Final Site Information Package for National Remedy Review Board ...

A. Summary
This Site Information Package provides the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s
(USEPA’s) National Remedy Review Board (NRRB) with information about the Upper Basin
of the Coeur d’Alene River and the Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Complex
Superfund Site (“the Bunker Hill Superfund Site”, or “the Site”). The intent of this
information is to assist the NRRB in making advisory recommendations regarding the
remedy alternatives described and evaluated in the Draft Focused Feasibility Study Report
for the Upper Coeur d’Alene Basin (USEPA, 2010, hereinafter referred to as “the FFS
Report”) and USEPA Region 10’s Preferred Alternative that is identified in this Site
Information Package. The Preferred Alternative would provide a final remedy for:
• Human health protection for surface water used for drinking purposes;
• Ecological protection for surface water; and
• Human health and ecological protection for soil, sediments, and source material in
locations where remedial actions are taken.
The Preferred Alternative would also provide enhanced protection of human health and the
environment for portions of previously selected human health remedies that are vulnerable
to erosion and degradation of clean barriers.
Further, the Preferred Alternative is expected to significantly reduce both groundwater
contamination levels and the contribution of contaminated groundwater to surface water.
However, given the pervasive nature of the subsurface contamination, the Preferred
Alternative may not achieve the drinking water standards for groundwater at all locations.
USEPA will evaluate future monitoring data to determine whether a Technical
Impracticability (TI) waiver may be warranted at locations where groundwater does not
achieve drinking water standards.
The Preferred Alternative is based on applicable or relevant and appropriate regulatory
requirements to achieve tangible progress toward protection of human health and the
environment in this highly contaminated area.
In the summer of 2001, while a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) for the
Coeur d’Alene Basin was being completed, the NRRB reviewed information regarding a
potential comprehensive remedy for addressing contamination within the Basin (see File
B2-1 on the Supplemental Compact Disk [CD] included with this Site Information Package
for a copy of the 2001 NRRB Presentation Information [USEPA, 2001b]). Because of cost,
schedule, and data uncertainty concerns, USEPA Region 10 proposed an incremental
approach to implement necessary remedial actions, which was supported by the NRRB.
USEPA Region 10’s proposal included actions to address both human health and ecological
risks in a Basin-wide context. The NRRB supported actions proposed to address human
health risks posed by contaminated residential soil, drinking water, dust, and fish, and
recommended that the Region proceed with the first phase of the Basin-wide ecological
cleanup, referred to as an interim action. The NRRB stated that a better understanding of
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