Washington, D.C., March 15, 2004 -- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed that 11 new high risk hazardous waste sites be added to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL).
Of the 11 sites proposed for listing: two sites are former mining sites, one site has significant drinking water contamination from unidentified sources, one site has significant water resource sediment contamination, and one site has residential soil contamination.
The sites present a wide array of contaminants, including lead, arsenic, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), volatile organic compounds, among others. The NPL serves primarily informational purposes, identifying for the states and the public those sites that appear to warrant remedial actions.
If these sites are eventually funded, EPA will work with states, tribes, local communities and other partners in identifying land reuse options and opportunities at these sites. Under its Land Revitalization Agenda announced last year, EPA made a commitment that revitalization and reuse will now be a formal part of planning at every site.
Nationally, more than 70 percent of all Superfund sites are cleaned up by those responsible for the pollution. Since the beginning of the Superfund program, more than $21 billion in cleanup commitments and funding have been provided by the parties responsible for toxic waste sites.
The proposed sites were selected based on various factors, including: risk to human health and the environment; the urgency of the need for response; projected total costs to the Fund; maintenance of a strong enforcement program; leverage of cleanups by others; and the level of support for listing from the State, Tribes, and communities.
The 11 proposed sites are: Jacobsville Neighborhood Soil Contamination. Evansville, Ind.; Devil's Swamp Lake, Scotlandville, La.; Annapolis Lead Mine, Annapolis, Mo.; Picayune Wood Treating, Picayune, Miss.; Grants Chlorinated Solvents Plume, Grants, N.M.; Diaz Chemical Corporation, Holley, N.Y.; Peninsula Boulevard Groundwater Plume, Hewlett, N.Y.; Ryeland Road Arsenic, Heidelberg Township, Pa.; Cidra Ground Water Contamination, Cidra, Puerto Rico; Pike Hill Copper Mine, Corinth, Vt.; Ravenswood PCE Ground Water Plume, Ravenswood, W.Va.
With the 11 new sites proposed to the NPL, there are now 65 sites proposed and awaiting final agency listing determination; 59 in the General Superfund Section and six in the Federal Facilities Section.
There are 1,240 final sites on the NPL; 1,082 in the General Section and 158 in the Federal Facilities Section. Final and proposed sites now total 1,305. Cleanup construction has been completed at 892 sites and is underway at 360 additional sites.
For Federal Register notices and support documents for the new proposed and final sites, go to: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/newnpl.htm.