Producer/Host: Amy Browne
The company responsible for cleaning up hundreds of thousands of tons of soil contaminated by mercury at the former Holtrachem chemical plant in Orrington, is asking the state to approve a cheaper, less thorough, and quicker, clean up plan for the site. Mallinckrodt Incorporated, a subsidiary of a multibillion dollar corporation, would save an estimated $100 million, and leave behind a large quantity of mercury in the soil, if their plan to remove only the most contaminated section is approved. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin, and the former Holtrachem site is on the banks of the Penobscot River, just a few miles upstream from Penobscot Bay.
The Board of Environmental Protection held a public hearing in Orrington, Thursday night to hear what people think about the proposal. WERU was there, and today we bring you excerpts from the testimony.
FMI: www.mainepeoplesalliance.org