NEW YORK - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to start new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites and expedite over 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country. The New Jersey sites included are the Cornell-Dubilier Electronics Inc. Superfund site in South Plainfield, the Mansfield Trail Dump Superfund site in Byram Township and the Matteo & Sons, Inc. Superfund site in West Deptford, New Jersey.

Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed, including in manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining sites. Superfund cleanups help transform contaminated properties and create jobs in overburdened communities, while repurposing these sites for a wide range of uses, including public parks, retail businesses, office space, residences, warehouses, and solar power generation. In addition, these sites can support natural areas, parks, and recreation facilities, providing greenspace and safe places for families to play outside.

“Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, we are moving faster than ever before to progress clean up at contaminated sites – from manufacturing facilities to landfills – in communities across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan “But our work is not yet finished – we’re continuing to build on this momentum to ensure that communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination finally get the investments and protections they deserve.”

"Today marks another important step in our ongoing efforts to clean up contaminated sites in New Jersey, which has the most Superfund sites in the country," said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "With these new funds from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are excited to continue our cleanup efforts by removing contaminated waste and soil, ensuring access to clean drinking water, and bringing more sites closer to finishing cleanup."

“New Jersey is home to the most Superfund sites in the nation, and I am proud to have helped secure the vital funding in the bipartisan infrastructure bill that will fund this work,” said Senator Bob Menendez. “Today’s announcement means even more New Jersey communities will benefit from groundwater and soil remediation and improved public health, which will lead to cleaner and healthier communities and enhanced economic opportunity for residents, particularly here in South Plainfield, Byram and West Deptford. I want to thank the Biden Administration for their continued commitment to transforming communities who have been impacted by toxic contamination.” 

“New Jersey has the most Superfund sites of any state in America,” said Senator Cory Booker. “These sites, disproportionately located in Black, Brown, and low-income communities, contain toxic substances that expose nearby residents to elevated risks of cancers, birth defects, and other serious health problems. Since the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, our state has received the federal support and resources necessary to remediate these sites, and today’s announcement will ensure that we continue our vital progress.” 

“For years, we’ve been trying to get this contaminated site cleaned up. Thanks to President Biden and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which I proudly helped pass in Congress, we’re finally getting the job done,” said Representative Donald Norcross. “West Deptford families and business community don’t want to live and work near contaminated Superfund sites. It’s bad for our health and it’s bad for business. I’ll continue fighting in Congress to improve the environmental health and safety of South Jersey communities.” 

“I’m proud to announce that help is on the way to clean up Superfund sites in New Jersey, including the Cornell-Dubilier Superfund Site in my district. Superfund sites threaten public and environmental health in New Jersey and across the country. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering on the promise we made to clean up backlogged sites and give our communities the peace of mind they deserve,” Congressman Frank Pallone said. “I’m grateful to Administrators Regan and Garcia for working with us to get these sites cleaned up.” 

“New Jersey thanks its congressional delegation for securing funds that will further advance efforts by the EPA and DEP to foster healthy neighborhoods in our state,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. “Together with our federal partners, my Administration has worked tirelessly to confront legacy environmental hazards that for far too long have limited the potential of New Jersey communities. Remediating contaminated soil and water in every corner of our state will safeguard the growth and development of our children for generations to come.”

“New Jersey boasts the most Superfund sites in the country because we seek them out and clean them up—a mark not of indignity, but of our resolve,” said State Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette. “Thanks to the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Garden State champions in Congress like Rep. Frank Pallone, who fought for its passage, our partners at USEPA now have the resources to accelerate long-overdue cleanup activities, including the removal of toxic contaminants from sediments of the Bound Brook in South Plainfield. On behalf of the people of New Jersey, and their environment, I thank our partners at USEPA for this and other critical work to clean up past environmental harms all across our state.” 

Cornell-Dubilier Electronics, Inc. Superfund site is located in Middlesex County, New Jersey and addresses contamination from an electronic components manufacturer, which operated at a 26-acre facility in South Plainfield from 1936 to 1962. Use and improper disposal of PCBs and solvents during the production process led to the contamination of soil, groundwater, and nearby areas, including Bound Brook, a tributary of the Raritan River. The latest phase of the cleanup includes the removal of contaminated sediment from Bound Brook and nearby soil, proceeding downstream. This work has already started and is estimated to cost $152 million. BIL funding will support future cleanup project phases, extending as far as New Market Pond in Piscataway over the next several years.

The Mansfield Trail Dump Superfund site is located in a residential neighborhood in Byram Township, Sussex County, New Jersey. The site includes former waste disposal trenches that have contaminated the soil with lead (Pb) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and the groundwater with trichloroethylene (TCE), causing drinking water quality issues for nearby residents. EPA will use BIL funding to build a new waterline for impacted residents, providing them with secure access to clean drinking water. EPA will also remove soil that has been contaminated and begin capping and removing harmful vapors at the source of the contamination, as well as treating the groundwater to remove any harmful pollutants. Until EPA installs the new waterline, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection will continue to monitor and maintain the water filtration systems at affected properties, ensuring they are functioning properly. EPA will continue the work for the waterline estimated to cost $8.7 million, and begin the other work at the site estimated to cost $11.5 million for the cleanup of soil and groundwater contamination with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The Matteo & Sons Inc Superfund site is an 80-acre area in West Deptford, NJ that was previously used for lead battery recycling and waste disposal. These activities contaminated the soil, sediment, and groundwater, leading to environmental concerns at the site and in the surrounding community. The EPA will use funding from BIL to clean up the site by removing contaminated waste and soil and placing an asphalt cap over the affected area within the scrap metal recycling facility. EPA will begin the cleanup work estimated to cost $72.2 million with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The $1 billion investment announced today is the second wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With the first wave of funding announced in December 2021, EPA deployed more than $1 billion for cleanup activities at more than 100 Superfund National Priorities List sites across the country. Thanks to this historic funding, EPA started 81 new cleanup projects in 2022, including projects at 44 sites previously on the backlog. By starting four times as many construction projects as the year before, EPA is aggressively bringing more sites across the country closer to finishing cleanup. In addition to funding cleanup construction work, this investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2022, EPA more than doubled its spending for Superfund pre-construction activities like remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed. Out of the 22 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, 60% are in communities with the potential for environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN, an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.

Background:

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

For more information on each site, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-sites-new-construction-projects-receive-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

To see highlights from the first year of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure/cleaning-superfund-sites-highlights-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan announced the availability of $2 billion from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address emerging contaminants, like Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in drinking water across the country. This investment, which is allocated to states and territories, will be made available to communities as grants through EPA’s Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Grant Program and will promote access to safe and clean water in small, rural, and disadvantaged communities while supporting local economies. Administrator Regan announced the water infrastructure investments in Maysville, North Carolina while holding a community roundtable with North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Elizabeth S. Biser and other state and local leaders. 

“Too many American communities, especially those that are small, rural, or underserved, are suffering from exposure to PFAS and other harmful contaminants in their drinking water,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Thanks to President Biden’s leadership, we are investing in America and providing billions of dollars to strengthen our nation’s water infrastructure while safeguarding people’s health and boosting local economies. These grants build on EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap and will help protect our smallest and most vulnerable communities from these persistent and dangerous chemicals.”

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $5 billion over five years to help communities that are on the frontlines of PFAS contamination reduce PFAS in drinking water. This initial allotment of $2 billion to states and territories can be used to prioritize infrastructure and source water treatment for pollutants, like PFAS and other emerging contaminants, and to conduct water quality testing.

EPA is also releasing the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities Grant Implementation document. The implementation document provides states and communities with the information necessary to use this funding to address local water quality and public health challenges. These grants will enable communities to improve local water infrastructure and reduce emerging contaminants in drinking water by implementing solutions such as installing necessary treatment solutions.

Today’s actions represent a significant milestone within the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitments to combat PFAS pollution and safeguard drinking water, and specifically EPA’s October 2021 PFAS Strategic Roadmap. Under the Roadmap, EPA is working across the Agency to protect the public from the health impacts of PFAS. EPA has taken a number of actions to deliver progress on PFAS including: 

• Proposing to designate two PFAS as CERCLA hazardous substances. If finalized, this will be a critical step toward increasing transparency around releases of PFAS and holding polluters accountable for cleaning up their contamination.
• Releasing drinking water health advisories. Acting in accordance with EPA’s mission to protect public health and keep communities and public health authorities informed when new science becomes available, the Agency issued drinking water health advisories for four PFAS.
• Laying the foundation to enhance data on PFAS. This included an order under EPA’s National PFAS Testing Strategy requiring companies to conduct PFAS testing, and nationwide sampling through the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule for 29 PFAS in public drinking water systems.
• Expanding the scientific understanding of PFAS. The Agency issued more than 30 scientific publications by EPA researchers and released EPA’s PFAS Thermal Treatment Database.
• Translating the latest science into EPA’s cross-agency PFAS efforts. This included updating EPA’s contaminated site cleanup tables, developing new PFAS methods and conducting toxicity assessments, and issuing draft national recommended water quality criteria to protect aquatic life.
• Continuing engagement with the public. EPA’s PFAS work was informed by public webinars, stakeholder meetings, Congressional testimony, and engagement with EPA’s federal advisory committees.

In addition to this new grant, EPA is also working to propose a PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR) in the coming weeks. The draft proposed rule is currently undergoing interagency review and EPA will issue the proposed rule for public comment when it clears the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Agency anticipates finalizing the rule by the end of 2023. Together, with today’s announcement, these actions highlight EPA’s commitments outlined in the PFAS Strategic Roadmap to protect public health and the environment from the impacts of PFAS. They also illustrate the benefits of investing in water—protecting public health and the environment, addressing key challenges facing communities, and creating jobs.

Visit EPA’s website for more information.

WASHINGTON (Feb. 10, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding today from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to start new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites and accelerate more than 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country, including the Hidden Lane Landfill Superfund Site in Sterling, Virginia.

“Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, we are moving faster than ever before to progress clean up at contaminated sites – from manufacturing facilities to landfills – in communities across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “But our work is not yet finished – we’re continuing to build on this momentum to ensure that communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination finally get the investments and protections they deserve.”

There are thousands of contaminated sites nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or improperly managed. Superfund cleanups help transform and repurpose contaminated properties into residences, retail and office space warehouses, solar power generation, and more. These include former manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining sites.

“This funding brings communities that much closer to being rid of legacy contamination that’s been hindering recreational access, economic redevelopment, and ultimately – the peace of mind that comes with knowing one’s air, land, and water are safe,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “EPA is steadfast in its efforts towards making that peace of mind a reality for all Virginians, regardless of the shortsightedness of industries past, while transforming contaminated properties and creating jobs in overburdened communities.”

The Hidden Lane Landfill was a 25-acre privately owned and operated disposal facility north of Virginia Route 7 between the Broad Run Farms and Countryside communities. It lies immediately adjacent to the floodplain of the Potomac River. Starting in 1971, the facility accepted a variety of solid wastes including construction and demolition wastes, land clearing wastes and other items such as appliances, tires, paper and cardboard.

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is making a huge difference in communities across Virginia,” said Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA). “I’m glad to see this federal funding go to the Hidden Lane Landfill Superfund Site in Sterling to help clean up contamination and protect the local community from hazardous waste and toxins.”

In February 2022, after seeking public comment, EPA announced the cleanup plan in a Record of Decision (ROD) for the Hidden Lane Landfill Superfund Site.  The ROD documents the plans to address the landfill cap and the source area of site groundwater contamination. Cleanup plans include landfill cap repair and maintenance with land use controls, excavation with off-site disposal of principal threat source material, and bioremediation of the groundwater.

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has launched projects across the Commonwealth that create jobs and better our communities,” said Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA). “I am thrilled to see Hidden Lane Landfill receive cleanup funds as part of a continued effort to ensure that those living closest to this site are safe from potential contaminants.”

Please visit the Hidden Lane Superfund Site for more information.

The $1 billion investment announced today is the second wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work. With the first wave of funding announced in December 2021, EPA deployed more than $1 billion for cleanup activities at more than 100 sites across the country. Thanks to this historic funding, EPA started 81 new cleanup projects in 2022, including projects at 44 sites previously on the backlog. By starting four times as many construction projects as the year before, EPA is aggressively bringing more sites across the country closer to finishing cleanup.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. Out of the 22 sites in this round of funding, 60% are in communities with the potential for environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN, a mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.

ATLANTA (February 10, 2023) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to start new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites, including the Westside Lead Superfund site in Atlanta, and expedite over 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country.

Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed, including in manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining sites. Superfund cleanups help transform contaminated properties and create jobs in overburdened communities, while repurposing these sites for a wide range of uses, including public parks, retail businesses, office space, residences, warehouses, and solar power generation. In addition, these sites can support natural areas, parks, and recreation facilities, providing greenspace and safe places for families to play outside.

“Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, we are moving faster than ever before to progress clean up at contaminated sites – from manufacturing facilities to landfills – in communities across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan “But our work is not yet finished – we’re continuing to build on this momentum to ensure that communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination finally get the investments and protections they deserve.”

“Cleaning up Superfund sites is a top priority for EPA,” said EPA Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman. “Thanks to the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we can clean up contaminated sites that threaten communities, breathe new life into these sites and turn them from a liability into community assets.” 

“People shouldn’t have to worry if their land will make them sick. The funding secured through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to clean up the Westside Lead Superfund site will help children in English Avenue and Vine City live and play without risk of lead poisoning,” said Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05). “I look forward to working with the EPA to finish the job for Atlanta families.”

“The Georgia Environmental Protection Division will continue to work with and support EPA's efforts to identify and remediate lead contaminated soils at the Westside Lead site,” said Georgia Environmental Protection Division Director Richard Dunn. “The additional BIL funding will ensure the clean-up activities are completed quickly and efficiently, reducing the risk of exposure to families in the area.”

The Westside Lead site was added to the National Priorities List (NPL) on March 16, 2022. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds will be used at the site to excavate and dispose of lead-contaminated soil at residential properties, including places where children live and play. Young children are at most risk for possible lead poisoning. This funding will allow EPA to address legacy lead contamination and will deliver lasting public health protections for this community burdened by contamination from past industrial activities.

The $1 billion investment announced today is the second wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With the first wave of funding announced in December 2021, EPA deployed more than $1 billion for cleanup activities at more than 100 Superfund National Priorities List sites across the country. Thanks to this historic funding, EPA started 81 new cleanup projects in 2022, including projects at 44 sites previously on the backlog. By starting four times as many construction projects as the year before, EPA is aggressively bringing more sites across the country closer to finishing cleanup. For example, in Evansville, Indiana, EPA continued to reduce exposures to lead and arsenic in soil in the neighborhoods of the Jacobsville Neighborhood Contamination site by starting the next phase of cleaning up contaminated residential soils.

In addition to funding cleanup construction work, this investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2022, EPA more than doubled its spending for Superfund pre-construction activities like remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed. Out of the 22 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, 60% are in communities with the potential for environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN, an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.

Background:

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

For more information on each site, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-sites-new-construction-projects-receive-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

To see highlights from the first year of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure/cleaning-superfund-sites-highlights-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund

LENEXA, KAN. (FEB. 10, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to start new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites, including the Valley Park TCE Site in Valley Park, Missouri, and to expedite over 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country.

Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed, including in manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining sites. Superfund cleanups help transform contaminated properties and create jobs in overburdened communities, while repurposing these sites for a wide range of uses, including public parks, retail businesses, office space, residences, warehouses, and solar power generation. In addition, these sites can support natural areas, parks, and recreation facilities, providing greenspace and safe places for families to play outside.

“Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, we are moving faster than ever before to progress cleanup at contaminated sites – from manufacturing facilities to landfills – in communities across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “But our work is not yet finished – we’re continuing to build on this momentum to ensure that communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination finally get the investments and protections they deserve.”

“This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law enables crews in our Region to begin new construction at Valley Park,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. “Cleaning up sites throughout Region 7 helps ensure that we continue to protect the environment and the health of residents in our nation’s heartland.”

“We’re excited to receive this funding so we can accelerate the work being done at the Valley Park TCE Site,” said EPA Region 7 Superfund and Emergency Management Division Director Bob Jurgens. “Our teams are committed to the EPA mission to protect human health and the environment through cleaning up the contaminated soil and groundwater.”

Valley Park TCE, a Superfund site located in the eastern portion of Valley Park, consists of two source areas – the former Wainwright Industries and current Valley Technologies properties – and two contaminated groundwater plumes within the Meramec River alluvial aquifer.

The $1 billion investment announced today is the second wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With the first wave of funding announced in December 2021, EPA deployed over $1 billion for cleanup activities at over 100 Superfund National Priorities List sites across the country. Thanks to this historic funding, EPA started 81 new cleanup projects in 2022, including projects at 44 sites previously on the backlog. By starting four times as many construction projects as the year before, EPA is aggressively bringing more sites across the country closer to finishing cleanup.

For example, in Evansville, Indiana, EPA continued to reduce exposures to lead and arsenic in soil in the neighborhoods of the Jacobsville Neighborhood Contamination Site by starting the next phase of cleaning up contaminated residential soils.

In addition to funding cleanup construction work, this investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2022, EPA more than doubled its spending for Superfund pre-construction activities like remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed. Out of the 22 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, 60% are in communities with the potential for environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN, an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.

Background

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund. This law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

• Read more about each Superfund site.
• View highlights from the first year of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites.
• Read more about EPA’s Superfund program.

# # #

Learn more about EPA Region 7

View all Region 7 news releases

Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter: @EPARegion7

LENEXA, KAN. (FEB. 10, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to start new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites – including the 57th and North Broadway Streets, Caney Residential Yards, and Plating Inc. sites in Kansas – and to expedite over 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country.

Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed, including in manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining sites. Superfund cleanups help transform contaminated properties and create jobs in overburdened communities, while repurposing these sites for a wide range of uses, including public parks, retail businesses, office space, residences, warehouses, and solar power generation. In addition, these sites can support natural areas, parks, and recreation facilities, providing greenspace and safe places for families to play outside.

“Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, we are moving faster than ever before to progress cleanup at contaminated sites – from manufacturing facilities to landfills – in communities across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “But our work is not yet finished – we’re continuing to build on this momentum to ensure that communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination finally get the investments and protections they deserve.”

“This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law enables crews in our Region to begin new construction at three Superfund sites in Kansas,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. “Cleaning up sites throughout Region 7 helps ensure that we continue to protect the environment and the health of residents in our nation’s heartland.”

“We’re excited to receive this funding so we can begin – or accelerate – work to prepare these sites in Kansas for construction,” said EPA Region 7 Superfund and Emergency Management Division Director Bob Jurgens. “Our teams are committed to the EPA mission to protect human health and the environment through cleaning up the contaminated soil and groundwater.”

Kansas sites receiving funding during this wave of funding include:

• 57th and North Broadway Streets in Wichita
• Caney Residential Yards in Caney
• Plating Inc. in Great Bend

The $1 billion investment announced today is the second wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With the first wave of funding announced in December 2021, EPA deployed over $1 billion for cleanup activities at over 100 Superfund National Priorities List sites across the country. Thanks to this historic funding, EPA started 81 new cleanup projects in 2022, including projects at 44 sites previously on the backlog. By starting four times as many construction projects as the year before, EPA is aggressively bringing more sites across the country closer to finishing cleanup.

For example, in Evansville, Indiana, EPA continued to reduce exposures to lead and arsenic in soil in the neighborhoods of the Jacobsville Neighborhood Contamination Site by starting the next phase of cleaning up contaminated residential soils.

In addition to funding cleanup construction work, this investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2022, EPA more than doubled its spending for Superfund pre-construction activities like remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed. Out of the 22 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, 60% are in communities with the potential for environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN, an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.

Background

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund. This law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

• Read more about each Superfund site.
• View highlights from the first year of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites.
• Read more about EPA’s Superfund program.

# # #

Learn more about EPA Region 7

View all Region 7 news releases

Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter: @EPARegion7

WASHINGTON (Feb. 10, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding today from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to start new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites, including the Jackson Ceramix, Inc. and Ryeland Road Arsenic sites in Jefferson and Berks counties and expedite over 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country.

“Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, we are moving faster than ever before to progress clean up at contaminated sites – from manufacturing facilities to landfills – in communities across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “But our work is not yet finished – we’re continuing to build on this momentum to ensure that communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination finally get the investments and protections they deserve.”

There are thousands of contaminated sites across the country due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. Superfund cleanups help transform and repurpose contaminated properties into residences, retail and office space warehouses, solar power generation, and more. In addition, these sites can support natural areas, parks, and recreation facilities, providing greenspace and safe places for families to play outside.

“The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is making Pennsylvania healthier and more prosperous, including communities that have historically missed out on federal funding,” U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) said. “The people of Jefferson and Berks Counties deserve this funding and deserve to breathe cleaner air and drink cleaner water—rights guaranteed to them by our Commonwealth’s constitution.”

The Jackson Ceramix, Inc. Superfund Site, located in Falls Creek, Jefferson County, is a former china manufacturing facility that operated until 1985. Historical operations resulted in primarily lead contamination in soils, sediments, surface water and a nearby wetland. New BIL investments will be used to clean-up the Site and will include repairing the existing soil cover, thermal treatment, and removal of contaminated soils and sediments.

“We are very excited to be moving forward with the cleanup of the Jackson Ceramix Superfund site. We feel that once this project is completed it will open up this property for economic development in our community, providing a facility that will offer jobs for our extended community, and an increased tax base for our Borough,” said Chuck Case, Borough Manager, Falls Creek, Pa.

The Ryeland Road Arsenic Superfund Site, located in Heidelberg Township, formerly housed facilities that made pesticides, fungicides, paints and varnishes, and disposed of waste. Past operations contaminated soil and groundwater with arsenic, lead and other chemicals. New federal dollars will be used to further the cleanup efforts, which will include removing soil contamination.

"We’re thankful that the federal government is helping Heidelberg Township and for looking out for the wealth, health, and betterment of our community. We’re hoping to see this site turned into greenspace for future generations.” said David Randler, Chairman of the Board, Heidelberg Township.

The $1 billion investment announced today is the second wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work. With the first wave of funding announced in December 2021, EPA deployed more than $1 billion for cleanup activities at more than 100 sites across the country. Thanks to this historic funding, EPA started 81 new cleanup projects in 2022, including projects at 44 sites previously on the backlog. By starting four times as many construction projects as the year before, EPA is aggressively bringing more sites across the country closer to finishing cleanup.

“This funding brings communities that much closer to being rid of legacy contamination that’s been hindering recreational access, economic redevelopment, and ultimately – the peace of mind that comes with knowing one’s air, land, and water are safe,” said EPA’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “EPA is steadfast in its efforts towards making that peace of mind a reality for all Pennsylvanians, regardless of the shortsightedness of industries past, while transforming contaminated properties and creating jobs in overburdened communities.”

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. Out of the 22 sites in this round of funding, 60% are in communities with the potential for environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN, a mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.

ATLANTA (February 10, 2023) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to start new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites, including the Cristex Drum Superfund site in the City of Oxford, and expedite over 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country.

Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed, including in manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining sites. Superfund cleanups help transform contaminated properties and create jobs in overburdened communities, while repurposing these sites for a wide range of uses, including public parks, retail businesses, office space, residences, warehouses, and solar power generation. In addition, these sites can support natural areas, parks, and recreation facilities, providing greenspace and safe places for families to play outside.

“Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, we are moving faster than ever before to progress clean up at contaminated sites – from manufacturing facilities to landfills – in communities across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan “But our work is not yet finished – we’re continuing to build on this momentum to ensure that communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination finally get the investments and protections they deserve.”

“Cleaning up Superfund sites is a top priority for EPA,” said EPA Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman. “Thanks to the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we can clean up contaminated sites that threaten communities, breathe new life into these sites and turn them from a liability into community assets.”  

“A clean and healthy environment is critical for families to grow and thrive,” said North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. “Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration and the EPA, this investment will help protect underserved communities in Oxford.”

“Thanks to the historic investments from the Biden Administration and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Environmental Protection Agency is able to address the backlog of contaminated sites that were waiting for funding, including a site located in the Fourth District of North Carolina,” said Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04). “Every person deserves to live in a community that is free from harmful pollutants, and this critical federal funding will help accelerate the EPA’s work and tackle toxic threats to public health and the environment.”

The Cristex Drum site was added to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in 2013. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds will be used at the site to demolish the former Cristex Building and foundation which contain asbestos, excavate and safely dispose contaminated soils, and treat groundwater that is heavily contaminated with tetrachloroethylene (also known as PCE or PERC). The cleanup will restore the site and prevent the contaminants from migrating to other areas.

The $1 billion investment announced today is the second wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With the first wave of funding announced in December 2021, EPA deployed more than $1 billion for cleanup activities at more than 100 Superfund National Priorities List sites across the country. Thanks to this historic funding, EPA started 81 new cleanup projects in 2022, including projects at 44 sites previously on the backlog. By starting four times as many construction projects as the year before, EPA is aggressively bringing more sites across the country closer to finishing cleanup. For example, in Evansville, Indiana, EPA continued to reduce exposures to lead and arsenic in soil in the neighborhoods of the Jacobsville Neighborhood Contamination site by starting the next phase of cleaning up contaminated residential soils.

In addition to funding cleanup construction work, this investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2022, EPA more than doubled its spending for Superfund pre-construction activities like remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed. Out of the 22 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, 60% are in communities with the potential for environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN, an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.

Background:

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

For more information on each site, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-sites-new-construction-projects-receive-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

To see highlights from the first year of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure/cleaning-superfund-sites-highlights-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund

ATLANTA (February 10, 2023) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to start new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites, including the Southern Solvents site in Tampa, and expedite over 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country.

Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed, including in manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining sites. Superfund cleanups help transform contaminated properties and create jobs in overburdened communities, while repurposing these sites for a wide range of uses, including public parks, retail businesses, office space, residences, warehouses, and solar power generation. In addition, these sites can support natural areas, parks, and recreation facilities, providing greenspace and safe places for families to play outside.

“Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, we are moving faster than ever before to progress clean up at contaminated sites – from manufacturing facilities to landfills – in communities across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan “But our work is not yet finished – we’re continuing to build on this momentum to ensure that communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination finally get the investments and protections they deserve.”

“Cleaning up Superfund sites is a top priority for EPA,” said EPA Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman. “Thanks to the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we can clean up contaminated sites that threaten communities, breathe new life into these sites and turn them from a liability into community assets.” 

 At Southern Solvents site in Tampa Florida, the BIL funds will be used to remove and treat tetrachloroethylene (also known as PCE or PERC) and trichloroethylene (TCE) contamination in the soil and groundwater. The treatment will be accomplished by heating the subsurface soil to volatize and capture the contaminants. This funding will allow EPA to restore and protect a valuable drinking water resource in the Tampa, Florida area. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 2000 because of contaminated soil and groundwater resulting from periodic spills of cleaning solvents – substances used to dissolve other substances – at the site.

The $1 billion investment announced today is the second wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With the first wave of funding announced in December 2021, EPA deployed more than $1 billion for cleanup activities at more than 100 Superfund National Priorities List sites across the country. Thanks to this historic funding, EPA started 81 new cleanup projects in 2022, including projects at 44 sites previously on the backlog. By starting four times as many construction projects as the year before, EPA is aggressively bringing more sites across the country closer to finishing cleanup. For example, in Evansville, Indiana, EPA continued to reduce exposures to lead and arsenic in soil in the neighborhoods of the Jacobsville Neighborhood Contamination site by starting the next phase of cleaning up contaminated residential soils.

In addition to funding cleanup construction work, this investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2022, EPA more than doubled its spending for Superfund pre-construction activities like remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed. Out of the 22 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, 60% are in communities with the potential for environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN, an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.

Background:

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

For more information on each site, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-sites-new-construction-projects-receive-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

To see highlights from the first year of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure/cleaning-superfund-sites-highlights-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund

NEW YORK - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites and to expedite over 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country. This includes the General Motors (Central Foundry Division) Superfund site in Massena, NY.

“Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, we are moving faster than ever before to progress clean up at contaminated sites – from manufacturing facilities to landfills – in communities across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan “But our work is not yet finished – we’re continuing to build on this momentum to ensure that communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination finally get the investments and protections they deserve.”

"The funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will play a crucial role in addressing the Nation’s request to continue the safe cleanup of the General Motors Superfund site in Massena, NY," said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "This is an investment that will help address the contaminated soil and sediment and safeguard the health and well-being of Indian Nation lands."

“Cleaning up long-delayed toxic sites like GM Massena is exactly what we had in mind when we supercharged the Superfund program in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Senator Schumer. “Now EPA needs to put these new federal dollars to use ASAP and work with North Country and tribal leaders to finish the cleanup and ready the site for reuse.”

For years, the GM Superfund site has contaminated the soil and water around Massena, creating a serious health hazard for communities in the area. I’m grateful that funds we secured in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will enable EPA to help clean up PCB-contaminated Tribal properties in the area,” said Senator Gillibrand. 

 “The federal investments allocated under the landmark Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are critical to address environmental contamination at federal superfund sites to protect public health and the environment, “said New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos.” Today’s announcement will help advance the cleanup of legacy contamination at the former General Motors site in Massena and protect New Yorkers from potential exposure to harmful contaminants. I commend the Biden-Harris Administration, the State’s Congressional delegation, and EPA Administrator Regan and EPA Region 2 Regional Administrator Garcia for their continued partnership and sustained support for cleaning up these former industrial sites across New York State.” 

The site includes a former aluminum die-casting plant that operated from 1959 to 2009. During this time, industrial waste was disposed of on-site, contaminating groundwater, soil, and river sediment with PCBs, volatile organic compounds, and phenols. EPA added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List in 1984.

The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) is a federally recognized Indian nation located along the St. Lawrence River downstream of the former plant. The SRMT's territory, called Akwesasne, covers approximately 16,640 square acres and has a population of 12,400 people. The SRMT is particularly concerned about the site contamination due to the proximity of its lands and the potential consumption of contaminated fish and wildlife, which is a traditional source of food.

In 1990 and 1992, EPA issued cleanup plans, which have since been implemented by General Motors or the Revitalizing Auto Communities Environmental Response (RACER) Trust. The Trust was responsible for the cleanups following General Motors' bankruptcy and has spent over $153 million on cleaning up the former plant property and nearby waterbody sediments. Although the Trust has funds for the design of the Tribal soil and sediment cleanup, it does not have funds to conduct the cleanup itself. This is where the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds come in.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds will support the next phase of the ongoing cleanup efforts at the GM Superfund site. The funds will be used to remove approximately 4,200 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated soil and 2,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments. This work will help to protect the environment, public health, and ensure that this portion of the site is properly cleaned and safe to use.

The $1 billion investment announced today is the second wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With the first wave of funding announced in December 2021, EPA deployed more than $1 billion for cleanup activities at more than 100 Superfund National Priorities List sites across the country. Thanks to this historic funding, EPA started 81 new cleanup projects in 2022, including projects at 44 sites previously on the backlog. By starting four times as many construction projects as the year before, EPA is aggressively bringing more sites across the country closer to finishing cleanup.

In addition to funding cleanup construction work, this investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2022, EPA more than doubled its spending for Superfund pre-construction activities like remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed. Out of the 22 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, 60% are in communities with the potential for environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN, an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.

Background:

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

For more information on each site, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-sites-new-construction-projects-receive-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

To see highlights from the first year of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure/cleaning-superfund-sites-highlights-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

23-011

NEW YORK – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites. This includes the Dorado Groundwater Contamination site in Dorado, Puerto Rico.

“Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, we are moving faster than ever before to progress clean up at contaminated sites – from manufacturing facilities to landfills – in communities across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan “But our work is not yet finished – we’re continuing to build on this momentum to ensure that communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination finally get the investments and protections they deserve.”

"The Dorado community deserves clean and safe drinking water, and this investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help meet that promise and carry on with our cleanup plan," said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "This is an example of the EPA and the government of Puerto Rico working in partnership with the Dorado community to ensure clean drinking water for its residents."

“Last Congress we worked in a bipartisan manner that results on a comprehensive infrastructure law that assigns $3.5 trillion to National Priorities List (NPL) of the Environmental Protection Agency. I am pleased to see how Puerto Rico is directly benefiting from these funds, now with the new allocation for the cleanup work of the Dorado Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site, said Representative Gonzales-Colon. “These cleanup projects are extremely important because the decontamination of our resources promotes economic development by allowing the reuse of spaces and, above all, protects the health of the communities.”

The Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, Anaïs Rodríguez Vega, declared: “The people of Puerto Rico are pleased that this water clean-up project has been placed among the priorities to be financed by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The support of EPA has been essential to improve the quality of groundwater in Puerto Rico, a resource that allows us to meet the drinking water needs in certain areas of the island. The state and federal environmental agencies continue to be vigilant in the face of any possible contamination to collaborate closely with solutions.”

Groundwater contamination at the Dorado Groundwater Contamination site was first detected in the 1980s and it affects two active water supply systems, the Maguayo and Dorado Urbano, which are operated by Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) and serve populations of about 36,000 and 31,000, respectively.  Some of the wells were closed permanently as a precaution to protect people’s health. Based on data from the Puerto Rico Department of Health and PRASA, the water wells that are still in use meet drinking water standards. To ensure protection into the future, Puerto Rico is required to sample wells regularly and wells that have elevated levels of contamination are addressed accordingly.

EPA will use funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to clean up the groundwater contaminated with volatile organic compounds, specifically trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethene (PCE). The cleanup will be done using a combination of methods, including natural processes, restrictions on groundwater use, and installing new wells. The implementation of these measures will ensure the continued protection of the communities in the area and their access to safe drinking water. Starting early next year, additional monitoring wells will be built. These wells will be checked every six months for the first two years, and then once a year after that. This monitoring will continue for 18 years to ensure the water stays safe. With these funds from the BIL, EPA is working to provide long-term access to safe drinking water for the affected communities.

The $1 billion investment announced today is the second wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With the first wave of funding announced in December 2021, EPA deployed more than $1 billion for cleanup activities at more than 100 Superfund National Priorities List sites across the country. Thanks to this historic funding, EPA started 81 new cleanup projects in 2022, including projects at 44 sites previously on the backlog. By starting four times as many construction projects as the year before, EPA is aggressively bringing more sites across the country closer to finishing cleanup.

In addition to funding cleanup construction work, this investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2022, EPA more than doubled its spending for Superfund pre-construction activities like remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed. Out of the 22 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, 60% are in communities with the potential for environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN, an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.

Background:

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

For more information on each site, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-sites-new-construction-projects-receive-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

To see highlights from the first year of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure/cleaning-superfund-sites-highlights-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

23-012

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to start new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites, including the Carson River Mercury Site in Lyon and Storey Counties, Nevada, and expedite over 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country.

Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed, including in manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining sites. Superfund cleanups help transform contaminated properties and create jobs in overburdened communities, while repurposing these sites for a wide range of uses, including public parks, retail businesses, office space, residences, warehouses, and solar power generation. In addition, these sites can support natural areas, parks, and recreation facilities, providing greenspace and safe places for families to play outside.

“Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, we are moving faster than ever before to progress clean up at contaminated sites – from manufacturing facilities to landfills – in communities across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “But our work is not yet finished – we’re continuing to build on this momentum to ensure that communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination finally get the investments and protections they deserve.”

“EPA continues to work hard at the Carson River site to address the legacy of contamination caused by 19th century mining. Our work is currently focused on ensuring that residents, especially young children, are protected from contamination in outdoor residential spaces,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “This new support from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will strengthen our efforts to keep these communities safe while helping preserve this area’s rich history.”

“This funding I delivered in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will go a long way in supporting the continued cleanup of communities impacted by legacy contamination,” said Senator Catherine Cortez Masto. “I’ll always fight to get Nevada the resources we need to keep our land and water clean and our families safe.”

“Cleaning up legacy contamination sites in Northern Nevada is critical to keeping local communities safe from toxic chemicals and protecting our environment,” said Senator Jacky Rosen. “I’m proud to announce the funding I helped secure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will go directly toward cleaning and restoring our communities, keeping Nevadans and local wildlife safe from exposure to harmful chemicals. ”

Carson River Superfund Site

Over a century ago, miners at what is now the Carson River Mercury Superfund site used mercury to process gold and silver ore. Over time, this mining process released an estimated 14 million pounds of mercury into the environment. Mining activities also caused arsenic and lead contamination in certain areas of this site. In 1990, the Carson River Mercury Superfund Site became part of the National Priorities List of Superfund sites, which consists of some of the most toxic sites in the country.

Beginning in the early 1990s, EPA began removing cubic yards of contaminated soil at the Carson River site, disposing it off-site, then backfilling the area with clean soil. Since the early 2000s, EPA and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection have been working with local developers to sample residential areas, which has resulted in removing and/or capping contaminated soil. These activities help protect people from exposure to soil with high levels of mercury, arsenic, and lead.

EPA and Nevada Division of Environmental Protection will be engaging with impacted communities as we plan for additional residential sampling activities later this year.

Background on Nationwide Superfund Announcement

The $1 billion investment announced today is the second wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With the first wave of funding announced in December 2021, EPA deployed more than $1 billion for cleanup activities at more than 100 Superfund National Priorities List sites across the country. Thanks to this historic funding, EPA started 81 new cleanup projects in 2022, including projects at 44 sites previously on the backlog. By starting four times as many construction projects as the year before, EPA is aggressively bringing more sites across the country closer to finishing cleanup.

In addition to funding cleanup construction work, this investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2022, EPA more than doubled its spending for Superfund pre-construction activities like remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed. Out of the 22 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, 60% are in communities with the potential for environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN, an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.

For more information on each site, visit EPA’s Superfund Sites with New Construction Projects to Receive Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding webpage.

To see highlights from the first year of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, please visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding webpage.

Visit EPA’s Carson River Mercury Site webpage for more information.

Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (February 10, 2023) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold a press event announcing the start of remedial actions at the Smokey Mountain Smelters Superfund Site in Knoxville, TN with funding made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The press event will be held at 1508 Maryville Pike, Knoxville, TN on Monday February 13, 2023, from 3:00-4:00pm EST. 

 

WHO:              EPA Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman 

                          Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Deputy 

                          Commissioner Greg Young

                           Vestal Community Organization President Eric Johnson 

WHAT:             Announcement under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to accelerate

                           work at the Smokey Mountain Smelters Site

WHEN:            Monday, February 13, 2023, from 3:00-4:00 pm EST 

WHERE:         1508 Maryville Pike, Knoxville, TN 37920 

 

 Please email region4press@epa.gov to confirm your participation.  

BOSTON (Feb. 10, 2023) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to start new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites, including the Pike Hill Copper Mine site in Corinth, and expedite over 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country.

Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed, including in manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining sites. Superfund cleanups help transform contaminated properties and create jobs in overburdened communities, while repurposing these sites for a wide range of uses, including public parks, retail businesses, office space, residences, warehouses, and solar power generation. In addition, these sites can support natural areas, parks, and recreation facilities, providing greenspace and safe places for families to play outside.

"Thanks to President Biden's historic investments in America, we are moving faster than ever before to progress clean up at contaminated sites – from manufacturing facilities to landfills – in communities across the country," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan "But our work is not yet finished – we're continuing to build on this momentum to ensure that communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination finally get the investments and protections they deserve."

"This Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding targets the much-needed clean-up of legacy pollution that's harmful to our health and the environment," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "We look forward to the start-up and completion of this important work."

"Thanks to the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, folks in Corinth will get a helping hand to clean up the long-abandoned Pike Hill Copper Mine and bring an end to more than 100 years of sulfuric acid contamination," said U.S. Senator Peter Welch. "Superfund remediation protects our environment and the health of the surrounding community. It's essential work, and I'm grateful for all EPA has done to make this possible. I look forward to monitoring the work in Corinth as they remediate the Pike Hill site."

"Keeping environmental justice at the forefront of rebuilding America's infrastructure means a brighter future for us all - a key pillar of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It is helping transform our communities by revitalizing our roads, bridges, and waterways," said U.S. Representative Rebecca Balint. "This project is another example of the impact of this bold investment in infrastructure. Cleanup at this mine site in Corinth is so important to keeping Vermonters healthy and our water clean."

Pike Hill Copper Mine:

The cleanup approach includes the excavation of about 65,000 cubic yards of mine waste and tailing and consolidation into a common area where the material can be isolated under a low permeability cover system. A section of Pike Hill Brook will be excavated and reconstructed. The cover system is expected to extend over about 3-4 acres. Four acres area of mine waste will be stabilized in-situ using lime, soil, and organic amendments to avoid disturbing bat habitat. Excavated areas will be stabilized and any necessary wetland mitigation will be performed after the excavation is complete.

The $1 billion investment announced today is the second wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With the first wave of funding announced in December 2021, EPA deployed more than $1 billion for cleanup activities at more than 100 Superfund National Priorities List sites across the country. Thanks to this historic funding, EPA started 81 new cleanup projects in 2022, including projects at 44 sites previously on the backlog. By starting four times as many construction projects as the year before, EPA is aggressively bringing more sites across the country closer to finishing cleanup. For example, in Evansville, Indiana, EPA continued to reduce exposures to lead and arsenic in soil in the neighborhoods of the Jacobsville Neighborhood Contamination site by starting the next phase of cleaning up contaminated residential soils.

In addition to funding cleanup construction work, this investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2022, EPA more than doubled its spending for Superfund pre-construction activities like remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden's Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed. Out of the 22 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, 60% are in communities with the potential for environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN, an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.

Background:

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

For more information on each site, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-sites-new-construction-projects-receive-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

To see highlights from the first year of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure/cleaning-superfund-sites-highlights-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

For more information about EPA's Superfund program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund

WASHINGTON (Feb. 10, 2023) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to start new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites, including the Ottawa Radiation Areas site in LaSalle County, Illinois, and expedite over 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country.

Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed, including in manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining sites. Superfund cleanups help transform contaminated properties and create jobs in overburdened communities, while repurposing these sites for a wide range of uses, including public parks, retail businesses, office space, residences, warehouses, and solar power generation. In addition, these sites can support natural areas, parks, and recreation facilities, providing greenspace and safe places for families to play outside.

“Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, we are moving faster than ever before to progress clean up at contaminated sites – from manufacturing facilities to landfills – in communities across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “But our work is not yet finished – we’re continuing to build on this momentum to ensure that communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination finally get the investments and protections they deserve.”

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering results for communities burdened by legacy contamination,” said Regional Administrator Debra Shore. “This funding will accelerate progress at the Ottawa Radiation site and help ensure a healthier environment for the people of LaSalle County.”

“Thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Congress appropriated the Environmental Protection Agency $1 billion in federal funding for more than 100 ongoing cleanups and to start cleanup at 22 Superfund sites nationwide, including the prolific ‘Radium Girls’ site in Ottawa, Illinois,” said Sen. Dick Durbin. “With this funding, we can continue to prioritize public health and the environment, protect local communities, and make good on long overdue environmental justice promises.”

“I’m proud to see the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is continuing to support critical projects throughout Illinois, and I’m pleased this Superfund site in Ottawa will benefit,” said Sen. Tammy Duckworth. “Eliminating contaminated sites is an important part of protecting the health of children and families, and it is also a necessary part of helping spur development, job creation and economic growth for affected communities. I’ll keep working to help ensure that all Illinoisans can breathe clean air and live in a safe environment without fear of toxins and pollution.”

“Ottawa has been threatened by the public health and environmental effects of radium poisoning for far too long,” said Rep. Lauren Underwood. “Over a century after the Radium Girls began working in Ottawa, I’m proud to see this new funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law coming to the 14th District, where it will help ensure our community is clean and safe for current and future residents to call home.”

“Illinois EPA is pleased to see these funds being directed to the Ottawa Radiation Site to address the historic contamination,” said Illinois EPA Director John J. Kim. “We will continue to work with U.S. EPA and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency to address environmental concerns at this and other Superfund sites in Illinois.”

The Ottawa Radiation Areas site, located in LaSalle County, Illinois, consists of 16 areas contaminated by radioactive materials. The 16 areas are scattered throughout the city of Ottawa as well as locations outside the city. EPA added the areas to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List because they are contaminated by the same wastes, involve the same potentially responsible parties and require similar cleanups. The contamination originated from businesses that used radium-based paint to produce luminous dials for clocks and watches from 1918 to 1937. Following actions to protect human health and the environment in the short term, EPA developed long-term remedies for the site. To date, EPA has completed cleanup at 15 of the 16 contaminated areas.

The $1 billion investment announced today is the second wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With the first wave of funding announced in December 2021, EPA deployed more than $1 billion for cleanup activities at more than 100 Superfund National Priorities List sites across the country. Thanks to this historic funding, EPA started 81 new cleanup projects in 2022, including projects at 44 sites previously on the backlog. By starting four times as many construction projects as the year before, EPA is aggressively bringing more sites across the country closer to finishing cleanup. For example, in Evansville, Indiana, EPA continued to reduce exposures to lead and arsenic in soil in the neighborhoods of the Jacobsville Neighborhood Contamination site by starting the next phase of cleaning up contaminated residential soils.

In addition to funding cleanup construction work, this investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2022, EPA more than doubled its spending for Superfund pre-construction activities like remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement. 

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed. Out of the 22 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, 60% are in communities with the potential for environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN, an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.

Background

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

For more information on the Ottawa Radiation Areas site, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/ottawa-radiation 

To see highlights from the first year of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure/cleaning-superfund-sites-highlights-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding  

For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund

WASHINGTON (Feb. 10, 2023) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to start new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites, including the Keystone Corridor Ground Water Contamination site in Indianapolis, and expedite over 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country.

Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed, including in manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining sites. Superfund cleanups help transform contaminated properties and create jobs in overburdened communities, while repurposing these sites for a wide range of uses, including public parks, retail businesses, office space, residences, warehouses, and solar power generation. In addition, these sites can support natural areas, parks, and recreation facilities, providing greenspace and safe places for families to play outside.

“Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, we are moving faster than ever before to progress clean up at contaminated sites – from manufacturing facilities to landfills – in communities across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “But our work is not yet finished – we’re continuing to build on this momentum to ensure that communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination finally get the investments and protections they deserve.”

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering results for communities burdened by contaminated sites like Keystone Corridor,” said Regional Administrator Debra Shore. “Indianapolis residents – current and future – will live, work and play in a healthier environment thanks to this funding that will help us complete the cleanup.”

“IDEM is proud of the work we have done with local and federal partners to remediate contamination around the Keystone Corridor site,” said Indiana Department of Environmental Management Commissioner Brian Rockensuess. “These additional funds will help expedite the ongoing cleanup in the area, ensuring a cleaner and safer environment for residents in Indianapolis.”

The Keystone Corridor Ground Water Contamination site is located in Indianapolis and consists of the Fall Creek well field and potential sources of groundwater contamination. The groundwater has been affected by high concentrations of volatile organic compounds typically used by dry cleaners and metalwork shops. Several site cleanup milestones have already been achieved through federal and state actions, including installation of vapor intrusion mitigation systems. EPA’s selected remedy for a portion of the site is to apply energy (heat or steam) underground to mobilize, vaporize, capture, and treat the contaminants.

 The $1 billion investment announced today is the second wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With the first wave of funding announced in December 2021, EPA deployed more than $1 billion for cleanup activities at more than 100 Superfund National Priorities List sites across the country. Thanks to this historic funding, EPA started 81 new cleanup projects in 2022, including projects at 44 sites previously on the backlog. By starting four times as many construction projects as the year before, EPA is aggressively bringing more sites across the country closer to finishing cleanup. For example, in Evansville, Indiana, EPA continued to reduce exposures to lead and arsenic in soil in the neighborhoods of the Jacobsville Neighborhood Contamination site by starting the next phase of cleaning up contaminated residential soils.

In addition to funding cleanup construction work, this investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2022, EPA more than doubled its spending for Superfund pre-construction activities like remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed. Out of the 22 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, 60% are in communities with the potential for environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN, an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.

Background

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

For more information on the Keystone Corridor Ground Water Contamination site, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/keystone-corridor-groundwater

To see highlights from the first year of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure/cleaning-superfund-sites-highlights-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund

BOSTON (Feb. 10, 2023) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to start new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites, including three sites in Massachusetts - the Creese and Cook Tannery site in Danvers, the Nyanza site in Ashland, and Walton and Lonsbury in Attleboro - and expedite over 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country.

Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed, including in manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining sites. Superfund cleanups help transform contaminated properties and create jobs in overburdened communities, while repurposing these sites for a wide range of uses, including public parks, retail businesses, office space, residences, warehouses, and solar power generation. In addition, these sites can support natural areas, parks, and recreation facilities, providing greenspace and safe places for families to play outside.

"Thanks to President Biden's historic investments in America, we are moving faster than ever before to progress clean up at contaminated sites – from manufacturing facilities to landfills – in communities across the country," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan "But our work is not yet finished – we're continuing to build on this momentum to ensure that communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination finally get the investments and protections they deserve."

"This Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding targets the much-needed clean-up of legacy pollution that's harmful to our health and the environment," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "We look forward to the start-up and completion of this important work."

"Congress has delivered historic investments to ensure the EPA has the resources it needs to finally tackle polluted sites and to finish these projects once and for all," said U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey, a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. "Communities with Superfund sites are exposed every day to toxic chemicals and dangerous abandoned facilities—leaving them to shoulder the burden of environmental injustice and negative public health outcomes. I applaud the EPA for their work to remediate contamination, including in Ashland, Attleboro, and Danvers, and I look forward to seeing these communities live free of these historical hazards.

"Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are now on track to help expedite the clean-up of superfund sites in Danvers, Ashland, and Attleboro Massachusetts," said U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren. "I've been fighting for these critical investments to get hazardous chemicals out of our environment and are essential to protect the health of our communities."

"We deserve to live in communities with clean air, fresh water and a healthy environment," said U.S. Representative James P. McGovern. "With a long history of soil and groundwater contamination, the Nyanza Superfund site in Ashland is a great example of why the Superfund Program matters. For too long, communities across America have had to face the consequences of polluters' messes on their own, but through the power of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the perseverance and determination of the EPA, an expedited cleanup of this site is finally possible. My team and I will be following this project closely and will work together with local, state, and federal partners to ensure its completion."

"I'm thrilled the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is providing the EPA the necessary funding to clean up the site of the former Creese & Cook Tannery in Danvers," said U.S. Representative Seth Moulton. "Since 2011, the EPA has already removed over 10 million pounds of polluted soil from the area that posed a serious threat to public health. It is great to hear this cleanup can now be conducted more quickly and safely for the community."

"Clean soil and clean water are vital to the health of the commons. I look forward to continued partnership with Attleboro leaders and the EPA as we heal our environment," said U.S. Representative Jake Auchincloss.

Creese & Cook Tannery:

Under the final plan, EPA will excavate contaminated soil from properties located on the east and west sides of the Crane River, on properties historically occupied by the tannery's operation. Excavated areas will be covered with clean soil and re-vegetated. Most of the contaminated soil will be consolidated at the former Tannery property on the west side of the Crane River, and covered with a protective cap. Some contaminated soil may also be transported and disposed off-site at an appropriate landfill.

Nyanza Chemical Waste Dump:

Under the plan, EPA will conduct additional groundwater cleanup at the site. This remedy entails additional extraction of Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) and expansion of the recovery well network if further DNAPL sources are encountered. EPA also plans to implement In-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) treatment of groundwater within the source area to address volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination in deep overburden and shallow bedrock zones near the site to further address and mitigate downgradient groundwater exposure and vapor intrusion risks.

Walton & Lonsbury:

The remedy includes the following cleanup actions: Removal and off-site disposal of remaining Walton & Lonsbury facility features (e.g., concrete floor slab); soil excavation and in-situ soil mixing at the former Walton & Lonsbury facility property and off-site disposal of contaminated soil; extension of the existing permeable reactive barrier along Bliss Brook; in-situ soil treatment along the west side of North Avenue, in the "mid-plume" area.

The $1 billion investment announced today is the second wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With the first wave of funding announced in December 2021, EPA deployed more than $1 billion for cleanup activities at more than 100 Superfund National Priorities List sites across the country. Thanks to this historic funding, EPA started 81 new cleanup projects in 2022, including projects at 44 sites previously on the backlog. By starting four times as many construction projects as the year before, EPA is aggressively bringing more sites across the country closer to finishing cleanup. For example, in Evansville, Indiana, EPA continued to reduce exposures to lead and arsenic in soil in the neighborhoods of the Jacobsville Neighborhood Contamination site by starting the next phase of cleaning up contaminated residential soils.

In addition to funding cleanup construction work, this investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2022, EPA more than doubled its spending for Superfund pre-construction activities like remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden's Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed. Out of the 22 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, 60% are in communities with the potential for environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN, an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.

Background:

In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

For more information on each site, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-sites-new-construction-projects-receive-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

To see highlights from the first year of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure/cleaning-superfund-sites-highlights-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

For more information about EPA's Superfund program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund

WASHINGTON (February 10, 2023) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to start new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites and expedite over 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country.

Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed, including in manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining sites. Superfund cleanups help transform contaminated properties and create jobs in overburdened communities, while repurposing these sites for a wide range of uses, including public parks, retail businesses, office space, residences, warehouses, and solar power generation. In addition, these sites can support natural areas, parks, and recreation facilities, providing greenspace and safe places for families to play outside.

“Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, we are moving faster than ever before to progress clean up at contaminated sites – from manufacturing facilities to landfills – in communities across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan “But our work is not yet finished – we’re continuing to build on this momentum to ensure that communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination finally get the investments and protections they deserve.”

The $1 billion investment announced today is the second wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With the first wave of funding announced in December 2021, EPA deployed more than $1 billion for cleanup activities at more than 100 Superfund National Priorities List sites across the country. Thanks to this historic funding, EPA started 81 new cleanup projects in 2022, including projects at 44 sites previously on the backlog. By starting four times as many construction projects as the year before, EPA is aggressively bringing more sites across the country closer to finishing cleanup. For example, in Evansville, Indiana, EPA continued to reduce exposures to lead and arsenic in soil in the neighborhoods of the Jacobsville Neighborhood Contamination site by starting the next phase of cleaning up contaminated residential soils.

In addition to funding cleanup construction work, this investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2022, EPA more than doubled its spending for Superfund pre-construction activities like remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed. Out of the 22 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, 60% are in communities with the potential for environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN, an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.

The funding announced today includes new cleanup projects at the following 22 Superfund sites:

State

Site Name

State

Site Name

FL

SOUTHERN SOLVENTS, INC.

NC

CRISTEX DRUM

GA

WESTSIDE LEAD

NJ

CORNELL DUBILIER ELECTRONICS INC.

IL

OTTAWA RADIATION AREAS

NJ

MANSFIELD TRAIL DUMP

IN

KEYSTONE CORRIDOR GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION

NJ

MATTEO & SONS INC.

KS

57TH AND NORTH BROADWAY STREETS SITE

NV

CARSON RIVER MERCURY SITE

KS

CANEY RESIDENTIAL YARDS

NY

GENERAL MOTORS (CENTRAL FOUNDRY DIVISION)

KS

PLATING INC.

PA

JACKSON CERAMIX, INC

MA

CREESE & COOK TANNERY (FORMER)

PA

RYELAND ROAD ARSENIC SITE

MA

NYANZA CHEMICAL WASTE DUMP

PR

DORADO GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION

MA

WALTON & LONSBURY INC.

VA

HIDDEN LANE LANDFILL

MO

VALLEY PARK TCE

VT

PIKE HILL COPPER MINE

Background:
In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

For more information on each site, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-sites-new-construction-projects-receive-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

To see highlights from the first year of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure/cleaning-superfund-sites-highlights-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund

MEDIA ADVISORY: EPA to hold Public Meeting to Discuss the Smokey Mountain Smelters Site Cleanup in Knoxville, TN 

 Contact: EPA Region 4 Press Office - (404) 562-8400, region4press@epa.gov 

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (February 9, 2023) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold a virtual and in person public meeting for the Smokey Mountain Smelters Site cleanup in Knoxville, TN. The public meeting will be held at the South Knoxville Community Center, 522 Maryville Pike, on Monday February 13, 2023, from 6:00-7:30pm EST. 

The goal of the public meeting is to provide a status of upcoming cleanup activities as well as to answer questions from residents regarding cleanup. Participants who wish to attend virtually are encouraged to register in advance of the meeting by visiting the website: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/smokey-mountain-smelters 

 

WHO:           EPA Officials

WHAT:         EPA to hold Public Meeting to Discuss the Smokey Mountain Smelters Site  

                       Cleanup in Knoxville, TN 

WHEN:         Monday, February 13, 2023, from 6:00-7:30 pm EST 

WHERE:       South Knoxville Community Center 

                         522 Maryville Pike, Knoxville, TN 37920 

 

 Please email region4press@epa.gov to confirm your participation.  

LENEXA, KAN. (FEB. 9, 2023) – Laboratory results from field work conducted by EPA in St. Charles, Missouri, in January have identified the Ameren Huster Road Substation as a source of vinyl chloride and cis-1,2-dichloroethene contamination in the city of St. Charles’ Elm Point Wellfield. With the new sampling results, EPA will now require Ameren to address the contamination originating from the substation.

“The Superfund program operates under the ‘polluter pays’ principle,” said EPA Region 7 Superfund and Emergency Management Division Director Bob Jurgens. “Recent field work by EPA has identified the Ameren Huster Road Substation as the source of newly found contamination in the Elm Point Wellfield. EPA will work with Ameren to ensure that they address the contamination quickly and protect drinking water for St. Charles residents.”

EPA sampled the Elm Point Wellfield between Jan. 17 and 26, using direct push technology to collect groundwater samples from 17 locations at various depths. In addition to collecting groundwater samples, the Agency also collected soil samples at various depths. After collecting the samples, EPA expedited the laboratory analysis as well as the quality assurance/quality control process to ensure rapid delivery of results to the public. EPA has shared the results of the sampling with the city.

EPA will present information on the sampling effort and results at the upcoming Community Meeting scheduled for Feb. 23 at the St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Parish gymnasium. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. with an availability session, followed by a presentation at 7 p.m. Following the presentation, Agency officials will facilitate a question-and-answer session until 8:30 p.m.

The Ameren Huster Road Substation is Operable Unit 4 (OU4) at the Findett Corp. Superfund Site, and it is an active electrical distribution and transmission substation. It was originally constructed in 1963, and with subsequent expansions now encompasses approximately 8 acres. The substation property contains a control house, three transformers, two capacitor banks, and associated equipment, including a copper grounding grid embedded within crushed limestone. Between 2014 and 2018, Ameren conducted several pilot studies to address contamination at OU4. These pilot studies resulted in contamination remaining confined to the boundaries of the substation.

Additional information regarding the Findett Corp. Superfund Site is available on EPA’s Site Profile page.

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