ST. LOUIS — The federal government is requesting access to a St. Louis County hiking trail to check for and respond to any potential contamination. It's part of the ongoing effort to monitor areas along the Coldwater Creek.
In a letter dated March 10, the head of the St. Louis County Parks and Recreation Department asks County Executive Sam Page to grant Right of Entry to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to go into Fort Belle Fontaine Park to "perform surveys ... remediate radiological and chemical contamination of soils ... excavate and dispose of contaminated soil and backfill with suitable soil and restore the property to its previous condition."
"I'm trusting the work and I want to make sure that they have the space to do it thoroughly and completely,” Council Chair Shalonda Webb said.
She represents the district where there are ongoing concerns of contamination along the Coldwater Creek. At a council meeting Tuesday night, leaders heard the government's request. Webb likens it to a formality.
"I don't look at the letter as permission but more so awareness and socialization of it. This is a part of their regular business as they have been contracted to do,” she said.
The federal government is asking the county to enter the hiking trail into a period of up to two years. For comparison, it's about 8 miles away from Jana Elementary, where there have been conflicting reports over whether there are high levels of contamination there. As a result, Jana Elementary is closed right now.
“Do you think it should reopen next school year?” 5 On Your Side asked Webb.
“I'm not going to make that decision. That's a school district decision … I'm going to follow the lead of the school district but let them know we’re here to support them 100%,” she responded. “I want to be clear … it's been deemed ‘Jana Elementary,’ but this is a community issue. It just so happened to be at that location. I don't put this in the lap of the school district, we need to solve this as community leaders and come together."
Webb said she or a representative from her office meets with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers once a month. She said she also has routine meetings with the Mayor of Florissant.
"I know all of us are at the table. There's been representation at the federal, the state and the local level,” Webb said.
The federal government’s request to enter Fort Belle Fontaine Park will go before council two more times before it's granted.
A county spokesperson said there is no date set just yet on when the government could get access, but when it does expect signage to inform the community to steer clear.
Jon Rankins, senior health physicist with the USACE formerly utilized sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) said in a statement:
"We are sampling and testing all the way to the Missouri River and testing all the properties within the floodplain along Coldwater Creek. In the case of Belle Fontaine Park, we want to collect verification samples to identify any historic contamination that may have been deposited in the park. We don't anticipate finding contamination due to the elevated topography and have not found contamination in the immediate vicinity of the park."
St. Louis County Parks also said in a statement:
There currently are not any signs along the creek. The US Army Corps of Engineers will be investigating whether there is any hazardous waste detected. If detected, the USACE will secure the area. Swimming or wading is prohibited in all St. Louis County Parks.”
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