The Restoration Advisory Board for the Badger Army Ammunition Plant has received authorization for a Technical Assistance for Public Participation (TAPP) grant of $11,800 from the U.S. Army. The contract has been awarded to Environmental Stewardship Concepts of Richmond, Virginia, which will provide technical review of reports pertaining to the environmental cleanup at Badger.
“In the coming months, the RAB will be tasked with providing comments on one of the largest contaminated sites within Badger,” said Laura Olah, TAPP Committee Chairperson for the board. “We believe that having an independent qualified provider will contribute to the environmental restoration activities at the plant and help achieve the best possible cleanup.”
Peter deFur, President of ESC, has thirteen years of experience in environmental risk assessment and is currently providing technical services for the cleanup of both military and nonmilitary sites around the country. Through the TAPP, he will be assessing the ecological risks at the Settling Ponds & Spoils Disposal Areas located along Badger’s southern boundary. During active production years, these man-made ponds received sanitary and industrial wastewater from the entire facility and surface runoff from several munitions production areas. In 1970, the ponds covered 25 acres. Spoils removed during dredging operations were placed alongside the ponds. Contaminants of concern include toxic metals and explosives.
Board members that supported hiring deFur as an independent provider include Mary Carol Solum (At Large Member), Paul Herr (Town of Merrimac), Ken Lins (At Large Member), Mary Jane Koch (At Large Member), Michele Hopp (Village of Merrimac), Laura Olah (Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger), Charlie Wilhelm, (At Large Member), Lance Delaney (At Large Member), William T. Stehling (At Large Member), Richard Anderson (At Large Member), Ron Lins (Town of Prairie du Sac), O.J. Befera (City of Baraboo), William F. Wenzel (Village of Prairie du Sac), and Judy Ashford (Sauk County).