FLORISSANT, Mo. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sampled for radioactive contamination under several homes in Florissant in the Cades Cove subdivision along Coldwater Creek.
Under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is cleaning sites with contamination from the nation’s early atomic energy program.
The current efforts include portions of the right-of-way of Cades Cove Drive and on the common grounds next to Coldwater Creek.
Advocacy group Just Moms STL co-founder Karen Nickel was surprised to learn about the soil data sampling underneath six homes in the neighborhood.
"We were unaware of what was happening here, we were unaware of any remedial talks or works of contamination found in the homes or close to homes. There was an old creek that the homes had been built on," Nickel said.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said there was an old creek meander that was covered up when they built up the ground for the subdivision. The contamination was buried at a deep level.
5 On Your Side went to the neighborhood and found three USACE contractors, sitting at a table between two homes with equipment on site.
"I get there is a level of privacy, you don't have to disclose where those homes are but you can at least let the rest of the community know because they've been asking," Nickel added.
One of the homeowners spoke to 5 On Your Side saying for the past few weeks, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been asking to test inside her basement to drill holes at least 12 feet below the ground.
She's been living in that home since 2007.
The homeowner said the agency had already been testing in her backyard for the last two years and found contamination up to the foundation of her home.
She said she was talking to an attorney.
The mom of four shared she hasn't let the agency inside her home just yet, because she wants to know what this means for her home and family if contamination is found.
The homeowner said her family wasn't notified of any possible risks.
"If I was living on top of radioactive waste or any contamination, I would want to know and have the ability to be bought out and have our family moved out of the circumstance," Nickel said. "I am very concerned for the people living in these homes, prior to selling it, they have moved out and changed hands and ownership."
Beyond the homes, Nickel worries about their health.
The CDC shared this Evaluation of Community Exposures Related to Coldwater Creek in 2019.
"We do want them to know the dangers and the risks and that there are people out there right now who care about them and we're here for them," Nickel said.
Monday afternoon, the USACE announced the remediation efforts and shared these details:
- Since 2014, sampling and investigation in and around Coldwater Creek have detected contamination, particularly in the historic 10-year floodplain between the creek and Cades Cove Drive. All affected homeowners have already been notified and Rights of Entry have been granted for sampling activities.
- When this subdivision was being built up, an old creek meander was covered up with fill, which caused contamination to be buried deep within a small portion of the subdivision closest to Coldwater Creek.
- The FUSRAP remediation activities, which involve specialized heavy equipment such as backhoes and dump trucks, are set to commence within a year.
- On six properties, sampling is being conducted under the homes to determine the potential presence of contaminated soils beneath fill material placed for the construction of the homes.
"We are deeply invested in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the residents," stated Phil Moser, St. Louis District program manager for FUSRAP. "Every step we take is grounded in rigorous research, precise data, and evidence-based remediation decisions."
When a more concrete schedule is finalized, notifications of construction activities will be sent out to affected residents.
The release said, "All procedures are safe and will not pose any health concerns or risks of radiation exposure."
Residents with questions or concerns can contact the FUSRAP Citizen Outreach number at 314-260-3905 or email at STLFUSRAP@usace.army.mil.
For more detailed information about the FUSRAP remediation process and regular updates, visit their website.
A community meeting is being planned for nearby residents to go over their work, discuss future operations in the area and to address any concerns.
5 On Your Side learned USACE does not expect more homes to be impacted. Remediation will likely start within the year.
Before Monday afternoon's news release by USACE, that very same morning a spokesperson said this is a difficult time for homeowners to navigate and they were striving to not make it worse with too much outside attention.
The spokesperson said they had been in contact with the neighborhood through the HOA, engaging in face-to-face meetings, and have answered several other property owners’ questions. However, they understood public notification is needed to update everyone on its current progress and future remediation efforts.
RECA
The group Just Moms STL has been pushing for the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, known as RECA, to pass.
If passed, it would compensate radioactive waste victims. RECA is expected to expire in June.
This week, the group is going back to Washington D.C. for the fourth time within a year to raise awareness about RECA and see if it can pass the Senate.
On Monday, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley announced he would bring Just Moms co-founder Dawn Chapman to this Thursday's State of the Union address.