The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency added two additional sites on December 20 to the Superfund National Priorities List of hazardous waste sites to be remediated, both having contaminated groundwater.
One site is a chemical manufacturing location with a range of organic chemicals, including trichloroethene (TCE) and heavy metals in Mississippi. The other is a drycleaning site with tetrachloroethene (PCE) and TCE in Nebraska.
NGWA’s Superfund Site Deletion Practices Review Group previously commented on other sites that the EPA should establish a reasonable timeframe for remediation and return these groundwaters to beneficial use. A timeframe for returning Superfund sites to beneficial use is provided for under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act’s National Contingency Plan § 300.430 Remedial investigation/feasibility study and selection of remedy (a) (1) (iii) (F).
More information on the following sites to the Superfund National Priorities List are as follows.
- Hercules Inc., Hattiesburg, Mississippi: The Hercules Inc. site was home to a former 200-acre chemical manufacturer located in a mixed residential, commercial, and industrial area. During operations, more than 250 chemical products, including paper and textile chemicals, paints, varnishes, pesticides, and insecticides were produced. Improper handling and disposal of these chemicals led to soil, waste, and groundwater contamination in amounts that exceed EPA’s Regional Screening Levels (RSLs) and Safe Drinking Water Act Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs).
- PCE Carriage Cleaners, Bellevue, Nebraska: The PCE Carriage Cleaners site was home to a drycleaner business that resulted in the release of PCE and TCE at the site. This contamination caused overlying commercial and residential properties to contaminate indoor air due to vapor intrusion. Superfund’s removal program has already installed 21 vapor mitigation systems at mixed commercial and residential buildings to address the contaminated indoor air.
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