Silver Lake is objecting to the ending of clean-up efforts at a bulk oil plant site in the village.
The village discussed the matter at Wednesday’s Village Board meeting and has sent a letter to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources stating the position.
In the letter, the village says it “strongly objects” to the closure of the Kruzan Oil Bulk Plant Site, 110 Railroad St. The owners of the site have sought closure, which would mean an end to any remediation efforts. The contamination exists approximately 2 to 14 feet below the ground.
The letter, signed by village President Roger Johnson, gives the following reasons for the village objecting to closure for the site:
- Nearby residents have complained of strong fuel odors.
- The village interprets information from Kruzan as showing the problem is worse, not better.
- A letter from a consultant working for Kruzan says the contamination could pose “inhalation or other direct contact hazards” if disturbed during digging. Says the village letter: “Now that the contamination has spread into Schmalfeldt Park where children play, we have a much larger concern.”
- “The village considers this contamination a significant encumbrance on their property. Without complete remediation we will be required to follow expensive and time-consuming regulations whenever projects are constructed in this area.”
Jeff Kruzan informed the village of the company’s decision to seek closure of the site in a Sept. 4, 2009 letter. In the letter, Kruzan acknowledges the level of Benzene contamination in the groundwater at Schmalfeldt Park exceeds state standards. “However, the environmental consultants who have investigated this contamination have informed me that this groundwater containment plume is stable and in the process (of) receding and will naturally degrade over time,” Kruzan wrote.
