Boise – Idaho’s congressional delegation has requested a ninety (90) day extension to the comment period for the Proposed Record of Decision Amendment for Clean Up of the Upper Coeur d’Alene Basin by the EPA. The letter was sent last week to EPA Region 10 Administrator Dennis McLerran.

The delegation issued this statement on the letter:

“The proposed expanded cleanup plan will have a major impact in the Coeur d’Alene Basin. With the added scope and complexity of the plan, we have requested that the comment period be extended by ninety (90) days. Residents and businesses need the additional time to fully assess the plan and the potential impacts and costs to them. Only then will they be able to provide thorough public comment to the EPA.”

The revised plan focuses the Superfund cleanup activity on surface water, soil sediments and source materials in 300 square miles of the upper basin. EPA estimates the cleanup will take 50 – 100 years at a cost of $1.3 billion.

An online link to the 2,200 page document can be found here http://go.usa.gov/igD.

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