U.S. District Judge G. Ross Anderson Jr. said Schlumberger Technology Corp. and government agencies in South Carolina and Georgia must return to his courtroom on July 7 to report the progress made in the removal of the two dams, as well as PCB-laden sediments built up behind those dams.
It has been more than three years since Anderson ordered that the dams be removed. However, officials involved say issues over storage of the contaminated soil and permission to use nearby property has been a hang-up in the process.
The settlement, or consent decree, was reached between government agencies and the company for damages caused by PCB contamination originating from the former Sangamo-Weston plant in Pickens and several of its dumpsites.
Along with removing the two Woodside dams, Schlumberger agreed to pay $11.96 million for restoration of the natural resources and habitat along the river corridor and Lake Hartwell, which still has fish eating advisories in place.
Anderson said he wants to know how that money is being spent.
The Natural Resource Trustees, a group representing the government agencies, also said they would consider using some of those funds for the removal of a third dam, owned by Easley-Central Water.
More than 400,000 lb. of PCBs were dumped into the river between 1955 and 1977 when Sangamo produced capacitors containing the carcinogen, according to environmental officials.
Schlumberger, which purchased the plant, is now responsible for the cleanup efforts.
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