News Releases from Region 05

EPA Removes Part of Southeast Rockford Groundwater Contamination Site Superfund List

For Immediate Release No. 20-OPA-011

ROCKFORD, Ill. (Oct. 2, 2020) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) deleted the Source Area 4 of the Southeast Rockford Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site (near Harrison Avenue and Marshall Street) from the National Priorities List (NPL). Other areas on-site remain on the NPL.

“This administration is keeping its promise to pick up the pace of Superfund cleanups - projects that languished under previous administrations - so these sites can be restored to productive use" said EPA Regional Administrator Kurt Thiede. "Promoting redevelopment is part of EPA's core mission and helps spur the local economy and create jobs in communities near Superfund sites."

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 protects public health and the environment, and no further response was necessary. Groundwater at the site had been contaminated by elevated levels of volatile organic chemicals (VOCs).

Illinois EPA took the lead for the cleanup of three sources of the groundwater contamination (Areas 4, 7 and 11). EPA directed a Responsible Party to perform the cleanup of one source (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.

On June 23, EPA opened a 30-day public comment period on the deletion proposal.  For more information: https://semspub.epa.gov/work/05/2002812.pdf

A copy of the final Notice of Deletion is available at: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-09-30/pdf/2020-20402.pdf

For more information: https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/superfund/southeast-rockford-groundwater

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