CATALDO, Idaho — A small group of northern Idaho residents is pushing to close a mining waste repository in Cataldo, saying they fear metal-contaminated soil from the site could seep into the Coeur d’Alene River.
The group protested outside the repository Tuesday morning, demanding the site be relocated outside of a 100-year flood plain. Shane Stancik with the Silver Valley Community Resource Center told the Coeur d’Alene Press he fears efforts by the government to protect nearby land won’t be enough to stop contamination from spreading.
The 4-year-old repository holds waste from Superfund cleanup efforts in the region, and it’s been engineered to prevent erosion. Don Carpenter with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality says there is regular ground and surface water monitoring at the site, as well as weekly visual inspections.
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