News Releases from Region 05
EPA Proposes Removing the Scrap Processing Co. Superfund Site in Medford from Superfund List
For Immediate Release No. 20-OPA-062
EPA Proposes Removing the Scrap Processing Co. Superfund Site in Medford from Superfund List
MEDFORD, Wis. (July 27, 2020) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opened a 30-day public comment period on its proposal to delete the Scrap Processing Co. Superfund site from the National Priorities List (NPL). The agency has determined that the required cleanup is complete and no further action other than operation and maintenance, monitoring, and five-year reviews, is necessary.
"This administration continues to make good on its promise to pick up the pace of Superfund cleanups so these sites can be restored to productive use," said EPA Regional Administrator Kurt Thiede. "Promoting public health and environmental benefits in communities near Superfund sites is part of EPA's core mission."
Located at 510 W. Allman St., a salvage yard currently operates at the 15-acre Scrap Processing Co., Inc. site. Between 1955 and 1981, the company cracked lead and acid batteries to reclaim the lead on site. About 400,000 gallons of acid wastes contaminated with heavy metals from the batteries ran from the crushing area along an unlined ditch and into an unlined pond. The pond has intermittently overflowed into the Black River- contaminating it with heavy metals and acid.
Superfund law requires regular reviews of sites after cleanups are completed to ensure that the remedy continues to effectively protect human health and the environment.
The most recent five-year review included an evaluation of cleanup requirements, effectiveness of the cleanup, and maintenance and monitoring efforts. EPA’s cleanup involved excavating and removing lead-contaminated soil and sediment and draining an unlined pond. The next scheduled review will be in 2024. A proposed or final deletion does not preclude future actions under Superfund.
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.
Today’s proposed deletion is a result of EPA’s continued focus to finish the job at Superfund sites. Under President Trump’s leadership, EPA has increased the number of sites and properties deleted from the NPL.
For example, EPA deleted all or part of 27 sites from the NPL in FY 2019, the largest number of deletions in one year since 2001. While the site work on Superfund sites spans administrations, the Trump Administration is prioritizing both cleanup progress and cleanup completion. Deletions from the NPL are important because it announces to communities and signals to potential developers and financial institutions that cleanup in the deleted area is complete.
The public may submit comments until August 26.
https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EPA_FRDOC_0001-25749
https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EPA-HQ-SFUND-2005-0011-0097
For more information: www.epa.gov/superfund/scrap-processing
###