Those remedial alternatives for the site encompass a few distinct scenarios, outlined Thursday. One set of options would be to partially excavate the site to remove contaminated material. Other options are to pursue full excavation of the landfill’s contents or to cap the site. Capping was proposed in 2008, before the agency was prompted to revisit its decision — a process that has stretched up to now.

A deadline for the new decision has yet to come into focus, though Washburn said he expects one in “months, not years.” A presentation included in Thursday’s meeting showed the agency hopes to have completed the next phase of the process — reviewing and commenting on the feasibility study — by October.

Some community members at the meeting said they are worried that the EPA is done testing the landfill to map areas of contamination — a step they feel is incomplete without comprehensive grid testing across the site.

“Without an entire grid testing of the complex, the community is not satisfied,” said Doug Clemens, a founding member and former chair of the West Lake Community Advisory Group, a volunteer organization.

“That is the crux,” agreed Bridgeton resident Robbin Dailey. Without grid testing, she said that the process moving forward would likely be perceived as incomplete or insufficient. “You cannot remediate a site that has not been fully characterized,” she said.

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