Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Accu Ride Erie LP (Formerly: Kaiser Aluminum, GEIDC) in Erie, Pennsylvania
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Land Reuse
- Site Responsibility
Cleanup Status
EPA issued the Corrective Action Complete with Controls to the Facility on December 8, 2011. The control activities consisted of a soils component and a groundwater component. For soils, the remedy consisted of operation, maintenance and inspection of a two-foot thick soil cover over a 0.24-acre lagoon (Former Pond) and the compliance of institutional controls that restrict certain land uses on the entire Facility. For groundwater, remedy consisted of the compliance with and maintenance of institutional controls to minimize and /or prevent human contact with contaminated groundwater.
A quitclaim deed filed on June 22, 2005, between Kaiser and GEIDC (Greater Erie Industrial Development Corporation) at the Office of the Recorder of Deeds for Erie County, imposed several restrictions upon the Facility property including a prohibition of the use of groundwater beneath the Facility and the condition that the Facility property be used solely as non-residential property.
On January 18, 2008, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) approved the Final Report for site characterizations by submitted by GEIDC pursuant to Act 2. In the approval, PADEP required GEIDC to prohibit use of groundwater for any purpose by a deed restriction and file a deed notice for the non-residential facility-wide property/soils. PADEP essentially required to GEIDC to continue to comply with the controls created in the June 23, 2005 Quit Claim Deed.
Site Description
Interactive map of Accu Ride Erie LP (Formerly: Kaiser Aluminum, GEDIC ), Erie, PA
Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation (Kaiser) operated a large aluminum forging and processing plant at 1015 East 12th Street in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania. The 50-acre facility had been industrially active since the late 1800s. In 1953, Kaiser purchased the plant from the Department of Defense, who used the facility to produce ordnance components, shells, aircraft parts, and jeeps. The facility consists of buildings, parking areas, and wooded areas.
The Facility is bordered to the east by a commercial/industrial property, to the west by East Avenue and industrial operations, to the south by railroad tracks and Englehard Chemical Corporation, Liberty Iron (scrap yard) and other industrial operations, and to the north by East 12th Street.
In 1997, Kaiser entered into a partnership with Accuride Corporation which resulted in the creation of a newly formed joint venture, AKWLP, for the purpose of designing, manufacturing and selling heavy- duty aluminum wheels. In 2002, Kaiser filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. In April 2005, Kaiser transferred the Facility Property to the Greater Erie Industrial Development Corporation (GEIDC) for development and use as “nonresidential property” as defined in Section 103 of the Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act, (Land Recycling Act or Act 2), 35 P.S. §6026.103. Further details of property ownership can be found in the November 2, 2007 documented titled “Former Kaiser Site Non-Residential, Non-Use Aquifer, Statewide Health Standard Final Report,” part of the Administrative Record for this proposed action.
Contaminants at this Facility
The primary wastes generated by Kaiser included oil sludge from the cupping and hydraulic presses and wastes from the aluminum etching lines. These wastes were drummed and sent off-site for waste neutralization, sedimentation, and disposal. Bonderlube (lube oil) waste was discharged to the Erie city sewer system.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
Institutional controls include:
- The Property and each portion thereof shall be used solely as non-residential property.
- Groundwater beneath the Property shall not be used for any purpose.
- Maintenance of any building structure, paved surface or protective soil cover which serves as an engineering control to eliminate pathways of exposure to “Pollutants,” shall not be demolished, removed or modified in a manner.
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
The site is being reused.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action activities at this facility have been conducted under the direction of EPA Region 3 with assistance from PADEP.