EPA and DMN - NEWS WE CAN USE!

Today was an exciting day as this blog was linked to the Dallas Morning News blog page and an EPA spokesman called to graciously answer questions on the lake! Here are the main facts he shared:
1. The aquifer near Cottonwood Bay is still contaminated because a certain chemical solvent -trichloroethylene - can't be removed. The Navy has tried to clean up the aquifer/groundwater and still has 8 years to successfuly do so (2017). No dwellings or offices should be built above this general region as air quality would likely be compromised; also drilling for natural gas should not be done near the aquifer.
2. The Navy will clean up parts of the lake - but in a cost effective way*. (*my radar going off...)
3. The Navy will only clean up the chemicals they spilled. They will not clean the entire lake, neither will they dredge out all the silt. However, they will suction out sediment in the lake where chemicals have settled.* Testing must be done to identify these locations - a major job if performed extensively. * A UTA environmental science professor says the PCBs trapped in sediment should be removed and incinerated.
4. When the Navy has tried to clean up chemicals using several cost effective methods which FAILED - as in the aquifer; the EPA takes into account the Navy's effort. Removing the chemical TCE is currently a challenging problem for scientists. Perhaps in time progress will be made. (My request is that citizens have input; and that corners are not cut to save money.)
5. Yes, according to my EPA contact, it would be theoretically possible for the entire lake to be dredged and used as a resevoir for Dallas's water supply. It would be possible for Exelon and the city of Dallas to work with the Navy on clean up, if Exelon permitted it , and all parties wanted to. But what about the aquifer that can't presently be fixed? Has TCE gotten down into the casings of deep water wells? I assume the aquifer is sealed, but I don't know how permanent and secure that would be.* Better not envision this as a water plan for our future at this point!

*There are differing opinions on this. Our TCEQ thinks the aquifer is not dangerous, is like a bathtub, and that chemicals don't migrate. When I read the TCE blog online, I notice a much higher level of concern about seepage and migration.

Summing up-I think we can expect a limited improvement in the lake itself; but a thorough clean up - to the extent possible - would involve Exelon Corp, the city of Dallas, and possibly the city of Grand Prairie. The aquifer problem belongs to the Navy.
Does anyone know what Exelon-or a new buyer of the company- intends to do or is doing on clean up? THANKS