As trial winds down, EPA cleanup continues at north Birmingham Superfund site

The bribery trial for a lawyer and coal executive accused of trying to avoid an environmental cleanup in north Birmingham is nearing an end, but cleanup operations conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will continue for some time at the 35th Avenue Superfund site.

EPA Region 4 spokesman James Pinkney said more than 50,168 tons of soil have been excavated from properties in the residential neighborhoods Collegeville, Fairmont and Harriman Park neighborhoods of north Birmingham because tests showed they contained unsafe levels of potentially harmful substances like arsenic, lead or benzo[a]pyrene.

Pinkney said soil has been removed from 389 properties in the area, while 138 additional properties have tested above the EPA's removal limits for those substances.

It will take at least two more years to finish removing the tainted soil from properties that have already been tested, Pinkney said.

EPA is still seeking access to some properties within the site boundary, as they must have the owner's permission before sampling the soil. It is possible additional properties could require remediation

SEE ALSO: 'We are a forgotten community': North Birmingham residents speak 

In the trial, which finished closing arguments Thursday, Drummond Coal vice president David Roberson and attorney Joel Gilbert of Balch and Bingham are accused of bribing State Rep. Oliver Robinson to oppose adding the site to the EPA's National Priorities List, and to expand the footprint of the site to neighboring communities in Tarrant and Inglenook.

EPA Region 4 Administrator Trey Glenn was called to testify in the trial because of work he did as a private consultant before he was appointed to his position at EPA.

Glenn, who is now overseeing the regional office in charge of the cleanup, was previously paid as a consultant to help Gilbert and others prevent the site from being expanded or added to the National Priorities List.

Drummond is one of five potentially responsible parties identified by EPA, and could be forced to pay for part of the cleanup, which Pinkney said has cost about $23 million so far.

When asked if the trial or issues surrounding the trial had any impact on the cleanup operations, Pinkney said: "No." 

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