After the Thorium Removal
Along the River: Restoration
This is the second of a series on the River by Kim Smart
Pursuant to two Federal Court Orders, Kerr-McGee must remove
the thorium from Kress Creek and the West Branch of the DuPage River in
Warrenville and restore the area.. After
the radioactive thorium is removed, what will the river look like? In the section that is known as Reach 1 in
There are two different scenarios. If the property is publicly-owned, e.g. the West Chicago Park District and the DuPage County Forest Preserve, the what, who and when is provided for in an agreement with Kerr-McGee. If it is one of the 100 plus effected parcels owned by private parties, it depends on whatever agreement each property owner enters into with Kerr-McGee. Since there is no governmental body, citizens action group, or organized property owners group authorized to represent them, each property owner is on their own.
The Conceptual Mitigation and Restoration Design Plan states “Restoration activities on residential/commercial, wetland and Forest Preserve properties will be monitored and maintained to document the progress of the areas towards the restoration goals. Monitoring of the restored upland areas will be performed for a minimum of three years (with the exception of residential/commercial uplands where monitoring will be performed for one year) to evaluate the health and progress of seeded and planted vegetation and respond to maintenance needs . . . . The success of the seeded and planted vegetation will be quantitatively measured based on the survival of planted species, the percent herbaceous cover, and presence of invasive species.” (p. 7-1, dated 2/2/05). Why the disparity? One year monitoring and maintenance for residential/commercial property owners and a MINIMUN OF THREE YEARS for the Forest Preserve? One would think the Forest Preserve with its staff of environmental specialist, rangers knowledgeable of controlled burns, etc. would have the expertise to monitor the restoration and maintain it. But, NO, the Forest Preserve has a contractual obligation for Kerr-McGee to be responsible for a minimum of three years while the individual residential/commercial property owners are basically on their own.
A detailed restoration plan will be developed for each reach area. According to one impacted property owner in Reach 1, the restoration plan, to which they agreed, calls for one and a half inch caliper bare root trees to be planted along with some bushes and the rest of the property seeded. Kerr-McGee is responsible for the plantings for one year. Will this result in a much improved river?
Restoration is not limited to trees and plants. Creek and River banks will be excavated as well as the river bed and will have to be restored. The Conceptual Mitigation and Restoration Design Plan states “Bank restoration techniques for commercial/residential properties will focus on the use of native vegetation to restore natural habitats, or bioengineered stabilization techniques to stabilize erosion-prone areas. . . . restoration design will also consider the specific concerns of the individual property owners, which typically focus on protection of the shoreline and avoiding long-term overbank flooding.” (p.3-1, dated 2/2/05) This is another aspect of the cleanup that needs close scrutiny. More on that at a later date.
At The Conservation Foundation’s (TCF) Fall membership luncheon, the guest speaker John Wills, project manager and President of Christopher B. Burke Engineering West addressed the restoration. He stated the cleanup provides the opportunity to: 1) stabilize the stream banks, 2) remove invasive species, 3) remove accumulated sediments in the river bed, and 4) further district restoration goals.
Questions that beg to be asked are: What is an appropriate replacement for mature, quality trees? How will the river bed be restored? If an environmentally sound native plant restoration is agreed to, how is the property owner going to be able to distinguish between what is good and what is invasive? When and how to conduct a controlled burn, if needed? How to remove and chemically treat the invasive species such as Buckthorn, Mulberry and Box elder? Maintenance is a very critical to the quality of the river and its banks and to realize the opportunities that Mr. Wills identified. The restoration goals are admirable. How does it become reality?
Private property owners may want to consider placing a Conservation Easement on their property along the river with an organization like The Conservation Foundation. Such an easement will not exempt the property from the removal of the thorium, but it would formally introduce another entity to be part of the process. Also consult with your attorney and tax accountant regarding financial benefits to a Conservation Easement. For more information about Conservation Easements you can contact Dan Lobbes at 428-4500 (The Conservation Foundation).
There will be a cleanup design plan for each segment (reach)
of the creek and river that will contain a detailed restoration plan in the
official site documents. Approved
documents are available for viewing at the Warrenville Public Library, 28W751
Important Meeting Reminder:
The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration has awarded
The next in the series will be “Follow the Money”.