THE DIRT: EPA seeks public input for 5-Year Review
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency started its sixth Five-Year Review of the Bunker Hill Superfund site last month. The purpose of a Five-Year Review is to evaluate the existing remedy and determine if it continues to protect people’s health and the environment. EPA’s evaluation of the remedy, along with its findings and conclusions, will be included in this report. Any deficiencies found in the remedy will be noted along with potential ways to address them.
The first Five-Year Review was completed in June 2000 following the start of the Superfund cleanup actions. This process repeats every five years as required by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.
The Bunker Hill Superfund site was contaminated by historic mine waste disposal practices and smelting activities, which left harmful levels of metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium, and zinc. These metals are dangerous to both humans and wildlife. EPA’s Five-Year Reviews help monitor the impact of cleanup activities and determine whether any changes are needed.
EPA is inviting the community to participate in the current review. Any individual who lives, works, recreates or has an interest in this area is invited to share their thoughts and ideas about the site. While collecting community input for Five-Year Reviews is not required by law, it is an EPA best practice and helps the agency understand local concerns.
Interested participants should send feedback via email to EPA Community Involvement Coordinator Rafi Ronquillo at ronquillo.rafi@epa.gov. The deadline for feedback is Aug. 31. The current Five-Year Review is expected to be finished in September 2026 and published the following month.
Past Five-Year Reviews can be found on EPA’s Bunker Hill Superfund site profile webpage: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/bunker-hill. This page provides access to documentation related to the site. You can also sign up for the EPA’s e-mail list to receive any future site-related updates.
The Dirt is a series of informative articles focused on all aspects of cleanup efforts associated with the Bunker Hill Superfund Site. Our goal is to promote community awareness of contamination issues, to provide tools for protecting public health, and to keep the community informed of current and future cleanup projects. The Dirt is a group of committed and local experts from multiple agencies, including the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, Panhandle Health District, Shoshone County, Silver Valley Economic Development Corporation, and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
