EPA Public Meeting Tonight in Festus on Jefferson County Lead Exposure
July 11, 2023 4:51PM CDT
Photo courtesy of the Jefferson Co. Health Dept.
(FESTUS) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 is inviting the public to attend a meeting tonight at the Festus R-VI School District Performing Arts Center on the high school campus. The meeting begins at 6pm.
The purpose of the meeting is to gather feedback on the EPA’s Proposed Plan for addressing contamination from lead and other heavy metals in private residential drinking water wells within the Southwest Jefferson County Mining Superfund Site. The site includes all of Jefferson County, Missouri, except for the Herculaneum Superfund Site. EPA encourages members of the community to attend and provide comments.
Historic lead mining and smelting activities in the Old Lead Belt dispersed lead mining, milling, and smelting waste across areas of southeastern Missouri that impacts the Ozark Aquifer, an important source of water for private well owners.
The Jefferson County Health Department will conduct blood lead testing at no cost during the event for children and adults.
Brianne Zwiener, Public Information Officer with the Health Department says they are providing education on lead exposure.
Zwiener says the EPA is concerned about exposure to lead in water.
Starting at 6 p.m., EPA and its partners will be available to talk with community members in an Open House format.
At 6:30 p.m., EPA will deliver a presentation about the Proposed Plan, followed by an opportunity for oral and written comments to be transcribed into the record.
