Around the Sound: Irondale cleanup slated for summer 2012

By Diana Smith, Public Involvement Coordinator

View of Indian Island from atop a pile of slag and rubble remaining on the shoreline.

Cleanup and restoration work at the former Irondale Iron and Steel site are now being planned for summer 2012. Cleanup will include removing contaminated soils, sediments, and slag; capping remaining contamination; and restoring the beach.

The site in Jefferson County is contaminated with metals and total petroleum hydrocarbons from the now-defunct smelter’s operations from 1881 to 1919.

This summer we held a public comment period on the draft engineering design report for the cleanup. We have now finished reviewing public comments on the cleanup plans. We’ve posted responses to comments in a “responsiveness summary” that is available on the Irondale website.

We are timing work at the site so that it will take place when it will least affect fish, as well as so that we can do cleanup and restoration at the same time. This means scheduling work to start after July 15, 2012.

We’ll update the Irondale website as the cleanup plans and schedule develop. You can sign up for the site’s email list on the website, too.