Department of Natural Resources plans public meeting on Litton plant TCE pollution

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has scheduled a public informational meeting about the former Litton Systems Inc. trichloroethylene (TCE) site in Springfield.

The meeting is 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 14, at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds and Event Center in the Center Hall, 3001 N. Grant Ave.

TCE is a known carcinogen. Litton Systems Inc. used the chemical at its Springfield plant decades ago to clean circuit boards it manufactured.

TCE leaked into the ground from the Litton property and so far has contaminated at least 30 water wells north of the site. Contamination also has been found in remote sections of Fantastic Caverns.

According to DNR, information that will be presented at the meeting will include a brief history of the Litton site, adjacent to the Springfield-Branson National Airport, a summary of environmental remediation and sampling efforts in the area, an overview of plans for future work, activities on property belonging to Fantastic Caverns and a discussion of trichloroethylene, the primary site contaminant.

An open forum and availability session will follow the presentations.

Related:More wells test positive for TCE pollution from Litton site

The public will have an opportunity to ask questions and provide comments about the site. Participants also will be able to submit written comments, questions and concerns.

Fantastic Caverns has been drilling a series of ventilation wells to intercept and exhaust TCE fumes before they reach the show cave. Fantastic Caverns and state officials have said there is no health threat to Fantastic Caverns workers or visitors who view the underground formations aboard motorized vehicles.

Fantastic Caverns plans to send the bill for drilling the ventilation wells to Northrop Grumman.

According to DNR, Litton agreed in 1983 to pay $50,000 for violations of Missouri’s Hazardous Waste Management Law.

More:Fantastic Caverns hopes vent holes will keep toxic chemical out of cave

The agreement settled a lawsuit the Attorney General's Office filed against Litton in October 1982 in Greene County Circuit Court.

The public can learn more about the site prior to the meeting and sign up to receive future updates at https://dnr.mo.gov/env/hwp/sfund/LittonSystems/.

For more information about the public meeting, contact Jennifer Lamons at 573-522-1540 or jennifer.lamons@dnr.mo.gov. 

People requiring special services or accommodations to attend the meeting can make arrangements by calling the department’s Hazardous Waste Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-3176. Hearing-impaired individuals may contact the program through Relay Missouri at 800-735-2966. 

More:DNR hopes extraction wells will pull cancer-causing chemical out of northwest SGF water