Deal reached with state on Eden asbestos mine
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Staff Report - Published: July 3, 2009
MONTPELIER — The former owners of the massive Belvidere asbestos mine near Eden has reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to take steps to deal with the waste at the site.
The more than 1,500 acre mine in Vermont is the largest of the sites covered in the agreement between the feds and G-I Holdings Inc. reached Thursday. About 12 other industrial sites around the country are also covered in the settlement agreement.
The site in Vermont now consists of massive piles of rock tailings.
"These piles also attract hikers, rock collectors, and ATV enthusiasts. In the complaint, the United States alleged that these activities may cause exposure to airborne-asbestos by those who access the site," according to the statement issued Thursday by the U.S. Department of Justice. The state of Vermont was also involved in the settlement agreement.
Under the settlement the company will build fencing, gates and other barriers to keep people away from the site. In addition it will provide for security and surveillance of the buildings.
G-I will also monitor air quality and other sampling, if necessary, as well as dust suppression. Over eight years those efforts are expected to cost nearly $8 million.
"The cornerstone of this settlement is that G-I is responsible for completing extensive work at the Vermont Asbestos Group Mine Site, focusing on site security, air monitoring and investigating and sampling certain mine tailings," John Cruden, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division, said in the statement. "G-I will also pay for its share of cleanup costs for this Site and nine other contaminated sites around the country."
Last year, a Vermont Health Dept. study that appeared to draw a connection between living in towns near the mine and health risks caused an uproar in the state. After prodding by local residents — and a Legislative review and resolution — the study was updated.
"All of the five asbestosis-related deaths that occurred in towns surrounding the mine during the years 1996 to 2005 can be explained by occupational exposure to asbestos," according to a state summary of the update.
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