Results of work being done this week near the CSX bridge over the Barren River, coupled with other tests, could prompt the state to consider if it needs to look at the condition of other CSX bridges in Kentucky.

Shawn Cecil, manager of the state Superfund Branch, said it’s really too early to tell if the results of soil testing, tests on aquatic life and characterization of the materials still remaining on the bridge might mean that the state will look at other bridges.

It would depend on the extent of the lead contamination here, and the state would have to consider the practicality, he said.

Cecil said he knows Bowling Green businessman David Garvin hopes that such action would result from his initial complaint to the state.

Jeff Grow, biologist for the branch, was in Bowling Green on Monday getting a look at the area before the soil removal began.

Grow said AMEC Earth & Environmental of Knoxville, Tenn., was in charge of the project. But local environmental firm TPM was also on site, likely to handle disposal of the soil.

Despite having a work plan that said soil test results could be turned around within 24 hours, Cecil said he was not aware that any test results have come back. The state did not split samples with the company.

In Cecil’s opinion, the company’s initial tests showed just a small area of concern that would be easy for the state to come in after the fact and use its equipment, utilizing X-ray technology, to see if any contamination remains.

Garvin’s samples, however, showed high levels and wide-ranging contamination. And this week Garvin said it didn’t look like the soil removal was from areas that he had found to have high lead concentrations.

“We looked at (Garvin’s) test results (also) before approving this plan,” Cecil said. “We believe that the samples, which had actual paint chips in them, were exceptionally high. In those samples where there wasn’t an actual paint chip, the soil impact was minimal.”

While just a small area of contamination is causing concern – three areas were to be excavated, one to a depth of three feet, one to a foot and paint chip removal in the area immediately below the bridge abutment on top of a bluff – Cecil said of equal concern is the condition of the bridge and whether it contains lead paint that continues to flake off.

“Looking at the potential (continued) release will be part of the long-term plan,” Cecil said. “Whether that will require CSX to address it by (paint) removal or sealing it, is still too early to say.”

Once the state reviews the results of the testing of the soil being removed, it will determine if more should be taken out.

“They may come back and tell us that they need to remove more,” he said.

Soil removal work, at least initially, was expected to wrap up today. Cecil said he isn’t sure when test results looking at the aquatic life in the river will be complete.