Local Issues: Soil Contamination - ASARCO

Governor Requests Omaha Superfund Designation

February 2002

Picture postcard of the American Smelting and “Roofing” (actually Refining) Co., Omaha, Nebraska, from 1915. Found in an antique shop in Oklahoma by Rick Galusha.

At a press conference in Omaha on Tuesday, January 29, Gov. Johanns announced his decision to request the E.P.A. to designate the properties in Omaha east of 45th St. with lead contaminated soils a Superfund Site. In addition to the Sierra Club, many community organizations supported this designation including the Lead Safe Omaha Coalition (LSOC), Omaha Public School Board, and Douglas County Commissioners. Now funding will be available to continue the cleanup. Councilman Frank Brown, who represents the area of Omaha with the greatest amount of lead contamination, lead the Superfund effort.

Although Superfund designation would appear to be an obvious choice based on the benefits to the health of children living in the affected area, achieving designation was not easy. At their December 18 meeting, the Omaha City Council voted 4 to 3 to table the motion recommending Superfund designation. Then on January 8th the resolution barely passed with three councilmen voting “No&rdquo - Sigerson, Welch, and Vokal. Mayor Fahey then forwarded the Superfund request to the Governor.

All of our members and allies who took part in lobbying the City Council and Mayor for Superfund designation should be commended. Without that pressure, we may have ended up with a 3-4 vote January 8th, which probably would have killed Superfund designation. Cheryl Weston, President of LSOC, was particularly influential by meeting with the Mayor and Governor and stressing the importance of Superfund designation on the future children of our city. [Sierra Club is a participant in LSOC, and past MVG Chair, Melissa Gardner, was one of the founders of the coalition.]