Fact Sheet 1

Rosiclare, Illinois

Representatives from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) will be conducting an environmental investigation in Rosiclare, Illinois, during March 2001. During that week, field-based technologies will be used to screen soil and/or sediments for potential contamination in the area.

An informational meeting to explain the environmental investigation will be held at the Rosiclare City Hall, Main Street, on March 6, at 6:00 pm. During this informational meeting, Illinois EPA staff will be demonstrating technologies and equipment that will be used during the investigation. Illinois EPA personnel will also be available to answer questions.

As part of the investigation, the Illinois EPA is seeking information concerning past mining operations in Rosiclare. If you have information you would like to share, you will have the opportunity to do so during an open discussion at the informational meeting. Representatives will be available to talk with you individually or if you prefer to submit your comments in writing, information gathering sheets will be available.

What is being done?

After the informational meeting, Illinois EPA's community relations personnel will be going door-to-door the week of March 12th to request permission from homeowners to begin conducting soil screening during the week of March 19, 2001.

Why are you conducting an environmental investigation in Rosiclare?

The City of Rosiclare has requested the assistance of the Illinois EPA to address potential environmental concerns in and around the city. At this time, however, we do not have any information that suggests that anyone or their residential properties have been affected.

What will the environmental investigation attempt to answer?

At the conclusion of the investigation, which will probably be conducted in several phases, the Illinois EPA hopes to answer to the following questions:

Are there contaminants located in areas that may have adverse effects on human health and the environment?

• If so, what are those contaminants?
• If contaminants are present, what areas do they impact?
• What is/are the source(s) of those contaminants?
• What are the potential health risks?
• What are the potential risks to the environment?
• What is the next stage in the investigation process?

What is involved in soil screening and soil sampling?

During the soil screening phase of the environmental investigation, staff from the Illinois EPA's Site Assessment Unit will be using a variety of field-based technologies. An XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence), an instrument used to detect inorganic (metals) constituents, will be used during the screening of soil and sediments. The XRF is typically used to screen soil and/or sediments and provide a preliminary reading for metals (such as, lead, zinc, cadmium, and arsenic). Although the XRF provides data quickly, it should be noted that it is only used as a screening tool.

All screening and sampling points will be marked using the GPS (Global Positioning System) field equipment. The GPS provides an accurate measurement of environmental screening and sample locations. The information gathered during the screening and sampling phases will be transposed onto aerial photographs to gain a more accurate understanding of the environmental assessment field activities.

Following screening activities, the Illinois EPA will determine specific areas which need to have analytical samples collected to be sent to an environmental laboratory. These soil sample results will be interpreted by personnel from the Illinois EPA and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and are expected to be available in approximately six to eight (6-8) weeks from the date of collection.

Will you be screening my yard?

The Illinois EPA would like to compile a list of resident names and addresses of individuals in Rosiclare who feel that their yard may have been affected by adjacent mining activities throughout the years. We encourage anyone who would like to be placed on this list to attend the upcoming informational meeting.

Who is paying for this environmental investigation?

Illinois EPA's Site Assessment Unit is tasked by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Region V to conduct the investigation. Through a cooperative agreement with the USEPA, Illinois EPA receives the funds required to conduct the field activities and to provide for the analytical costs incurred during the investigation. There are no costs to the City of Rosiclare or homeowners.

What is next?

Once all screening and sampling data are collected, analyzed, and interpreted, representatives from the Illinois EPA and IDPH will hold another informational meeting at the Rosiclare City Hall to explain and discuss our findings. At this time, we anticipate that meeting to be held sometime in June 2001. The Illinois EPA will announce this meeting in the Hardin County Independent newspaper.

For Additional Information

If I have any questions about the investigation, who do I contact?