Source: http://www.nbc-2.com, April 14, 2011
The amount of asbestos discovered at the Summerlin overpass project is in excess of the legal limit, according to a report from ARMC, the asbestos consulting company.
ARMC sent an email to Lee County and the Department of Environmental Protection notifying them of the amount of asbestos found at the site.
AMRC said it found 44.6 cubic feet of asbestos at the site, which is above the state’s limit of 35 cubic feet.
The DEP will likely get involved again.
“We’re going to take a look and see how it was measured. It is a different ballgame if we do verify that the 35 cubic feet have been reached, then there’s a different set of rules that kick into place,” said Rhonda Haag, DEP spokeswoman.
The DEP is familiar with the Summerlin overpass project. The agency has been involved since asbestos was first found at the site in November 2009.
“We’ve been following the consultants and the workers out there to ensure that the proper procedures to ensure both the safety and the environment and the people,” said Haag.
Lee County Commissioner Frank Mann is determined not to let the new find delay the project.
“Even though they’ve met some of the threshold, were dealing with it and we’ve already dealt with it. I think we’re still on line to be finished with this project in early July and the Posen trucks can get themselves back to Michigan from where they came,” said Mann.
Because the DEP just received the report, it’s too early to tell whether Posen will face any penalties or fines.
DEP says they will probably set up a meeting with the county and consultant and the contractor to talk about the situation and the options for moving forward.