environment May 2009
- Statement of Work for Remedial Investigation, Feasibility Study (PDF) (55pp, 1MB) December 15, 2008
Other Documents
- Transcript of the August 16, 2011 public meeting (PDF) (31pp, 123K)
- Transcript of the April 28, 2011 Public Meeting (PDF) (48pp, 191K)
- Transcript of January 19, 2011 Public Meeting (PDF) (44pp, 159K)
- Transcript of the Nov. 5, 2009, Public Meeting (PDF) (74pp, 9.0MB)
- Newspaper Advertisement announcing June 2009 public meeting (PDF) (1pg, 51K)
- EPA's August 24, 2009 Letter to Dow (PDF) ( 5pp, 82K)
- EPA June 26, 2009 letter to Dow (PDF) (1pp, 82k)
- EPA Administrator Jackson letter to residents (signed), May 2009 (PDF) (5pp, 54K)
- EPA Administrator Jackson letter Re: dioxin contamination in Saginaw Bay Watershed, March 2, 2009 (PDF ) (2pp, 92K)
- Letter to the editor, September 21, 2007
Superfund Removal Actions (Cleanups)
In 2007, Dow cleaned up four dioxin hot spots in the Tittabawassee and Saginaw Rivers downstream of Dow's plant in Midland. In July 2008 Dow began cleaning up dioxin contaminated yards, homes, and paving road surfaces in the Riverside Boulevard neighborhood of Saginaw. Both cleanups were done with EPA oversight. Residential yards were dug up and backfilled with clean soil, interiors of homes were cleaned, and surfaces on Riverside Boulevard were paved.
| Tittabawassee River Cleanup | Saginaw River Cleanup | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reach D in progress |
Reach JK complete |
Reach O complete |
Riverside Boulevard complete |
West Michigan Park |
Wickes Park - Saginaw River complete |