By Véronique LaCapra, St. Louis Public Radio
St. Louis, MO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to add another area in Washington County to the national list of Superfund sites.
The Furnace Creek site is part of southeastern Missouri's Lead Belt, where mining activities have contaminated soils and groundwater with high levels of lead.
Adding Furnace Creek to the Superfund National Priorities List would make more federal funds available for cleanup. EPA is already working to remove lead from three other Superfund sites in Washington County.
The proposed 175-square-mile site includes residential areas in and around the towns of Belgrade, Caledonia, Hopewell, and Irondale.
The public has until December 21st to comment on the proposal.