Salina officials and the federal government have reached a financial settlement to cover another step in cleaning up contaminated groundwater and soil at a former Air Force base.
Officials announced Thursday that the federal government will pay 90 percent of an estimated $9.3 million needed to investigate the contamination, prepare a feasibility study and agree to a final plan for cleaning up the industrial solvent TCE at the former Schilling Air Force Base. The city of Salina will pay the remaining 10 percent.
The deal must be approved by the Salina City Commission, the Salina School District, the Salina Airport Authority and Kansas State University, as well as the U.S. District Court and Justice Department.