[MA-RPC] FW: Notice of Availability of the Assessment Plan for the Palmerton Natural Resource Assessment in Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, and Northhampton Counties, Pa.

[Kerry Snow]

-----Original Message-----
From: Donald_Owen at nps.gov [mailto:Donald_Owen at nps.gov] 
Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 3:26 PM
To: pauls at depersico.com; davescheid at yahoo.com; mmiller at atconf.org;
klutz at atconf.org; momland at appalachiantrail.org; bwilliams at atconf.org;
kerrysnow at comcast.net; HikeSperry at aol.com; dan.schwarz at lehigh.edu;
bls at fast.net; bwiemann at verizon.net
Cc: Pamela_Underhill at nps.gov; Greg_Nottingham at nps.gov; Rick_Dawson at nps.gov;
Steve_Klassen at fws.gov
Subject: Notice of Availability of the Assessment Plan for the Palmerton
Natural Resource Assessment in Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, and Northhampton
Counties, Pa.

Hi, everyone -

I just wanted to drop you a note and let you know that the Notice of
Availability of the Assessment Plan for the Palmerton Natural Resource
Assessment in Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, and Northhampton Counties, Pa., was
published today in the Federal Register.  You can obtain a copy of the draft
assessment plan at the following addresses:

http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/restorationplans/palmerton/palmerton.cfm

http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/remserv/nrd/nrdhome.html

The National Park Service is a Trustee in the case, along with the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the Pennsylvania Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources, the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.  Jointly, these federal and state agencies are known as the
Palmerton Natural Resource Trustee Council.

The assessment plan describes the Trustee Council's proposal to assess
potential injuries to natural resources as a result of the release of
hazardous substances from the Palmerton Zinc Pile Superfund Site.  The
purpose of the plan is to guide the Council through the Natural Resource
Damage Assessment process, and help the Trustees identify the loss of
ecological and human use services resulting from the release of hazardous
substances at Palmerton.  Viacom International, Inc., the Potentially
Responsible Party, has entered into a cooperative funding agreement that is
designed to provide a framework for a cooperative damage assessment process.

This process is different than the ongoing remediation process involving EPA
and Viacom.  In that process, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(USEPA) is the lead agency for the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) cleanup of the Palmerton National
Priorities List (NPL) site.  The National Park Service (NPS) is a support
agency in that process as well.

The Trustees are seeking public comment on the draft assessment plan for the
next 30 days.  Written comments should be directed to:

 Steve Klassen

 U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

 315 South Allen Street, Suite 322

 State College, PA 16801


 or by email to steve_klassen at fws.gov

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you!

Don

Don Owen
Environmental Protection Specialist
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
(deliveries: Third Floor, Civil War Story Building) Harpers Ferry Center
Harpers Ferry, W.Va. 25425
phone: (304) 535-4003
fax: (304) 535-6270
email: donald_owen at nps.gov