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EPA in Texas

Cleanups in Texas

Brownfields

Brownfields are real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Cleaning up and reinvesting in these properties protects the environment, reduces blight, and takes development pressures off greenspaces and working lands.

Brownfields Success Stories highlight the accomplishments of EPA brownfields grantees.

Grantee accomplishments across Texas:

  • Federal Reserve Bank Building, Houston
  • Former Halbert Hospital, Rosebud
  • Former Paul Quinn College, Waco
  • Greenville Grocery Store, Greenville
  • Greenville Public Safety Building, Greenville
  • Industrial Park, Giddings
  • Mabel Davis Park, Austin
  • Montgomery Plaza, Fort Worth
  • Rhizome Collective, Austin
  • Throckmorton Service Station, Throckmorton
  • Victory Plaza, Dallas

A Target Brownfields Assessment (TBA) is a free service the EPA Region 6 Brownfields Team provides to communities to support their eligible brownfields projects. These services include brownfield inventories, area-wide planning, site environmental assessments and investigations, and site cleanup planning.

To learn more about brownfields in Texas, visit the Region 6 Brownfields web page.

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Federal Facilities Base Closure

In 1988, Congress established a process to realign and close surplus military property and return the property for local economic development. The process required the President to establish the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission. The Secretary of Defense proposed a list of bases for closure and realignment. The Commission held public hearings and reported its findings to the President. The President had 15 days to approve or disapprove. After approval, the recommendations were sent to Congress, which had 45 days to disapprove or the recommendations became law. There have been five Base Closure rounds: 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995 and 2005.

The latest round of Closures includes three major facilities in Texas: Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant, Texas, Naval Station Ingleside, Texas and Brooks City Base, Texas. The Lone Star facility has been in an inactive status for several years; Ingleside Naval Station is a relatively new facility; and Brooks AFB was privatized and transferred to the city of San Antonio in 2002 (but the Air Force currently leases space back from the city).

Federal Facilities/Base Closures in Texas

Land Revitalization

Land Revitalization (LR) efforts revive previously contaminated properties back into productive uses such as public parks, restoring wetlands and establishing new businesses. Revitalizing previously contaminated properties helps reinvigorate communities, preserve greenspace, and prevent sprawl.

To learn more about Land Revitalization in Texas, visit the Region 6 Land Revitalization web page.

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Hazardous Waste

The Hazardous Waste (RCRA) Corrective Action Program requires investigation and cleanup of releases of hazardous wastes and hazardous constituents that pose an unacceptable risk at RCRA hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities. Facility evaluations, conducted by EPA or the state, are based on human health and environmental risks posed by actual or potential releases to the environment, potential migration pathways, target receptors and waste characteristics. EPA and the states designate facilities as either high, medium, or low priority. 

The EPA South Central Region (Region 6) developed a Corrective Action Strategy (CAS) guideline to accelerate corrective action at RCRA facilities.

Ready for Reuse

Ready for Reuse encourages cleanups that will quickly support protective redevelopment opportunities. As part of this Program, EPA and/or the states provide a regulatory "determination" that affirms that the conditions on the site are protective of human health and the environment based on the current and planned future use(s) of the property.

View a complete list of Site-Specific Determinations in Texas.

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Superfund Redevelopment

Superfund Redevelopment in Texas helps local communities return contaminated Superfund sites to safe and productive uses. EPA is working with these communities and other stakeholders - prospective purchasers, local governments - to consider reuse opportunities and to integrate appropriate reuse options into the cleanup process. Learn more about Superfund Redevelopment Initiative.

Sites in Reuse in Texas

Location of sites in reuse in Texas
Location of sites in reuse in Texas.

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Superfund Sites

Superfund is the federal government's program to clean up the nation's uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. EPA is committed to ensuring that these hazardous waste sites are cleaned up to protect the environment and the health of all Americans.

Superfund Sites in Texas

Superfund Site City County
Air Force Plant #4 (General Dynamics) Fort Worth Tarrant
Alcoa/Lavaca Bay   Calhoun
Bailey Waste Disposal   Orange
Bandera Road Groundwater Plume Leon Valley Bexar
Bio-Ecology Systems, Inc.   Dallas
Brine Service Company Corpus Christi Nueces
Brio Refining, Inc.   Harris
Circle Court Ground Water Plume Willow Park Parker
City of Perryton Water Well #2 Perryton Ochiltree
Conroe Creosote Conroe Montgomery
Crystal Chemical Co.   Harris
Crystal City Airport Crystal City Zavala

Delfasco Forge

Grand Prairie Dallas
Dixie Oil Processors, Inc.   Harris
Donna Reservoir and Canal Donna Hildalgo
East 67th Street Ground Water Plume Odessa Ector
El Dorado Chemical Liveoak  
Falcon Refinery Ingelside San Patricio
French, Ltd. Crosby Harris
Garland Creosoting Longview Gregg
Geneva Industries/Fuhrmann Energy Houston Harris
Gulfco Marine Maintenance Freeport Brazoria
Hart Creosoting Company Jasper Jasper
Highlands Acid Pit   Harris

Hwy 18 Ground Water

Kermit Winkler
Jasper Creosoting Company Jasper Jasper
Jones Road Ground Water Plume   Harris
Koppers Co., Inc. (Texarkana Plant) Texarkana Bowie

Lane Plating Works Inc.

Dallas Dallas
Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant Texarkana Bowie
Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant Karnack Harrison
Main Street Groundwater Plume Burnet  
Malone Services Company Texas City Galveston
Many Diversified Interests, Inc. Houston Harris
Midessa Ground Water Plume Midland Midland
MOTCO, Inc.   Galveston
North Cavalcade Street Houston Harris
North East 2nd Street Site (Attebury Grain) Happy Swisher
Odessa Chromium #1 Odessa Ector
Odessa Chromium #2 Odessa Ector
Old ESCO Greenville Hunt
Palmer Barge Line Port Arthur Jefferson
Pantex Plant (USDOE)   Carson
Patrick Bayou Deer Park Harris
Pesses Chemical Co. Fort Worth Tarrant
Petro-Chemical Systems, Inc. (Turtle Bayou) Liberty Liberty
R&H Oil/Tropicana Energy Site San Antonio Bexar
River City Metal Finishing (RCMF) San Antonio Bexar
Rockwool Industries, Inc. Belton Bell
RSR Corp. (Murph Metals) Dallas Dallas
San Jacinto River Waste Pits Channelview Harris

Sandy Beach Road

Azel
Pelican Bay
Tarrant
Sheridan Disposal Services   Waller
Sikes Disposal Pits Crosby Harris
Sol Lynn/Industrial Transformers Houston Harris
South Cavalcade Street Houston Harris
Sprague Road   Ector
Star Lake Canal Port Neches Jefferson
State Marine of Port Arthur Port Arthur Jefferson
State Road 114 Ground Water Plume Levelland Hockley
Stewco, Inc.   Harrison
Tex-Tin Corporation Texas City Galveston
Texarkana Wood Preserving Co. Texarkana Bowie
Triangle Chemical Co. Bridge City Orange
United Creosoting Co. Conroe Montgomery
US Oil Recovery Pasadena Harris
Van Der Horst Terrell Kaufman
West County Road 112   Midland

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