Site Cleanup Introduction

The FMC plant operated outside Pocatello, Idaho in Power County for just over a half century. During much of this time, State and Federal environmental laws had not yet been written. Throughout this era, materials from elemental phosphorus production were managed at the plant site in accordance with manufacturing practices at the time.

With the advent of federal laws like the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act and related state laws, the plant waste streams became regulated. Two of the most significant environmental laws currently applicable to the FMC plant site are RCRAThe Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The federal law that addresses management, disposal, and treatment of solid and hazardous wastes. (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLAThe Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. The federal law that addresses cleanup of contaminated sites. Also called Superfund., commonly referred to as Superfund).

The requirements of these laws are intended to ensure that site contaminants are managed in a manner that is safe and protective of human health and the environment. FMC has conducted extensive site investigations since the Eastern Michaud Flats Superfund Site that encompasses the FMC plant was listed in 1990. FMC has done this work with the active involvement of EPAU.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQIdaho Department of Environmental Quality) and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. While most of the RCRAThe Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The federal law that addresses management, disposal, and treatment of solid and hazardous wastes. work at the plant ponds has been completed, the proposed cleanup plan under Superfund will soon be issued, more than 20 years since the site was first listed under CERCLAThe Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. The federal law that addresses cleanup of contaminated sites. Also called Superfund.. EPAU.S. Environmental Protection Agency will refer to this cleanup proposal as the Proposed Plan. EPAU.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s preferred soil and groundwater remedial actions described in the Proposed Plan were previously endorsed by EPAU.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Remedy Review Board in May 2010. After issuing the Proposed Plan, EPAU.S. Environmental Protection Agency will be seeking public comment and hold local public meetings. Then, EPAU.S. Environmental Protection Agency will finalize the cleanup plan in a document referred to as the Record of Decision (RODRecord of Decision. The decision document that EPAU.S. Environmental Protection Agency issues to identify the selected remedy for a CERCLAThe Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. The federal law that addresses cleanup of contaminated sites. Also called Superfund. site.). After the RODRecord of Decision. The decision document that EPAU.S. Environmental Protection Agency issues to identify the selected remedy for a CERCLAThe Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. The federal law that addresses cleanup of contaminated sites. Also called Superfund. site. is issued and comes into effect, property remediation and redevelopment can occur, allowing the property to once again contribute significantly to the economic well-being of the area.