Superfund Sites in Reuse in California
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Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
The Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) Superfund site covers six acres in Sunnyvale, California. The site is considered part of the “Triple Site,” which also includes the TRW Microwave Superfund site, the Signetics (aka Philips Semiconductors) Superfund site, and the Offsite Operable Unit (Offsite OU). AMD designed and manufactured semiconductor devices at two buildings on the site from 1969 to 1992. Facility operations contaminated soil and groundwater with volatile organic compounds, primarily trichloroethylene (TCE). EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. EPA issued a Record of Decision (ROD) in 1991 for the AMD site, together with the TRW and Signetics sites, and Offsite OU. AMD removed soil contamination and treated contaminated groundwater. A developer bought the site property in 2006, demolished the former AMD buildings, and constructed a self-storage facility in 2007. The Offsite OU has various sports playing fields located on it. Several other commercial businesses also operate on the site and are not located above groundwater with elevated TCE levels. Groundwater treatment and monitoring are ongoing. Vapor intrusion assessments conducted at the self-storage facility did not show any evidence of unacceptable vapor intrusion. Vapor intrusion assessment and mitigation efforts are ongoing in nearby homes and schools over the TCE plume in the Offsite OU. To date, more than 250 households and classrooms have been sampled, and more than 20 mitigation systems have been installed in residences and school buildings to address vapor intrusion. In March 2019, EPA finalized an agreement with Philips Semiconductors, Inc. for the adjacent Signetics site. This agreement will help to expedite the cleanup of the underlying groundwater contamination from the Signetics site that limits the effectiveness of cleanup efforts at the AMD site, address vapor risks to the community, and help restore groundwater quality in the region.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 30 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 286 people and generated an estimated $52,581,861 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (Building 915)
The 25-acre Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (Building 915 DeGuigne Drive) Superfund site is located in Sunnyvale, California. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) manufactured semiconductors at Building 915, beginning in 1973. Contamination in groundwater wells near the building was discovered in 1981, caused by leaking underground tanks and spills. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990. AMD removed contaminated soil and a 4,700-gallon underground acid neutralization system. AMD also installed a groundwater treatment system to remediate groundwater and prevent contaminants from migrating off site. AMD sold the site in 2003 to a company that specialized in flash memory devices, which operated at the site from 2005 to 2015. In 2011 and 2014, AMD conducted vapor intrusion investigations in Building 915, which did not show any evidence of unacceptable vapor intrusion due to site-related contaminants. A developer purchased the site in 2016 and demolished the on-site buildings. The developer is currently constructing residential townhomes with proactive mitigation measures integrated into the design and construction of the new buildings. These measures include vapor barriers and monitoring to confirm protective indoor air levels of trichloroethylene (TCE).
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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AMCO Chemical
The 1-acre AMCO Chemical Superfund site is located in Oakland, California. From the 1960s to 1989, AMCO owned and operated a chemical distribution facility on site. AMCO demolished several buildings and removed storage tanks and drums from the site in 1989. In 1996, the California Department of Transportation found contaminants in the soil, soil gas and groundwater near the site. From 1997 until 1998, EPA installed and operated treatment systems to address immediate threats from groundwater and soil gas contamination. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2003 because of long-term threats from the contamination. EPA’s Superfund Redevelopment Initiative (SRI) supported a regional seed project at the site in 2009. Community meetings conducted as part of the SRI reuse planning process identified community reuse goals for the site. The community reuse goals help inform EPA in the remedy selection process. EPA also completed a reuse assessment in 2010. In 2014, local artists and businesses began subleasing a warehouse on the property for commercial uses. Previous uses of the site also include a scrap yard and cable storage company. EPA implemented underground thermal heating at the site in 2017 to remove volatile contaminants from soil and groundwater. Cleanup of the nonvolatile contaminants at the site is ongoing.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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Applied Materials
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 2 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 803 people and generated an estimated $647,686,048 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Beckman Instruments (Porterville Plant)
The Beckman Instruments (Porterville Plant) Superfund site is located in Porterville, California. The 160-acre area includes the 12-acre Beckman plant property and nearby commercial, agricultural and residential properties. The company made printed circuit boards and electronic instrument parts at the facility. From 1974 to 1983, facility operators disposed of wastes in an evaporation pond on site. This pond is the most likely source of groundwater contamination around the Beckman facility. Investigators also identified lead contamination in the soil. In 1985, Beckman began operating a groundwater pump-and-treat system. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. In 1989, cleanup addressed contaminated soil and expanded the groundwater treatment system. In 2005, EPA agreed to discontinue use of the groundwater treatment system and allow the groundwater to recover naturally. Groundwater contamination is now in one very small, localized spot west of the Beckman facility. Groundwater monitoring is ongoing. Additional cleanup to address lead-contaminated soil occurred in 2016 and 2017. The Beckman plant closed in 2018. EPA deleted the 160-acre area from the NPL in May 2019 with no restrictions on the use of the former electronics plant. Residential, commercial and agricultural uses continue outside of the former plant property.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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Coast Wood Preserving
The 8-acre Coast Wood Preserving (CWP) Superfund site is located 3 miles south of Ukiah in northern California. Historically, CWP facility operators used a solution of sodium dichromate, copper sulfate and arsenic acid to pressure-treat and preserve wood products. Dripping and spillage of the chemical solution contaminated soil and groundwater on and off site. In 1983, CWP began treating groundwater. That same year, EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL). Since the site’s listing, CWP has paved over soils to prevent water penetration, started groundwater extraction and treatment, installed a slurry wall, and excavated contaminated soil for off-site disposal. From 1999 to 2010, an in-ground reductant injection system operated to address chromium contamination. Long-term groundwater monitoring is ongoing. Wood treating operations ended in 2018. A developer purchased the site in 2018 and is planning new industrial use at the site.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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Cooper Drum Co.
The 3.8-acre Cooper Drum Co. Superfund site is located in South Gate, California. From 1941 until 1992, Cooper Drum Company reconditioned steel drums that previously held industrial chemicals. The reconditioning process flushed out and stripped the drums for painting and resale. Open concrete pits and trenches collected fluids generated by reconditioning and washing. Facility operations contaminated soil and groundwater beneath the site. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2001. Potentially responsible parties installed three treatment systems to clean up soil and groundwater contamination at the site. The treatment systems began operating in 2011 and 2012. Treatment and monitoring are ongoing. Previous industrial uses at the site include drum recycling companies and a wood pallet storage company.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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CTS Printex, Inc.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 14 people and generated an estimated $1,400,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Del Amo
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 271 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 5,104 people and generated an estimated $1,157,406,434 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
- Reuse and the Benefit to Community: Del Amo Superfund Site (PDF) (44 pp, 1.5 MB)
- Cleanup, Continued Use and Redevelopment in a Thriving Business Park: The Del Amo Superfund Site in Los Angeles, California (PDF)(14 pp, 1.3 MB)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Del Norte Pesticide Storage
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 6 people. For additional information click here.
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Fairchild Semiconductor Corp. (South San Jose Plant)
The 22-acre Fairchild Semiconductor Corp. South San Jose Plant (Fairchild) Superfund site is located in San Jose, California. The site is a former semiconductor manufacturing facility that operated from 1977 to 1983. Consistent with industry practice at the time, manufacturing operations required the use and storage of industrial solvents. Schlumberger Technology Corporation (STC) acquired Fairchild Semiconductor Corp. in 1979. Two years later, STC discovered that an underground waste storage tank of organic solvents had failed, resulting in soil and groundwater contamination. Since that time, the company completed numerous actions to clean up soil and groundwater. In 1989, EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL). Cleanup efforts included soil removal, construction of a slurry cut-off wall around the site, groundwater extraction and treatment, soil vapor extraction and treatment, groundwater monitoring, and institutional controls. With regulatory agency approval, the extraction-and-treatment system was shut down in 1998. STC continues to monitor the progress of natural groundwater recovery over time. The site was unoccupied between 1983 and 1998. Between 1998 and 2000, developers constructed the Bernal Plaza shopping center at the site, which includes retail shops, a grocery market, restaurants, a postal annex, and paved parking lot. STC conducted a vapor intrusion assessment at the Bernal Plaza buildings in 2018, which included the collection of indoor air samples and sub-slab samples along utility conduits. Soil vapor samples were also obtained within the vicinity of the former source area in the parking lot. The results of the sampling showed no evidence of unacceptable vapor intrusion occurring or with the potential to occur in the buildings. Exceedances of health-protective screening levels were detected in soil vapor near the former source area, which do not pose any current health risks due to their subsurface location below paved asphalt. Redevelopment of the area may require additional investigation, remediation, or both.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 62 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 632 people and generated an estimated $68,134,507 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. (Salinas Plant)
The Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. (Salinas Plant) site is located in Monterey County, California. It consists of a 43-acre former tire manufacturing plant. Firestone Tire & Rubber Company used the facility to make tires from 1963 to 1980. Operators used a variety of chemicals that contaminated soil and groundwater. After the facility closed, Firestone conducted interim cleanup measures. Firestone treated groundwater and removed contaminated soil. In 1987, EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL). EPA required Firestone to expand its groundwater treatment system. Groundwater treatment met the required standards. After the tire manufacturing facility closed, developers converted the former facility into the Firestone Business Park in 1986. The industrial park is home to several businesses. EPA took the site off the NPL in 2005.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 12 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 246 people and generated an estimated $113,720,731 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Fresno Municipal Sanitary Landfill
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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Frontier Fertilizer
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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Halaco Engineering Company
The Halaco Engineering Company Superfund site is located in Oxnard, California. The site includes an 11-acre smelter property, a 27-acre waste management area, groundwater, and contaminated soils and sediments in adjacent properties owned by the city of Oxnard (the City) and the Nature Conservancy. Halaco Engineering Company operated a secondary metal smelter at the site from 1965 to 2004. The company recovered aluminum, magnesium, and zinc from dross, castings, cans, car parts and other scrap metal. During operation, Halaco Engineering Company produced a large amount of waste and deposited it on site, which led to contamination. In 2006, EPA began coordinating removal actions to stabilize the site and limit contaminant migration. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2007. The site will require additional cleanup. As part of its evaluation of cleanup options at the site, EPA is assessing the cost and feasibility of beneficially using the wastes as a partial substitute for Portland cement in ready-mix concrete. Ecological use continues at the site; the City- and Nature Conservancy-owned properties include part of the Ormond Beach wetlands. These are one of few remaining coastal wetlands in Southern California and are home to several endangered or threatened species.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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Hewlett-Packard (620-640 Page Mill Road)
The Hewlett-Packard 620-640 Page Mill Road (HP) Superfund site is located in Palo Alto, California. HP made optoelectronic equipment at the 10-acre site from 1962 to 1986. In 1981, at least 300 gallons of waste solvents leaked from an underground storage tank. The company removed the tank and about 100 cubic yards of contaminated soil in 1981. Since 1982, groundwater has been extracted and treated to remove various volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including trichloroethylene (TCE). EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990. Between 1987 and 1992, HP removed and disposed of about 11,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil from the site. HP treated soil vapors from 1994 to 1997. After ceasing operations in 1986, HP constructed an office building at the site in 1992. HP sold the building and associated land lease in May 2007. A law firm and several other businesses currently occupy the building. Vapor intrusion assessments were completed at this building and nearby businesses and residences over HP’s VOC plume between 2012 and 2015. Though certain subsurface locations (such as sub-grade garages and elevator shafts) showed elevated TCE levels, no evidence of unacceptable vapor intrusion was found in occupied areas of homes and workplaces.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 8 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 1,128 people and generated an estimated $137,822,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Indian Island
The 1.5-acre Indian Island site is located in Humboldt Bay, Eureka, California. The site is a significant Native American cultural heritage area. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and as a threatened National Historic Landmark. Beginning in the 1850s, settlers drove the Wiyot Tribe from Indian Island. This campaign culminated in a massacre in 1860. The few survivors were forcibly moved to a reservation. From the 1870s to 1990, a dry dock and ship repair facility operated on site. Shipyard operations and contamination from paints, solvents, metals and petroleum products impacted the area. In 2000, the Wiyot Tribe purchased the contaminated site property. In 2004, the city of Eureka deeded the surrounding 40 acres to the Tribe. For more than a decade, the Wiyot Tribe worked to leverage more than $2.8 million in state and federal resources to clean up the site. EPA assistance included a $200,000 brownfield cleanup grant in 2004, a review of site cleanup plans and a $508,000 time-critical removal action. Cleanup efforts included the removal of leaking boat batteries, extensive soil excavation and capping. Archaeologists monitored the cleanup process to ensure preservation of excavated artifacts. Land use restrictions prevent development inconsistent with cultural preservation. Ecological restoration and cultural preservation efforts are underway. Ecological restoration will prevent erosion and support and enhance wildlife habitat. Cultural preservation efforts are restoring the Wiyot Tribe’s connections to the area. The city of Eureka voted in December 2018 to return another 202 acres of Indian Island to the Tribe.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
For more information:
- Environmental Stewardship and Cultural Preservation on California's Coast: The Tuluwat Village Site on Indian Head Island in Humboldt County, California (PDF)(25 pp, 12.7 MB)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Industrial Waste Processing
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 10 people and generated an estimated $1,000,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Intel Corp. (Santa Clara III)
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on one on-site business. EPA did not have further economic details related to this business. For additional information click here.
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Intel Magnetics
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 2 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 77 people and generated an estimated $8,401,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Intersil Inc./Siemens Components
The 15-acre Intersil Inc./Siemens Components (I/S) Superfund site is in Cupertino and Sunnyvale, California. Intersil, Inc. and Siemens Components made semiconductors at the I/S site from 1967 to 1995. Studies in the 1980s as part of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board’s underground storage tank leak detection program found contaminants in soil and groundwater, attributed to localized spills and leaking underground storage tanks and piping. At the Siemens site, suspected sources included four underground tanks to store waste solvents. At the Intersil site, suspected sources included waste neutralization systems and concrete scrubber pit sumps. Intersil, Inc. stopped manufacturing at the Intersil site in 1988. Siemens stopped manufacturing in the mid-1990s. EPA added the I/S site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990. Cleanup activities included the removal and disposal of about 182 cubic yards of soil, treatment of chemical vapors in soil, and groundwater extraction and treatment. The former building at the Intersil site was demolished in 1997. In 2007, a developer purchased the property and constructed an office building. The building at the Siemens site is now used as a healthcare facility. Vapor intrusion assessments conducted in the on-site buildings and in the residential area overlying the downgradient plume showed no evidence of unacceptable vapor intrusion. Groundwater treatment and monitoring are ongoing.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 11 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 210 people and generated an estimated $58,420,993 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Iron Mountain Mine
The 4,400-acre Iron Mountain Mine Superfund site is in Shasta County, California. From the 1860s until 1963, mining for copper, gold, pyrite, silver and zinc took place at the site. The site includes former surface and underground mine workings, waste rock piles, tailings piles, abandoned mining facilities and former smelting areas. Acid mine drainage from the site affects area surface water, including the Spring Creek Reservoir. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Site investigations and cleanup are ongoing. EPA is addressing contamination in six stages. Emergency response actions (stage one) are complete. Five long-term cleanup stages are now in progress, focused on water management and cleaning up major contamination source areas. Acid and metal contamination in surface water have been significantly reduced by capping waste areas, collecting contaminated runoff and treating contaminated surface water. The 4,400-acre main mine area is privately owned. Areas surrounding the site include non-residential, privately-owned and federally-managed lands. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation manages the Spring Creek debris dam area and the confined disposal facility area. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management operates a public, outdoor firing range along Iron Mountain Road. There is no public access into the 4,400-acre main mine area. A few residences are located outside the main mine area and are not affected by contamination. Spring Creek Arm and Lower Keswick Reservoir are public lands used largely for recreational boating and fishing. A public multiuse rail trail is along the west bank of the Keswick Reservoir.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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J.H. Baxter & Co.
The 205-acre J.H. Baxter & Co. Superfund site is in the city of Weed in northern California. J.H. Baxter & Co. and Roseburg Forest Products own the site. Various companies have operated at the site, conducting wood treatment and related activities continuously since 1937. Wood-treating operations resulted in contaminated groundwater, surface water, soil and sludge, as well as contamination of a nearby creek. In 1986, potentially responsible parties (PRPs) installed a fence to limit site access. In 1989, EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL). In the late 1990s, the PRPs fenced the site to prevent direct contact with contamination. Construction of a slurry wall and extraction well system finished in 1999; the extraction well system is anticipated to continue operating indefinitely. Some of the cleanup has finished; groundwater treatment and monitoring are ongoing. J.H. Baxter & Co. continues to operate its wood-treating plant on the site. Roseburg Forest Products operates a lumber mill and veneer plant on the site. Pacific States Treating also leases part of the site.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 2 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 12 people and generated an estimated $1,800,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Jervis B. Webb Co.
The Jervis B. Webb Co. Superfund site is in South Gate, California. From the 1950s to early 1996, a business manufactured industrial conveyor belts on the southeast part of the site. A facility manufactured aluminum and stainless-steel aircraft rivets on the northwest part of the site until about 1981. Former manufacturing activities contaminated soil and groundwater. EPA removed contaminated soil at the site and replaced it with clean fill in 1999. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2012. Currently, EPA is determining the extent of contamination and identifying appropriate cleanup methods. EPA conducted indoor air sampling in the businesses currently operating on or adjacent to the site and did not find any contaminants at levels of concern. Groundwater contamination does not pose a risk to drinking water and all drinking water that is served meets state and federal standards. A towing business and a steel manufacturing company currently operate on site.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 2 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 29 people and generated an estimated $10,601,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Jibboom Junkyard
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
For more information:
- Site Redevelopment Profile for the Jibboom Junkyard Superfund Site (PDF)(2 pp, 678 K)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Lava Cap Mine
The 33-acre Lava Cap Mine is a former gold mine in the Sierra Foothills of Nevada City, Nevada. Various entities operated the Lava Cap Mine during two periods. These periods extended from 1860 to 1918, and from 1934 to 1943. During the latter period, the most intensive gold and silver mining occurred, with an average of 300 to 400 tons of ore processed per day. In addition to gold and silver, the native ore contained naturally-occurring arsenic and trace amounts of heavy metals, such as lead. After ore processing, arsenic and heavy metals remained in the finely-ground tailings. These improper disposal practices contaminated groundwater, surface water, soil and sediment on site. The site first came to EPA’s attention through a citizen complaint. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1999. Cleanup is ongoing, with a cap completed on site while design is being developed for mine drainage treatment. A drinking water pipeline for nearby affected residents was constructed. A feasibility study is underway for downstream contaminated areas. There are residences on the site property, which remain in use during the cleanup.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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Lorentz Barrel & Drum Co.
The 7-acre Lorentz Barrel & Drum Co. Superfund site is in San Jose, California. A drum recycling facility operated on the site from 1947 to 1987. During that time, the facility accepted over 2 million drums. The facility emptied, cleaned, resealed, repainted and resold the used drums. The drums typically contained residues of solvents, acids and caustic chemicals. Contamination of soils, groundwater and a nearby creek resulted from the improper handling of drummed wastes and waste generated during the recycling process. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. Cleanup activities included excavation and removal of remaining drums and contaminated soils, capping of the property, and groundwater treatment and monitoring. Property owners routinely inspect and maintain the cap. Groundwater treatment is ongoing. In 2001, EPA signed a Prospective Purchaser Agreement with a company interested in buying a large part of the site. The company agreed to maintain the site’s asphalt cap, and now uses the site as a vehicle storage lot for car dealerships. Another part of the site is a paper recycling facility.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 6 people and generated an estimated $19,760,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Louisiana-Pacific Corp.
The Louisiana-Pacific Corp. Superfund site is located in Oroville, California. The site includes two pieces of property – a 100-acre wood-processing plant and a 115-acre landfill – located a half-mile apart. Georgia-Pacific Corporation built the plant in 1969 and operated it until 1973. In 1973, Louisiana-Pacific Corporation took on ownership and operation of the plant and landfill. Prior to 1980, during installation of a recycling system, operators released wastewater from the plant’s glue kitchen to an unlined pond at the site. Until 1988, workers applied a fungicide spray to treat cut timber several months of each year. In 1973, the state detected high levels of a chemical contaminant in nearby residential wells. By 1983, an area of groundwater contamination extended 1.5 miles south. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. EPA’s interim soil cleanup included site access restrictions, such as a perimeter fence and deed restrictions on future residential use of the site. Cleanup also included additional soil sampling. The groundwater cleanup included restrictions on new well permits and monitoring of on-site wells to obtain additional information about formaldehyde and arsenic levels in the groundwater at the site. After additional soil and groundwater investigations, EPA determined that the site did not require further cleanup actions. EPA took the site off the NPL in 1996. Louisiana-Pacific Corporation has since closed. An industrial park is now located on the site.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 18 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 51 people and generated an estimated $10,100,491 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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McColl
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on one on-site business. EPA did not have further economic details related to this business. For additional information click here.
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Modesto Ground Water Contamination
The Modesto Ground Water Contamination Superfund site is located about 1.5 miles north of Modesto, California. The site includes a commercial dry-cleaning business and other nearby commercial and residential areas located above contaminated groundwater. The dry-cleaning facility discharged contaminated wastewater into the sewer system and leaked chemicals into the soil and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. The dry-cleaning business replaced the old leaky dry-cleaning equipment with new modern equipment. The new equipment stopped contaminants from flowing into the sewer. The dry-cleaning business stopped using the chemical contaminant in 2010 and began using a new dry-cleaning process. The business paved most of the site to reduce the potential for exposure. Mitigation measures in the dry cleaners and nearby businesses have reduced the threat of contaminated vapors entering buildings. Groundwater cleanup includes a groundwater treatment system and a system to remove vapors from soil. Installed in 2000, the groundwater and soil vapor treatment systems both continue to operate. As of 2016, the soil vapor removal system had removed nearly 3,500 pounds of contamination from soil and nearly 700 pounds of the chemical contaminant mass from groundwater. EPA installed a new groundwater extraction well in 2012. Commercial and residential areas remain in continued use. A dry-cleaning business continues to operate at the site’s source area.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 6 people and generated an estimated $269,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Monolithic Memories
The 20-acre Monolithic Memories Superfund site is located in Sunnyvale, California. The site includes the properties located at 1165 E. Arques Avenue, 1175 E. Arques Avenue, and 1160 Kern Avenue. Monolithic Memories, Inc. (MMI) manufactured semiconductors at the 1165 and 1175 E. Arques Avenue properties from 1970 to 1987. In 1987, MMI merged with Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD). Starting in 1974, AMD leased the 1160 Kern Avenue building. AMD used the space until 2003 for product handling and testing, office space, and administration. In 1982, MMI found volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in soil and groundwater at the site. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1987. Cleanup activities included the removal of contaminated soil and storage tanks, and the installation and operation of soil vapor extraction (SVE) and groundwater treatment systems, which facilitated the site’s reuse. In 2005, AMD donated the 1165 and 1175 E. Arques Avenue properties to a local charity. The charity later sold the properties to a developer. In 2005, the developer demolished the buildings and in 2014 constructed a fitness center at the site. Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT) currently owns the 1160 Kern Avenue building. RAFT is a non-profit organization that provides affordable teaching supplies, professional development and mentoring services to education professionals. Vapor intrusion assessments conducted at the 1160 Kern Avenue building showed evidence of unacceptable vapor intrusion occurring through restroom floor drains and plumbing. A variety of mitigation measures, including floor drain sealing and ventilation upgrades, were conducted, the effectiveness of which were confirmed via post-mitigation sampling events.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 2 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 35 people and generated an estimated $2,480,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Montrose Chemical Corp.
The former Montrose Chemical Corp. site in Los Angeles, California, is about 13 acres in size and was the location of a dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) manufacturing facility from 1947 to 1982. Various hazardous substances, including non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) and DDT, entered the environment during facility operation. EPA investigated the site’s stormwater drain in the 1990s and discovered widespread contamination on and around the facility. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. EPA is investigating the extent of contamination in some media and has finished cleanup for others. Cleanup, operation and maintenance activities, and monitoring are ongoing. The site is made up of seven operable units (OUs) and includes the Palos Verdes Shelf (OU5), an area of contaminated sediment in the ocean off the coast of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. OU5 is in continued use for commercial purposes and sport fishing. Parts of OU5 are also used for boating, swimming, windsurfing, surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling and shell-fishing. Two parts of OU5 were designated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife as marine protection areas, which are intended to protect natural habitats and marine life.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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National Semiconductor Corp.
The 60-acre National Semiconductor Corp. (NSC) Superfund site is located in Santa Clara and Sunnyvale, California. Starting in 1967, National Semiconductor Corp. manufactured electronic equipment at the site. Site investigations, which began in 1982, found volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in soil and in Santa Clara and Sunnyvale groundwater. Leaks from underground storage tanks, sumps, and pipes were the suspected sources of the contamination to groundwater and soil. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1987. To clean up the site, National Semiconductor Corp. removed leaking tanks, sumps and pipes, and treated soil source areas. Extraction and treatment of contaminated groundwater began in 1984. Additional cleanup actions included the removal and disposal of contaminated soil and the implementation of pilot and full-scale remedial actions in the various Santa Clara source areas. These remedial actions included ozone sparging, soil vapor extraction, chemical oxidation and bioremediation. Limits were also placed on the use of site groundwater. Eleven of the original 12 soil source areas have received regulatory closure from the State of California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region. Remediation is ongoing in the final soil source area. Groundwater treatment and monitoring in both Santa Clara and Sunnyvale are ongoing. Efforts to evaluate and address vapor intrusion in buildings over the plume are also underway, with mitigation measures undertaken wherever necessary to address any unacceptable vapor intrusion. No evidence of unacceptable vapor intrusion was detected in the residential buildings sampled over the downgradient plume. Manufacturing activities ceased at the site by 1999. Applied Materials, an on-site business, installed solar panels in 2008. Texas Instruments took over National Semiconductor Corp. in 2011. Texas Instruments owns most of the site property. Lennar Commercial purchased about 15 acres of the site in 2014 for use as office and commercial space. Texas Instruments retained its Santa Clara campus for design and sales offices, research and development laboratories, and support services.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 19 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 1,758 people and generated an estimated $140,288,129 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Newmark Ground Water Contamination
The Newmark Ground Water Contamination Superfund site is located in San Bernardino, California. The site includes two large areas of groundwater contamination (plumes) and the source area. The groundwater plumes are several hundred feet deep; they have not affected city development. Land uses above the plumes include light industrial, commercial and residential. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989 after the state identified contamination. Groundwater treatment for the Newmark Plume started in 1998. Groundwater treatment for the Muscoy Plume started in 2005. Both systems continue to operate. EPA’s final cleanup plan involves treating groundwater to achieve cleanup standards allowing beneficial use of groundwater. EPA is continuing to identify sources of contamination and develop a comprehensive cleanup plan for the source area. Residential, commercial and industrial properties above the plumes remain in continued use. Schools and a 3.5-acre solar array are now being used on the site.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 125 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 2,538 people and generated an estimated $668,275,668 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Omega Chemical Corporation
The Omega Chemical Corporation facility was a refrigerant and solvent recycling, reformulation and treatment facility. The facility operated in Whittier, California, from about 1976 to 1991. As a result of spills, leaks, and other chemical releases, Omega contaminated the soil and groundwater at its Whittier property with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE) and Freon. Omega received many notices of violations from the Los Angeles County Department of Health between 1984 and 1988. Cleanup activities performed by potentially responsible parties included removal of hazardous materials and cleanup of subsurface soil and groundwater. The site is in commercial and industrial reuse.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 5 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 53 people and generated an estimated $13,754,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Operating Industries, Inc., Landfill
The Operating Industries, Inc. (OII) Landfill Superfund site is located 10 miles east of Los Angeles in Monterey Park, California. The Pomona Freeway divides the 190-acre site into two parcels – the South Parcel and the North Parcel. Landfilling operations at the site began in 1948 and ended in 1984. The site received residential and commercial refuse, liquid wastes, and various hazardous wastes and materials. In the 1980s, EPA took emergency actions to begin stabilizing the site. In 1986, EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL). EPA’s long-term cleanup for the site addresses contaminated groundwater, soil and air. Cleanup actions included covering the landfill, controlling landfill gas and managing chemicals in the water draining from the landfill. Contaminated groundwater outside the landfill area is recovering naturally. A leachate treatment plant collects landfill liquids for treatment. Monitoring and maintenance of the cleanup systems is ongoing. In 2002, parties installed six 70-kilowatt microturbines at the landfill to convert landfill gas into electricity. The methane produced by the landfill provided half of the energy used at the site. The system generated more than 15,000 megawatt hours of electricity, saving the project nearly $21,000 in energy costs each month. The system’s total savings over its seven years of operation was about $1.75 million, before the facility ceased operation. Potentially responsible parties are working with a developer and the city of Monterey Park on commercial redevelopment of the site’s North Parcel. Groundbreaking on the retail center began in the fall of 2016 and several businesses opened on site in 2018. Additional retail shops and restaurants are planned for the commercial development.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 8 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 659 people and generated an estimated $149,411,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
- OII Landfill Superfund Site - Before and After Swiper MapExit
- Reuse and the Benefit to Community: A Beneficial Effects Economic Case Study for the Operating Industries, Inc. Superfund Site (PDF)(10 pp, 1.9 MB)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Pemaco Maywood
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
For more information:
- Site Redevelopment Profile for the Pemaco Maywood Superfund Site (PDF)(4 pp, 1.5 MB)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Ralph Gray Trucking Co.
The 23-acre Ralph Gray Trucking Co. Superfund site is located in a residential neighborhood of Westminster, California. During the 1930s, the site was the Murdy Dairy Farm. Beginning in 1936, Ralph Gray collected acid sludge, oil field wastes and oil refinery wastes and disposed of them in four unlined pits at the farm. Ralph Gray abandoned the disposal pits in the late 1930s. The pits remained undisturbed until the construction of 75 homes in the late 1950s. At that point, the development company buried hazardous substances from the pits in two unlined trenches cut through the backyard areas of about 25 of the lots before building the homes. After repeated complaints from residents when black sludge and seep material appeared in their yards, EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1992. EPA removal actions included razing and restoration of backyard improvements, such as house additions, swimming pools, decks, landscaping and other structures. Cleanup and restoration contractors razed and reconstructed several houses built directly above waste deposits. The contractors removed visible material and excavated at least 5 additional feet into the clean soil. After the removal work, EPA restored affected yards and structures. EPA also provided financial compensation to owners of homes demolished as part of the cleanup effort so that owners could rebuild or replace their homes. EPA completed all restoration work in 1997. Residential use of the site continues today. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 2004.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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Rockets, Fireworks, and Flares
The Rockets, Fireworks, and Flares Superfund site, formerly known as the B.F. Goodrich Superfund site, consists of a 160-acre industrial area in Rialto, California, and a six-mile-long area of groundwater contamination. In 1942, the U.S. Army used part of the site to store ammunition and weapons. Defense contractors and fireworks manufacturers used the land after World War II. The firms included West Coast Loading Corporation, B.F. Goodrich Corporation, Pyrotronics, Pyro Spectaculars and American Promotional Events. Operators handled perchlorate salts and other hazardous chemicals and disposed of chemical wastes on site. Chemicals seeped into the ground and contaminated the groundwater. The underground water supply is the primary source of drinking water for residents and businesses in Rialto and surrounding communities. The California Regional Water Quality Control Board led initial efforts to address the contamination. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2009. EPA has overseen construction of the first of two planned groundwater cleanup projects at the site. The Goodrich Corporation, Emhart Industries (a corporate successor to West Coast Loading Corporation), Pyro Spectaculars, American Promotional Events, and others entered agreements with EPA to pay for cleanup at the site. Pyro Spectaculars, Inc. and American Promotional Events still operate at the site. Other industrial businesses have continued to operate within the 160-acre area of the site, including a concrete pipe manufacturer and others.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 6 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 182 people and generated an estimated $94,743,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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San Fernando Valley (Area 1)
The San Fernando Valley (Area 1) Superfund site (SFV Area 1) is one of four Superfund sites in California’s San Fernando Valley that were added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. The site covers about 20 square miles and includes the areas of North Hollywood and Burbank. The San Fernando Valley groundwater basin provides drinking water to residents of the cities of Los Angeles, Burbank and Glendale, and the La Crescenta Water District. Contamination of area groundwater resulted from a range of industrial operations. EPA oversees the cleanup of groundwater contaminated with volatile organic compounds and metals. This heavily developed urban area is mainly a mix of residential, commercial and industrial land uses. In 2001, part of the site (Lockheed Martin's B-1 area) was redeveloped for commercial uses, called the Burbank Empire Center. In 2005, the Burbank Airport Commerce Center was built on site; it includes commercial and light industrial uses. Since 1930, Hollywood Burbank Airport has operated on site. Two groundwater pump-and-treat systems have operated in the North Hollywood and Burbank areas since 1989 and 1996, respectively. Treated groundwater from the Burbank groundwater treatment system provides a municipal water source for the community. The treated groundwater saves the municipality millions of dollars every year.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 166 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 5,649 people and generated an estimated $1,250,568,103 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
- Reuse and the Benefit to Community: San Fernando Valley (Area 1) Superfund Site: Burbank (PDF)(30 pp, 5.8 MB)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
San Fernando Valley (Area 2)
The San Fernando Valley (Area 2) Superfund site (SFV Area 2) is one of four Superfund sites in California’s San Fernando Valley. It covers about 6,680 acres. The San Fernando Valley groundwater basin provides drinking water to residents in Los Angeles, Burbank and Glendale as well as the La Crescenta Water District. In 1980, several cities in the San Fernando Valley discovered contamination in drinking water wells. The contaminated groundwater is near the Crystal Springs Well Field in the cities of Los Angeles and Glendale. The chemicals found in wells were used widely by a number of industries, including aerospace and defense manufacturing, machinery degreasing, dry cleaning, and metal plating. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. A pump-and-treat system addresses the volatile organic compound contamination in groundwater. Remedial designs are underway to help the system capture more contamination. EPA is conducting a vapor intrusion assessment from groundwater across Area 2. In 2004, EPA began studying chromium contamination at the site. EPA set up the Glendale Chromium area in 2007 to address chromium contamination in groundwater. A feasibility study to identify remedial alternatives for chromium is ongoing. Industrial, residential, recreational and commercial areas remain in continued use on site.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 3 people and generated an estimated $575,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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San Fernando Valley (Area 3)
The San Fernando Valley (Area 3) Superfund site (SFV Area 3) is a delisted Superfund site. SFV Area 3 is one of four San Fernando Valley Superfund sites that EPA added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. SFV Area 3 is located in a basin that is hydrologically separate from the other three San Fernando Valley sites. Located in the Verdugo basin east of the Verdugo Mountains, the site covers about 4,400 acres. Land use in the Verdugo Basin is primarily residential along the floor of the valley and undeveloped (open space) in surrounding mountains. A strip of commercial development is present along Foothill Boulevard, and a Y-shaped commercial sector is present in the southern part of the basin. The basin also contains four scattered agricultural areas. The Verdugo basin supplies water to an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County, known locally as La Crescenta. La Crescenta Water District is responsible for supplying water to residents of the area. After reviewing results of groundwater monitoring conducted from the 1980s until 2002, EPA, with support from the state, determined that Superfund cleanup actions at the site were not necessary. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 2004.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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San Gabriel Valley (Area 1)
The San Gabriel Valley (Area 1) Superfund site is one of four San Gabriel Valley Superfund sites in Southern California. The San Gabriel Valley Superfund sites include areas of contaminated groundwater in the 170-square-mile San Gabriel Valley. In 1984, EPA listed the four main areas of groundwater contamination in the valley on the National Priorities List (NPL). The Area 1 site includes about 10 square miles of groundwater contamination under parts of the cities of El Monte, Rosemead and Temple City; about 8 square miles of groundwater contamination under parts of the cities of South El Monte, El Monte and Rosemead; and about 4 square miles of groundwater contamination in the southernmost part of San Gabriel Valley. In addition to industrial, commercial, residential and open space land uses, parts of the site support recreational uses and flood control. EPA has overseen treatment of groundwater in Area 1 since the early 2000s. EPA continues to oversee operation of the eight groundwater treatment systems in place, and the design and construction of enhancements to one of the systems in light of changing site conditions. Investigations and studies are also underway, including an effort to identify the ongoing sources of contamination. To date, investigators have found soil contamination at nearly 400 facilities. Water utilities in the area provide clean water that meets all state and federal drinking water standards.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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San Gabriel Valley (Area 2)
The San Gabriel Valley (Area 2) Superfund site is one of four San Gabriel Valley Superfund sites in Southern California. The San Gabriel Valley Superfund sites include multiple areas of contaminated groundwater in the 170-square-mile San Gabriel Valley. In 1984, EPA listed the four main areas of groundwater contamination in the valley on the National Priorities List (NPL). The Area 2 site (also known as the Baldwin Park Operable Unit) includes groundwater contamination under parts of the cities of Azusa, Irwindale, Baldwin Park, West Covina, La Puente and Industry. The site covers about 10 square miles. Land use at the site is largely suburban, with a mix of residential, commercial and industrial development. The site’s cleanup includes the operation of five large groundwater pump-and-treat systems. The systems help ensure an adequate supply of clean water to the region by providing treated groundwater to over 100,000 homes and businesses. Groundwater treatment began in 2002. Water utilities in the area provide clean water that meets all state and federal drinking water standards.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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San Gabriel Valley (Area 3)
The San Gabriel Valley (Area 3) Superfund site is one of four San Gabriel Valley Superfund sites in Southern California. The San Gabriel Valley Superfund sites include areas of contaminated groundwater in the 170-square-mile San Gabriel Valley. In 1984, EPA listed the four main areas of groundwater contamination in the valley on the National Priorities List (NPL). The Area 3 site covers 19 square miles containing regions of groundwater contamination in Los Angeles County. Cities within Area 3 include Alhambra, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino, South Pasadena and Temple City. Land use within the site is mainly commercial and residential, with limited areas of light industry and open space. EPA continues investigating the site in preparation for a site-wide feasibility study. Water utilities in the area provide clean water that meets all state and federal drinking water standards.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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San Gabriel Valley (Area 4)
The San Gabriel Valley (Area 4) Superfund site is one of four San Gabriel Valley Superfund sites in southern California. The San Gabriel Valley Superfund sites include areas of contaminated groundwater in the 170-square-mile San Gabriel Valley. In 1984, EPA placed the four main areas of valley groundwater contamination on the National Priorities List (NPL). The sites include industrial, commercial and residential land areas as well as undeveloped land. The Area 4 site (also known as the Puente Valley Operable Unit) is a 23-square-mile sub-area. It includes the Main San Gabriel Basin and the Puente Basin. The site is located primarily in the cities of Industry and La Puente and in some unincorporated parts of eastern Los Angeles County. EPA has planned three groundwater pump-and-treat systems to protect the water supply in the “mouth of the valley” portion of the Puente Valley. The systems are also intended to prevent further contaminant movement. Initial construction for portions of the systems began in 2006, however, completion of the systems’ designs was delayed until EPA and the implementing parties could dispose of treated groundwater to maximize beneficial use of the water. With one system under full construction and two systems in design, EPA anticipates the three cleanup systems will be in place in 2022. Water utilities in the area provide clean water that meets all state and federal drinking water standards. Most land at the site remains in commercial and industrial use; a small area is in residential use. Additional development of properties overlying the groundwater plume is ongoing, EPA will continue to work with developers and future tenants to ensure that reuse continues to be compatible with the site’s groundwater remedy.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 23 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 349 people and generated an estimated $317,351,613 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Selma Pressure Treating Company
The Selma Pressure Treating Company Superfund site is located in Selma, California. A wood treatment company operated at the 18-acre site from 1936 to 1981. The site includes the 4-acre former wood treatment facility and an adjacent vineyard that was used for drainage. Wood treatment activities contaminated soil and groundwater with multiple chemicals, including chromium. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Soil cleanup included excavation and stabilization of contaminated soil under a protective vegetative cap and asphalt cap. Groundwater cleanup treated chromium and placed restrictions on groundwater use. Groundwater treatment and monitoring are ongoing. The property owner of the 4-acre former wood treatment facility currently leases the asphalt cap area for waste management and recycling at a commercial transfer yard.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 2 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 5 people and generated an estimated $79,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Signetics, Inc.
The Signetics, Inc. (Signetics, aka Philips Semiconductors) site in Sunnyvale, California, covers about 20 acres. The site is considered part of the “Triple Site,” which also includes the Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) 901/902 Thompson Place (AMD 901/902) Superfund site, the TRW Microwave (TRW) Superfund site, and the Offsite Operable Unit (Offsite OU). Beginning in 1964, North American Philips Company operated an integrated circuits manufacturing facility at the Signetics site. The manufacturing process used and generated hazardous substances, including trichloroethylene (TCE), and other organic solvents, acids, corrosives and metals. Initial investigation of soil pollution at the Signetics site began in February 1982 after detection of a leak in an underground waste solvent storage tank. Contaminated soil was found during the tank removal. Additional investigation concluded that the two probable source areas of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were this waste solvent tank area and the wastewater neutralization tank area. A groundwater plume composed of VOCs, including TCE, extends from the Signetics site more than a mile north. This plume impacts the adjacent AMD 901/902 and TRW sites, as well as the nearby AMD Building 915 DeGuigne Drive Superfund site. Cleanup activities, managed by Signetics Company, included soil excavation, soil vapor extraction, and groundwater extraction and treatment. The area of the neighborhood north of the Signetics source area where the groundwater contamination is located, referred to as the Offsite OU, is comprised of more than 1,000 households and four schools. EPA has overseen Philips Semiconductors’ indoor air sampling efforts in more than 35 school buildings and 220 residences in the Offsite OU, and the installation of 25 school and residential mitigation systems. In March 2019, EPA finalized an agreement with Philips Semiconductors for the Signetics site, which requires the company to evaluate options to speed the cleanup of the Signetics source area, the majority contributor to the contamination in the Offsite OU, and evaluate the indoor air quality of the buildings located within the Signetics site. This agreement will help to address vapor risks to the community, and aid in the restoration of groundwater quality in the region. Several businesses, including a hardware store, fitness center, and technology and consulting companies operate in the on-property buildings. A residential redevelopment is currently in the planning stages for a portion of the on-property area at 440 North Wolfe Road, which will include preemptive vapor mitigation measures integrated into the design and construction of the new buildings. Off-property use in the Offsite OU is residential/schools.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 213 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 1,823 people and generated an estimated $201,104,017 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Sola Optical USA, Inc.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 7 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 142 people and generated an estimated $30,483,904 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
- Reuse and the Benefit to Community: Sola Optical USA, Inc. Superfund Site (PDF)(7 pp, 727 K)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
South Bay Asbestos Area
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 29 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 2,997 people and generated an estimated $1,419,883,100 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
- Reuse and the Benefit to Community: South Bay Asbestos Area (PDF)(15 pp, 766 K, About PDF)
- Redevelopment of the South Bay Asbestos Area Superfund Site (PDF) (1 pg, 133 K)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Southern Avenue Industrial Area
The Southern Avenue Industrial Area Superfund site is located in South Gate, California. The site is in a mixed-use commercial, industrial and residential area within metropolitan Los Angeles. Before 1972, Pacific Screw Products Corporation manufactured metal screws on site. The firm closed due to bankruptcy. Seam Master Industries (SMI) began operating on site after 1972, preparing adhesive tape for carpets and upholstery. Manufacturing processes used various oils and solvents. SMI workers stored hazardous substances in underground storage tanks on site. In 2002, during groundwater investigations of another site nearby, the Copper Drum Superfund site, EPA identified the Southern Avenue site as another contributing source to the groundwater contamination in the area. EPA and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control took control of the site cleanup in 2007. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2012. Currently, EPA is determining the extent of contamination and identifying appropriate cleanup methods. SMI vacated the site in 2012. The property owners lease the site occasionally for truck parking.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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Spectra-Physics, Inc.
The 11.5-acre Spectra-Physics, Inc. Superfund site is located in Mountain View, California, northwest of San Jose. The 1-acre Teledyne Semiconductor Superfund site borders the Spectra-Physics, Inc. site. Contaminated groundwater from both sites combined and migrated north toward San Francisco Bay. The contaminated groundwater is under a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood. The owners of Teledyne Semiconductor and Spectra-Physics are jointly managing cleanup of the site. Spectra-Physics made electronic equipment and gas lasers at the site beginning in 1961. Teledyne made semiconductors at their site beginning in 1962. These facilities used a variety of chemicals, primarily volatile organic compounds including trichloroethylene (TCE), which contaminated soil and groundwater. EPA added the sites to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1991. EPA’s cleanup plan required the removal of contaminated soil vapors and groundwater pumping and treatment. Potentially responsible parties completed the soil cleanup in 1995. Groundwater treatment and investigation and mitigation of vapor intrusion in homes and commercial buildings over the Teledyne/Spectra TCE plume is ongoing. Industrial use continues on the sites. A church and a variety of commercial buildings are now located on the sites.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 8 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 149 people and generated an estimated $37,771,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Synertek, Inc. (Building 1)
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 2 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 17 people and generated an estimated $3,027,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Teledyne Semiconductor
The 11.5-acre Spectra-Physics, Inc. Superfund site is located in Mountain View, California, northwest of San Jose. The 1-acre Teledyne Semiconductor Superfund site borders the Spectra-Physics, Inc. site. Contaminated groundwater from both sites combined and migrated north toward San Francisco Bay. The contaminated groundwater is under a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood. The owners of Teledyne Semiconductor and Spectra-Physics are jointly managing cleanup of the site. Spectra-Physics made electronic equipment and gas lasers at the site beginning in 1961. Teledyne made semiconductors at their site beginning in 1962. These facilities used a variety of chemicals, primarily volatile organic compounds including trichloroethylene (TCE), which contaminated soil and groundwater. EPA added the sites to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1991. EPA’s cleanup plan required the removal of contaminated soil vapors and groundwater pumping and treatment. Potentially responsible parties completed the soil cleanup in 1995. Groundwater treatment and investigation and mitigation of vapor intrusion in homes and commercial buildings over the Teledyne/Spectra TCE plume is ongoing. Industrial use continues on the sites. A church and a variety of commercial buildings are now located on the sites.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 3 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 214 people and generated an estimated $101,100,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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TRW Microwave, Inc. (Building 825)
The TRW Microwave (TRW) Superfund site is located in Sunnyvale, California. The site is considered part of the “Triple Site,” which also includes the AMD 901/902 Thompson Place Superfund site, the Signetics (also known as Philips Semiconductors) Superfund site, and the Offsite Operable Unit (Offsite OU). The primary activity at the TRW site was the assembly and testing of microwave components. Facility operations contaminated soil and groundwater with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), primarily trichloroethylene (TCE). The TRW site, together with the AMD 901/902 and Signetics sites, and Offsite OU, are covered by a 1991 EPA Record of Decision. TRW and its corporate successor, Northrup Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrup Grumman), removed soil contamination and treated contaminated groundwater. A developer bought the site in 1995. The developer leased the building to research and development companies until 2001. Between 2001 and 2003, the site owner demolished the existing structure and constructed a new two-story building. Under EPA oversight, Northrup Grumman completed a vapor intrusion assessment at the building, which revealed unacceptable levels of TCE. Mitigation measures were undertaken, including the design and construction of a sub-slab passive venting system capable of being converted to an active system if necessary. Post-mitigation sampling was conducted to confirm the effectiveness of the response measures prior to occupancy by the current tenant – Apple, Inc., which conducts software/hardware research and development activities. Groundwater treatment and monitoring are ongoing. Vapor intrusion assessment and mitigation efforts are ongoing in nearby homes and schools over the TCE plume in the Offsite OU. To date, more than 250 households and classrooms have been sampled, and more than 20 mitigation systems have been installed in residences and school buildings to address findings of unacceptable vapor intrusion. In March 2019, EPA finalized an agreement with Philips Semiconductors, Inc. for the adjacent Signetics site, which requires the company to evaluate options to speed cleanup of contaminated groundwater that flows from the Signetics site onto the TRW site and into the Offsite OU. This agreement will help expedite cleanup of the underlying groundwater contamination from the Signetics site that limits the effectiveness of cleanup efforts at the TRW site, address vapor risks to the community, and help restore groundwater quality in the region.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on one on-site business. EPA did not have further economic details related to this business. For additional information click here.
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United Heckathorn Co.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on one on-site business. EPA did not have further economic details related to this business. For additional information click here.
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Waste Disposal, Inc.
The 38-acre Waste Disposal, Inc. Superfund site is located in Santa Fe Springs, California. Between the early 1940s and the mid-1960s, previous businesses used an on-site reservoir to dispose of waste. In 1984 and 1985, testing by the city of Santa Fe Springs (the City) determined that waste-disposal activities contaminated soil and groundwater with hazardous chemicals. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1987. Cleanup activities involved capping, removing and treating gases as well as monitoring and restricting groundwater use. Grass to protect the cap and improve stormwater drainage now covers most of the central reservoir area. EPA worked with state agencies, potentially responsible parties (PRPs), business owners and landowners to allow businesses to continue operating on site during cleanup. EPA’s Superfund Redevelopment Initiative gave the City a pilot grant to collaborate with EPA to develop a reuse plan that would be compatible with the cleanup and allow for future commercial or industrial development opportunities. Site PRPs repaved business driveways, parking areas and walkways. They also worked with the nearby high school to address public safety concerns. They built a large backstop behind the school’s baseball and soccer fields to prevent stray balls from entering the site, eliminating the need for students to enter the site to retrieve them. Currently, a variety of commercial and light industrial businesses operate on site. A developer recently purchased a vacant part of the site and is considering redevelopment opportunities.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 37 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 192 people and generated an estimated $385,387,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
- Reuse and the Benefit to Community: Waste Disposal, Inc. Superfund Site (PDF) (13 pp, 752 K, About PDF)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Watkins-Johnson Co. (Stewart Division Plant)
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 4 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 58 people and generated an estimated $20,700,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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Western Pacific Railroad Co.
The 90-acre Western Pacific Railroad Co. (WPRR) Superfund site is located outside of Oroville, California. A rail yard began operating at the site in the 1880s. Activities at the site included welding, painting, machining and fueling locomotives. These activities occurred in a 10-acre area known as the Fueling Area. In 1970, WPRR stopped activities and leased the Fueling Area to an independent railcar company until 1991. WPRR and the next owner, Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR), continued to use some of the site until 1991, when UPRR dismantled or demolished the remaining structures. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990 because of contaminated on-site groundwater. UPRR installed a groundwater treatment system in 1994, enhanced it with soil vapor extraction in 1997, and removed contaminated soil in 1998. After determining that UPRR had successfully cleaned up the site, EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 2001. Currently, the Fueling Area is inactive; uses on the rest of the site include a maintenance shop, a small classification yard and an active rail line. UPRR leases a public drinking water well, which is located on the site southwest of the Fueling Area rail line, to California Water Service.
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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Westinghouse Electric Corp. (Sunnyvale Plant)
Last updated September 2019
As of December 2019, EPA had data on 7 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 1,044 people and generated an estimated $510,307,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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