By AP/KWMU
St. Louis, MO – The Environmental Protection Agency says it
will begin removing soil and driveways from lead-contaminated properties in Fredericktown.
The agency also will continue to test for more trouble spots.
The federal agency also wants to gauge public sentiment for nominating Fredericktown to the National Priorities List for major cleanup.
The Madison County town about 90 miles south of St. Louis is straddled along southeast Missouri's old lead belt. Lead mining drove the region's economy for 300-plus years, but its residue is poisoning some of its youngest residents.
Last year, the EPA tested 215 residential
properties in Fredericktown for lead contamination. About half had lead levels higher than the 400 parts per million the
EPA considers acceptable.