$90 million from Pres. Biden’s bi-partisan infrastructure law will be used to clean up the final radiation site in Ottawa. Cong. Lauren Underwood attended a press conference Thursday at the site located on the Fox River just east of the Bill Walsh Automotive Group near US 6 and E. Norris Drive. It was hosted by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Regional Project Manager Nabil Fayoumi says over 140,000 tons of contaminated dirt will be removed. He also says the crew will make sure it doesn’t get out into the public by using dust control measures.
Cong. Lauren Underwood spoke about the importance of the cleanup site and why the infrastructure law was passed. She as a nurse, no community should have to face the health and environmental impacts of radiation poisoning.
She says she found out about the Superfund Site after Ottawa was drawn into her congressional district. Ottawa Commissioner Wayne Eichelkraut thanked the state and federal groups for all the work they’ve done over the years to clean up radioactive material from Radium Dial and Luminous Processes.
15 other areas of Ottawa were cleaned. They factories luminous dials for clocks and watches using radium based paint so you could read a watch at night.US EPA Spokesman Tom Short says this last site cleanup took so long to do because of how much it will cost to clean up. The project is set to start in spring next year. The area is the largest superfund site that’s going to be cleaned so far.
The radiation superfund site. 17 acres will be cleaned.