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DAYTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it's changing gears from working on an emergency action that safeguards public health to a long-term study of how to clean up groundwater contamination in the vicinity of the Behr Dayton Thermal Systems Plant.

The agency is holding a community meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8, at Kiser School Cafeteria, 1401 Leo St., to explain.

It's likely that a problem spot in any cleanup is a large mass of contaminated soil beneath the factory complex at 1600 Webster St., owned by German auto parts maker Behr GmbH & Co.

Digging up soil beneath the working plant would be difficult. The groundwater contamination was discovered in 2003. By 2006, tests showed it migrated south and southwest through residential, commercial and industrial areas.

It's unclear how much chemical spilled and over how long a period, the EPA said. The study, a remedial investigation, will involve soil sampling as well as testing of groundwater and surface water. The average time to complete a study of this type is two years, EPA said.

In the last year, the EPA has tested 276 homes in the McCook Field neighborhood for potentially harmful soil gasses that might have contaminated indoor air. The groundwater was contaminated by trichloroethylene, or TCE, from a leak at the plant when it was owned by Chrysler. The EPA has to date installed 148 systems to evacuate contaminated air from indoor areas.

The EPA is also working with Chrysler to complete sampling on an additional 113 properties and install 48 vapor mitigation systems south of the site. Chrysler has indicated it believes other industrial parties could share blame.

Stacey Coburn, EPA remedial project manager, said Chrysler's efforts to clean the groundwater using large pumps are ongoing, but EPA has requested data to show how effective the effort has been.

Chrysler spokesman Max Gates said the company believes the work has been successful.

> What do you think of the EPA's work on the cleanup?