NaturalResourcesDamageAssessment

RestorationNoticeforthe

ContinuationofaMusselReintroductionEffortVermilionRiverWatershed,Illinois

AspartofHegelerZinc‐‐LyondellBasellCompaniesNRDASettlement

July,2013

Preparedby

IDNR,ContaminantAssessmentSectionStaff

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Preface

Releasesofhazardoussubstancesandoilintoourenvironmentcanposeathreattohumanhealthandnaturalresources.Naturalresourcesareplants,animals,land,air,water,groundwater,drinkingwatersupplies,andothersimilarresources.Whenthepublic’snaturalresourcesareinjuredbyanunpermittedreleaseofhazardoussubstancesoroil,federallawprovidesamechanism,NaturalResourceDamageAssessment(NRDA)thatauthorizesNaturalResourceTrusteestoseekcompensationforthepublicforinjuriestonaturalresources.Illinois’NaturalResourceTrusteesincludeIllinoisEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(IEPA)andIllinoisDepartmentofNaturalResources(IDNR).TheIllinoisNaturalResourcesCoordinatingCounciloverseesrestorationeffortsandincludestheTrusteesandtheirlegalrepresentative,theIllinoisAttorneyGeneral’sOffice(IAGO).ThisplanwasdevelopedbyIDNRContaminantAssessmentSection(CAS)StaffwhoadministertheNRDAprogramforIllinois.

ThisRestorationNoticedescribesforthegeneralpublicandinterestedpartiesthetermsofthesettlementandtheStateTrusteesapproachtorestorationwithfocusontheState’ssupportandassistancewithaproposedmusselreintroductioneffort.Introduction

In2009,MillenniumPetrochemicals1filedbankruptcy.Inanefforttoseekcompensationfortheinjuriesdescribedwithin,theIllinoisNaturalResourceTrusteesrepresentedbytheIllinoisAttorneyGeneral’sOffice,filedabankruptcyclaimfornaturalresourcedamages.LyondellChemicalCompany,etal.,providedcompensationtothepublicbasedondeterminationthatnaturalresourceswereinjuredresultingfromreleasesintotheenvironmentofhazardoussubstances,includingbutnotlimitedto,metals,suchaszinc,arsenic,cadmium,andleadfromaformerzincsmeltingfacilityatHegeler,Illinois,thatwasoriginallyknownasHegelerZinc(Figure1).Thesettlement,enteredintheUSDistrictCourtonMarch12,2010,providedapproximately$1.5milliontobeusedfornaturalresourcerestoration.Alargescalerestorationplanningeffortisongoingforthesefunds.

ThisrestorationnoticewasdevelopedtodescribetheState’simplementationofatimecriticalrestorationactivityincoordinatedsupportofaUSFish&Wildlife(USFWS)musselreintroductioneffort.In2012theUSFWSconductedamusselreintroductionprojectaspartofafederalNRDAsettlementatHegeler‐Lyondell(USFWS2012)2.TheendangeredmusselsarecomingfrombridgesitesinPennsylvaniascheduledforremovalinthenextcoupleyears(Figure2).Thousandsofmusselsneedtoberelocatedpriortothebridges’removal.The2012USFWSNRDARestorationPlanwillserveasthebasisforIllinois’NRDAassistancewiththeproposedmusselreintroductioneffort.NRDABankruptcyClaim

TheFormerHegelerZincFacility(theSite)inHegeler,Illinois,operatedfrom1906to1954.This~100‐acrefacilityproducedzincslabandrolledzincproducts,aswellassulfuricacid,resultinginslagwaste.Thelargeamountsofslagcontainingunburnedresiduesandmetalswerestoredinpilesonsite.BasedontheworkoftheUnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(USEPA),thesitewaslistedontheNationalPrioritiesList,orSuperfund,in2005.Afterwhichtime,USEPAtooktheleadofaremedialinvestigationwhichconsistedofsoil,sediment,andgroundwatersamplingonandoffsite.Resultsshowedthatcontaminates(mostlyfromvariousmetals)notonlyaffectedthesmeltingsitebutnearby1MillenniumPetrochemicalsisthefinalcorporatesuccessortothehistoricalchainofoperations,andisownedbyLyondellBasellCompanies.2USFWSisaFederalNaturalResourceTrusteeforNaturalResourceDamageAssessments.

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residencesandstreams,notablyGrapeCreek,whichishydraulicallyconnectedtotheVermilionRiver.In2009oneofthesite’sresponsibleparties,MillenniumPetrochemicals1,filedbankruptcyalongwithotherLyondellentities.Inresponse,IDNRandIEPAwithlegalrepresentationbyIAGOpreparedanNRDAbankruptcyclaimbasedoninjuriestogroundwater,surfacewater(includinganUnnamedTributaryandGrapeCreek),aquaticresources,andterrestrialresources(includinggrasslandhabitat).Asaresultofthisclaim,theStateTrusteesbecamepartiestoaConsentDecreeapprovedbythebankruptcycourtbetweentheLyondellentities,theUnitedStatesofAmerica,andanumberofotherstatesandreceivedasettlementofitsclaim.Tomakethepublicwholeforinjuriestonaturalresourcesasaresultofreleasesofhazardoussubstance,theStateTrusteeswillidentifyandfundeffortstopreserveandenhanceecologicalfeaturesintheregion.OverallRestorationPlanningVision

TheoverallgoaloftheNaturalResourceDamageAssessmentandRestoration(NRDAR)effortistorestore,enhance,and/orpreservesimilarresourcesastothoseinjured.Targetcommunitytypesincludebutarenotlimitedto,grasslandandstreamhabitat.AtthistimefundswilllikelybespentsomewhereoffsiteasUSEPAcontinuestoleadtheremedialinvestigationoftheSuperfundsite.Preferencewillbegiventoprojectsinthesamegeneralarea/watershedoftheinjury(HydrologicUnityCode(HUC)8Watershed=Vermilion(WabashBasin);Figure3).

TheStaterecognizestheneedtoimplementtimecriticalactivitiestoprovidethemostbenefittoregionalresources.OnesucheffortispresentedinthisRestorationNotice,whichincludesamonitoringcomponent.Monitoringprovidesscientificknowledgefortheareatobetterunderstandregionalecologicalneeds,suchastheecologicalimpactsofmusselreintroductionanddamremoval.AdraftworkplanhasalsobeendocumentedthatoutlinestheuseofsomeNRDA(non‐restoration)fundsforadamremovalmonitoringeffort,whichisbeingusedincooperationwithafederalstatewildlifegrant(IDNR2013).InanefforttokeepthepublicinformedoftheprogressoftheseactivitiesIDNRwillissueupdatesintheformoffactsheetsandprogressreports,whichcanbefoundatthefollowingwebsite:http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/programs/NRDA/Pages/HegelerZincDanville.aspx.

AlargescalerestorationplanningeffortisongoingfortheVermilionRiverWatershedsettlement.Therestorationeffortwillfollowtheappropriateguidancefoundinthefederalregulationsandasdirectedbythecourtorder3.ArestorationworkgroupwillbeformedconsistingofIDNRCASstaffandfieldbiologistswithin,butnotlimitedto,IDNR’sDivisionofFisheries,DivisionofNaturalHeritage,DivisionofWildlife,LandManagement,NaturePreservesCommission,andWatershedProtectionProgram.Thisrestorationworkgroupwillbeorganizedtodevelopaquantitativeapproachtorestorationplanning,includingmonitoringprojectspreandpostrestorationtodetermineprojectsuccessorneedforadaptivemanagement.Thisworkgroupwillalsoensureeffortsareconsistentwithregionalplanning,forexample,providingprotectionforSpeciesinGreatestNeedofConservation.Alistofprojectalternativeswillbescreenedagainstfactors,suchasrestoreshabitatofinjuredstateresources,technicalfeasibility,costeffectivenessetc.,whichwillbedocumentedinarestorationplansubjecttopubliccomment.Thepublic,includingwatershedgroups,areencouragedtobeapartofthisprocess.Avenuesforthepublictoparticipateincludethefollowing:publicmeetingsoravailabilitysessions,reviewofthedraftrestorationplan,andsubmittingrestorationsuggestionsthroughtheCASwebsite:http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/programs/NRDA/Pages/NRDARestorationFactSheet.aspx.3ThisrestorationnoticeisasupplementtotheUSFWS’RestorationPlanwhichfollowedtheseFederalregulations.

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NorthernRiffleshellandClubshellTranslocationandMonitoringEffort

BackgroundTheUnitedStatesFish&WildlifeServicepublishedtheAugmentationandReintroductionPlanfortheClubshellandNorthernRiffleshellinIllinois(USFWS2008).Theplandiscussedtherecoveryactionstobeimplementedforthesetwolistedmusselspecies.ThesespecieswereoncewidespreadthroughouttheOhioandMaumeeRiverdrainages.Reasonsfordeclinesincludesiltationfromrunoff,pollutantssuchaspesticidesandfertilizers,habitatalternationfromdamsandimpoundments,in‐streamsandandgravelmining,andinvasivespeciessuchaszebraandquaggamussels.

PurposeTheVermilionRiverwatershed(oftheWabashRiver)hasbeenselectedtorelocatenorthernriffleshellandclubshellmusselsfromtheAlleghenyRiversysteminPennsylvania,whichisthreatenedbyaconstructionproject.Twopasttranslocationeffortshavetakenplace,in2010and2012withatotalofapproximately1200northernriffleshellsand200clubshellsrelocatedtotheVermilionRiversystem.Theseindividualsweretranslocated4totheSaltForkVermilionRiverandMiddleForkVermilionRiver,bothofwhichhavemultipleareasinconservationownershipandsupportdiverseandhighly‐valuedmusselassemblagesandpopulationsoftheknownfishhosts.Monitoringdataforthe2010and2012effortsindicatepositivesurvivability.Therefore,successfulconservationeffortscanbecontinuedbyreintroducingmorenorthernriffleshellandclubshellmusselsintoothertributariesoftheVermilionRiversystem.Thisproposalisconsistentwithrecoveryplans,restorationplans,andpreviousNationalEnvironmentalPolicyActanalysis.Thegoalistoestablishself‐sustainingnorthernriffleshellandclubshellpopulationsinIllinois,backtotheirhistoricalrange.TheStateTrusteesarecommittingapproximately$120,000tothiseffort,whichislessthan10%ofoverallrestorationfundsavailableperthesettlement.

ObjectivesTranslocate,augment5,andmonitornorthernriffleshellsandclubshellsfromtheAlleghenyRiversysteminPennsylvaniatotheVermilionRiverbasin(WabashRiverdrainage)inIllinois.

ExpectedBenefitsandResultsTheprojectwillbemonitoredtoassessperformanceoftechnicalactions,publicbenefits,andconservationresults.TheprojectisexpectedtoprovidebenefitsidentifiedinUSFWS’recoveryplan(1994)suchas,establishviablepopulations,maintaingeneticvariability,andpotentiallyreclassifythespeciesfromendangeredtothreatened6.

TechnicalApproachIDNR,IllinoisNaturalHistorySurvey(INHS),andUSFWSpersonnelwillassistincollectingadultandsubadultnorthernriffleshellandclubshellmusselsfromPennsylvania,helpquarantinethemusselstopreventthespreadofaquaticspeciesdiseases,tagmusselsfortracking7,andconductmonitoringofthetranslocatedpopulations.

4Translocationmeansmovingaspeciesfromoneareatoanother,forexample,takingmusselspeciescurrentlyresidinginPennsylvaniaandmoving(translocating)themtoIllinois.5Toaugmentmeanstomakegreater.Therefore,themusselpopulationinILisbeingincreased(augmented)bymovingmusselsfromPAtoIL.6Listingaspeciesas“endangered”isthemostsevereconservationstatus.Endangeredmeansthespeciesisonthebrinkofextinction.Listingaspeciesas“threatened”isalesssevereconservationstatus.7Pasteffortsacceptedassistancefrommembersofthepublicformusseltagging.

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GeneralTasksTask1.IdentifyanddeterminethesuitabilityofrelocationsitesintheVermilionRiversystem.Documentthestreamhabitatquality,waterqualityandquantityconditions,andthemusselcommunity.

Task2.TraveltoPennsylvaniatocollectnorthernriffleshellandclubshellmussels.Holdandtransportmusselsaccordingtopermitconditions.Quarantinethemusselsunderprescribedmethods.

Task3.Tagthemusselswithindividualnumberedtagsand/orPassiveIntegratedTransponder(PIT)tags.Transportmusselstotherelocationsitesforreleaseintothewildafterthequarantineperiod.

Task4.Conductmonitoringoperationsofrelocatedandstockedmusselsurvivalforthenext10+years.Monitoringincludese‐DNA,PITtagsearches,andmusselsurveys.Datawillbeanalyzedaftereverymonitoringevent,andyearlyreportsandpresentationswillbegiven.Thisinformationwillhelpdirectfutureeffortsbydeterminingsuccessofthetranslocationandlocalneedsforlongtermsustainabilityofthenorthernriffleshellandclubshellpopulations8.

ComplianceIDNR’sComprehensiveEnvironmentalReviewProcess(CERP)willbeapplied.CERPisaprocessthatensurestheprojectmeetstheappropriatecomplianceoutlinedunderthisRestorationNotice.USFWSwillensureallplannedactivitiesarealsoincompliancewiththeNationalEnvironmentalPolicyAct.Allotherrequiredpermits,suchasEndangeredSpecies,NaturePreserves,etc.willbesecuredpriortotheimplementationoftheprojectaspartofCERP.References

IDNR.March2013.DraftWorkPlanfortheHegelerZincFacility,HegelerILNRDABankruptcySettlement.http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/programs/NRDA/Documents/HZD%20Draft%20Work%20Plan%20for%20restoration%20planning‐3.1.13.pdf

TheUnitedStatesFish&WildlifeService.1994.Clubshell(Pleurobemaclava)andNorthernRiffleshell(Epioblasmatorulosarangiana)RecoveryPlan.http://www.fws.gov/northeast/nyfo/es/clubshell.pdf

TheUnitedStatesFish&WildlifeService.2008.TheAugmentationandReintroductionPlanfortheClubshellandNorthernRiffleshellinIllinois.http://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/clams/pdf/clmu_riffDraftEAMay2008.pdf

TheUnitedStatesFish&WildlifeService.2012.RestorationPlanandEnvironmentalAssessmentforHegelerZincSmelterSiteandLyondellChemicalCompanyBankruptcyHegeler,Illinois.http://www.fws.gov/midwest/rockisland/ec/restoration/records/vermilionriverrpeadraft.pdf

8Additionally,thereispotentialtoreceivepropagatedjuvenileNorthernRiffleshellandClubshellmusselsfromaUSFWSnationalhatcheryorincreaseinstreamfishhabitatforthemusselfishhosts.

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Figure2.PicturesofthePennsylvaniabridgesitealongtheAlleghenyRiver(UniversityofIllinoisINHSpresentation).

Figure1.PhotosoftheHegelerZincFacilityinVermilionCounty,IL.Left:anaerialphotoofthefacilityin1940(USEPApresentation).Right:azincslagpile,residualwasteoffacilityoperations(picturetakenbyCASstaff).