News Releases from Region 05
EPA proposes partial delisting of Southeast Rockford Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site
Public comment period runs June 23 – July 23
For Immediate Release No. 20-OPA-037
ROCKFORD, Ill. (June 23, 2020) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed removing part of the Southeast Rockford Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site from the National Priorities List (NPL). The partial deletion is for Source Area 4, near Harrison Avenue and Marshall Street.
During EPA’s last Five-Year-Review of the site in 2018, EPA and Illinois EPA determined that the cleanup of a Source Area 4 of Operating Unit 3 protects public health and the environment, and no further response is necessary.
“EPA continues to make good on its commitment to pick up the pace of Superfund cleanups so the sites can be restored to productive use," said EPA Regional Administrator Kurt Thiede. "Encouraging redevelopment is part of EPA's core mission while helping the local economy in communities near Superfund sites."
Located in southeastern Rockford, previous groundwater investigations at the Southeast Rockford Groundwater Contamination Superfund site show elevated levels volatile organic chemical (VOC) contamination. Illinois EPA is the lead agency for the cleanup of three sources of the ground water contamination in southeast Rockford, Area 4, Area 7 and Area 11. EPA is the lead agency for the one source of ground water contamination, Area 9/10.
The NPL tracks the nation’s most contaminated sites that threaten human health or the environment. Sites on the list are eligible for cleanup under the Superfund program. EPA removes sites or parts of sites from the list once all the remedies are successfully implemented and no further cleanup, other than operation and maintenance, monitoring and five-year reviews, is required.
EPA’s 30-day public comment period on the delisting begins June 23 and closes July 23. The public may submit comments via:
Online: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2020-12793
Email: cibulskis.karen@epa.gov
For more information: https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/superfund/southeast-rockford-groundwater
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