EPA to Host Two Public Meetings for Cleanup Actions in Big River and Floodplain

Meetings will take place in Farmington and Hillsboro, Missouri

July 17, 2025

Contact Information

Kellen Ashford (ashford.kellen@epa.gov)

816-610-2132

image of Big River floodplain FS SEMO NPL sites map

LENEXA, KAN. (JULY 17, 2025) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be hosting two public meetings for non-time-critical removal actions planned for the Big River and its floodplain in St. Francois and Jefferson counties, Missouri.

EPA has identified risks to human health and the environment, due to elevated levels of lead and other mining-derived heavy metals in the Big River and its floodplain. To address this contamination, EPA plans to implement and oversee the first phase of cleanup – a non-time-critical removal action – within the Big River Mine Tailings/St. Joe Minerals Corp. and Southwest Jefferson County Mining Superfund sites.

EPA developed engineering evaluation/cost analyses to evaluate cleanup alternatives for the area and is providing the report for public review.

EPA will be hosting two public meetings to review the engineering evaluation/cost analyses and highlight the removal action objectives and removal alternatives that EPA examined, and answer questions from the community.

Details on the public meetings are below:

Big River Mine Tailings/St. Joe Minerals Corp. Site
Tuesday, July 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. CDT
First State Community Center
Two Black Knight Drive
Farmington, MO 63640

Southwest Jefferson County Mining Site
Wednesday, July 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. CDT
Jefferson College – Arts and Sciences Building, Lecture Hall 3
1000 Viking Drive
Hillsboro, MO 63050

Additionally, the public comment period will be open for 30 days following the publication of the engineering evaluation/cost analyses. EPA will review and respond to comments received during the public comment period. The final decisions, along with EPA’s responses to public comments, will be documented in the Action Memorandums.

Read the Big River Mine Tailings/St. Joe Minerals Corp. Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis.
Learn more about the Big River Mine Tailings/St. Joe Minerals Corp. Superfund Site.
Read the Southwest Jefferson County Mining Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis.
Learn more about the Southwest Jefferson County Mining Superfund Site.

EPA to Host Two Public Meetings for Cleanup Actions in Big River and Floodplain

Details on the public meetings are below:

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