NETWORK INDINA _ (WOWO): The Gary-Chicago International Airport pushed back the deadline for its runway expansion to next fall, because of unexpected environmental issues.

Airport officials and Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson say construction work at the site revealed higher-than-expected ground contamination, more than the expected 80-thousand cubic yards of toxins.

Interim <st1:placetype w_st=”on”>Airport Director Steve Landry says that in 1997, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency designated the area as a Superfund site. It was originally occupied by Conservation Chemical. Landry says the area now has 120-thousand cubic yards of lead, PCB’s, oils and arsenic. Mayor Freeman-Wilson says negotiations with railroads, and work on a public-private partnership are not affected. She says the runway will now open in September of 2014.