The Missouri Department of Natural Resources announced on Monday that it has signed a contract for the Madison County Mines Superfund Site.

The site is heavily contaminated by lead, the result of centuries of lead mining in the region. The contamination affects 1,100 residential yards in and around Fredericktown.

Robert Hinkson of the Department of Natural Resources Hazardous Waste Program says that the site poses serious threats to human health and the environment. “I think the thing that really got things moving and triggered activity at the site was the finding of children with elevated blood lead levels in the community that required some cleanup action to be taken.”

The US Environmental Protection Agency is currently reviewing contract bids. Cleanup is expected to begin later this year. The federal government will cover 90% of the 24.4 million dollar bill for the cleanup. The state of Missouri will provide 2.4 million dollars.

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