EPA proposes expanding lead cleanup at former Vega Baja dump site

By THE STAR STAFF

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed expanding cleanup operations at the Vega Baja Old Incinerator Superfund Site after concluding that new analyses justify strengthening measures to reduce residents’ exposure to lead in the soil.

“The EPA is using current science and recent sampling to focus additional cleanup efforts where they are most needed to better protect the Brisas del Rosario community,” EPA Regional Administrator Michael Martucci said.

If the modification is approved, the federal agency will add eight additional residential properties to the cleanup plan and sample four other nearby homes to determine if they also require intervention.

The EPA is proposing stricter cleanup levels at the site than those established in the plan approved in 2010.

The project entails removing contaminated soil from properties meeting the new criteria, transporting it off-site, and replacing it with clean soil. In locations where excavation is not feasible, the EPA will install protective barriers and establish land-use restrictions to prevent contact with contaminated soil.

The former incinerator site operated as a dump and solid waste incineration facility between 1948 and 1979. Housing was subsequently built on part of the land, creating an ongoing risk of exposure to lead and other heavy metals.

As part of the public participation process, the EPA will hold a community meeting this Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Monte de Sion Pentecostal Church, where it will present the proposal and answer residents’ questions. At the same time, the Department of Health will independently offer free blood lead testing via finger-prick to interested individuals.