Riverside Park sign. Image courtesy: WAOW TV
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Remediation for the soil in Riverside Park is getting one step closer to reality.
Monday afternoon Wausau’s Parks and Recreation Committee reviewed the full history of the soil testing conducted in Riverside Park from 2006 to 2020. The most recent soil testing was conducted by REI Engineering Inc., a local land surveyor that compiled the data into an informational packet.
At the meeting, REI Senior Consultant Ken Lassa and Hydrogeologist Matt Michalski went over the data provided in the packet and answered any questions from the committee. In going over the packet Michalski noted that the soil samples found with the highest levels of dioxin were in the culvert area of Riverside Park, most likely due to runoff from other locations.
When discussing the next steps for the data Lassa explains the city has two options when submitting to the DNR. “We could a. do a submittal of this data or b. there could be submittal of this data with additional sampling to further define and further pinpoint [the dioxin levels]”.
When asking questions about the data committee members focused on looking at what standards the DNR would be using in evaluating the toxicity levels. District 3 Alder Tom Killian mentioned wanting the DNR to follow NR720 standards to evaluate the results as opposed to just TEQ values.
Lassa thinks the DNR could respond to the Riverside Park data in a few different ways. “The DNR looks at this and says well this tells us enough data to show that perhaps this source is coming from an adjacent property. That could lead to possibly a change in RP status, responsible party status.
“They maybe could say, hey this appears that some of this is coming from an offsite source. And therefore that could provide evidence to change that status. Or they could look at this and say, you know there’s some older historical data on that Wauleco property that if there was some analysis done with that including with this, that could lead to some other discussions as well.
“But to answer your question precisely I think yes we would like to present the data as we’ve discussed it over the phone with the DNR, but they’ve not seen it, as the next step. … The first step is to always define the degree and extent. We can offer opinions of what ultimately we think will happen. But until the DNR gets a chance to review this, digest it, and provide comment, we can discuss those next steps.”
Following forty minutes of discussion the Parks and Rec committee unanimously approved submitting the testing results to the DNR with notes from the committee meeting. A response from the DNR once they receive the information would likely come in the next 60 to 90 days.
Comments