BROKEN ARROW, Okla — A former seven-acre landfill in Broken Arrow has been capped with clay after crews discovered radioactive material near Kenosha and 219th East Ave.
EPA officials say they added another foot of clay cap material, followed by a grass seed mixture developed for the clay. It was then compacted, and topped off with a mat to prevent erosion. They also have the property fenced in.
The property was discovered to have levels of Thorium 232. According to the EPA, Thorium 232 on the ground is a health risk due to the buildup of Radium 228. When Thorium dust is inhaled, people have an increased risk of developing lung or pancreatic cancer and lung disease.
2 News was there in December 2022 when crews packed the land with clay, and finished just before Christmas. But the EPA says due to future erosion, it’s not a one-time solution.
That concerns Lucy Hobbs, who just bought a home nearby.
“My impression of all of this was that it was going to be good when they capped it with clay and nobody had anything to worry about," Hobbs said. She said her realtor didn't even tell her about it.
David Robertson, the EPA's on-site coordinator at the time, explained what's next.
“EPA will not be doing the ongoing maintenance on that property," Robertson said.
The city of Broken Arrow sent 2 News a statement confirming the property is privately owned and regulated by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality.
Here is a copy of the statement:
While the City of Broken Arrow appreciates and understands the concerns of residents about the site on East Kenosha Street, we have been assured by federal officials that the mitigation measures the Environmental Protection Agency put in place to reduce the radiation signature meet federal regulations.
It is important to note that this property is privately owned and is part of the Brownfield program regulated by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. Any future development of the property would be up to the private owner who must first receive approval from the ODEQ to develop the land before submitting any development type application or plan to the City of Broken Arrow for consideration.
If the private owner initiates a desire to go above and beyond the mitigation measures of the EPA, the owner must first receive approval from state and federal officials. If approval is granted, the City of Broken Arrow would be supportive of their collective efforts, so long as those plans do not adversely affect surrounding property owners.
The EPA says "they don’t see any root of exposure the way (the land) it is right now."
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