TONAWANDA -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, will present the proposed cleanup strategy for the radioactively contaminated material at the former Linde Site at a public meeting on Thursday, April 22, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Holmes Elementary School at 365 Dupont Avenue in Tonawanda.

The preferred alternative is Alternative 4, which includes Excavation, Decontamination with Offsite Disposal, and establishment of Institutional Controls. This alternative is believed to provide the best balance among the considered alternatives with respect to the evaluation criteria, complies with applicable relevant and appropriate regulations, will be protective of human health and the environment, and is considered cost effective. This alternative involves:

• excavation and off-site disposal of Manhattan Engineering District contaminated soils exceeding 40 CFR 192 criteria, in addition to a uranium cleanup guideline of 600 pCi/g (except under Building 14 due to inaccessible soils),
• demolition of buildings necessary to remediate the site with either acquisition of, or compensation for Buildings 57, 67, 73, 73B, 75 and 76 and would include the building slabs and foundations,
• removal of former building slabs where Buildings 30 and 38 existed,
• a wall in Building 31 would be removed to access sub-slab and sub-footing soil exceeding criteria,
• removal of contaminated sediments in drainlines and contaminated soils in the blast wall east of Building 58,
• the subsurface vault west of Building 73 would be investigated and removed if found to be contaminated,
• remediation of tank saddles north of the former Building 30,
• establishment of institutional controls at Building 14, and,
• periodic reviews to ensure the effectiveness of institutional controls that are put in place.

The public comment period on the Proposed Plan is from March 28 to April 27, 1999. Interested parties are invited to attend the public meeting to learn more about the plan and to submit their comments.

Written comments will also be accepted if postmarked by April 27 at the following address:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
FUSRAP Public Information Center
1776 Niagara Street
Buffalo, NY 14207