Official hopes Carson River cleanup will be complete by November

Wayne Praskins, Superfund project manager for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said the limited cleanup should be finished by mid-November.

"We're hoping there are no more delays and we can finally get this done," Praskins said. If the $510,000 project remains on schedule, it will take about three months to complete.

A 100-mile stretch of the river, from the foothills below Virginia City to Lahontan Reservoir, was placed on the Superfund list in 1990.

Mercury was used in the processing of ore during the Comstock Lode mining boom. EPA officials said reports show elevated levels of mercury exist throughout the Carson River basin where mills once flourished.

But many area residents and local officials opposed the cleanup, arguing that there have been no documented cases of health problems caused by the tainted soil.

Critics also contend that the region was unfairly labeled as contaminated, hindering economic development efforts and depressing property values.

But federal environmental officials concluded the cleanup was necessary because concentrations of mercury are among the highest ever recorded.

Scientists also found fish in the river downstream and some birds that eat them with unacceptably high levels of mercury, prompting health officials to issue an advisory for people not to eat the fish.

The cleanup is voluntary among affected property owners, Praskins said, adding that four small residential areas were targeted based on test results.

"These are near homes and it was determined that the soil should be removed to reduce the risk of being exposed to potential health problems," Praskins said.

Crews have been working on a 2,000-foot-long section near the river in Dayton, removing up to 2 feet of contaminated soil. New topsoil will be brought in and the area will be revegetated.

Praskins said the final phase of the project will be the most complicated. It will involve the removal of four small residences along erosion-prone River Street and construction of a concrete retaining wall to prevent further movement of mill tailings.

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