Region 5 Superfund (SF)

U.S. EPA REGION 5
ST. CLAIR COUNTY
SAUGET

Congressional District # 12

SAUGET AREA 1

EPA ID# ILD980792006
Last Updated: December, 2008

Site Description

The Sauget Area 1 site is located in the villages of Sauget (formerly the village of Monsanto) and Cahokia, St. Clair County.  It consists of 12 contaminant sources that include Segments A through F of Dead Creek and the adjacent Sites G, H, I, L, M, and N.  Dead Creek is an intermittent creek, sometimes impounded, that was formerly used before and during the 1930s for waste disposal.  The creek segments, included in the site stretch over 3.5 miles.  Sites G, H, and I are inactive landfills or former subsurface/surface disposal areas adjacent to Dead Creek.  Site G was active approximately from 1950 to 1973, and Sites H and I were active approximately from 1931 to 1957.  Site L is a former surface impoundment that was used by waste haulers to dispose of wash water from 1971 to 1979.  Sites M and N are former sand pits which were excavated in the 1940s.  Multiple companies have been identified as potentially responsible parties (PRPs) for the contamination.  PRPs are those parties whom EPA has determined may be responsible for the site contamination.  Approximately 143,000 people are within a four-mile radius of the site. 

Site Responsibility

The site is being addressed through PRP actions under state and federal enforcement agreements, and federal actions.

Threats and Contaminants

Soil and sediment samples collected from the landfills and creek revealed the presence of chlorobenzenes, chlorophenols, chloroanilines, nitroanilines, dioxins, and polychlorinated byphenols (PCBs).  People who come into direct contact with site contaminants may be at risk.  State and federally-protected endangered species are located in Segment F of Dead Creek and downstream in Old Prairie DuPont Creek, the Cahokia Chute of the Mississippi River, and the main channel of the Mississippi River.  These water bodies, which are also used for recreational and commercial fishing, may be affected by the migration of hazardous substances from the site.  Surface waters were found to be contaminated with chlorinated solvents, various chlorobenzenes, PCBs, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), chlorophenols, nitroaniline, and several heavy metals that include cadmium, cobalt, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, and zinc. 

Cleanup Progress

The site is being addressed through both short-term removal actions and a long-term remedial phase, focusing on cleanup of the entire site.

Segment A of Dead Creek was remediated by a PRP in 1990 under a consent decree with the Illinois EPA (IEPA).  Over 22,000 cubic yards of contaminated creek sediment were removed.  In 1995, U.S. EPA conducted an extensive investigation of the Site G landfill and the surrounding area, following an underground fire at the site.  After the investigation, the agency consolidated contaminated wastes onsite and placed a soil cover over the landfill.

In 1997, U.S. EPA conducted a preliminary ecological risk assessment on Segment F of Dead Creek.  In 1999, U.S. EPA entered into an administrative order on consent (AOC) with one of the potentially responsible parties.  The AOC requires the PRP to conduct additional sampling at the site, conduct a human health and ecological risk assessment, conduct an engineering evaluation/cost analysis (EE/CA) for the source areas and a remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS) for groundwater.  At the conclusion of the investigation, cleanup alternatives will be discussed, and a final cleanup remedy will be selected for the site. 

During 2002, standing water in segments of Dead Creek emerged as a source of concern, given public health warnings about the West Nile Virus. The water in the creek is certain segments was stagnant because the creek bottom was significantly lower than culvert inverts. Because of this concern, a PRP installed temporary pumps in order to pump water downstream. This work was completed during September 2002.

In 2003, pursuant to the 1999 AOC for the Sauget Area 1 Site (SA1S), U.S. EPA determined that additional work was necessary to accomplish the objectives of the EE/CA and RI/FS reports.  This additional work involved the preparation of a dense nonaqueous liquid (DNAPL) characterization and remediation study/investigation for the SA1S which began in May 2004.  Results of the DNAPL characterization and initial remediation study were submitted to the regulatory agencies in January 2005.  The RIFS/EECA for Sauget Area 1 will be revised to include the new data collected to address data gaps (DNAPL data and sites H, I, L, and N investigation) and new site conditions.  This could ultimately result in an expanded list of remedial alternatives for Area 1.

During 2002 and 2003, EPA conducted trenching, soil/waste sampling, and groundwater sampling at Sites H, I, L, and N to identify the presence of contamination within the source areas.  Dioxin and furan, PCBs, pesticides, SVOCs, VOCs, and metals were detected in concentrations exceeding screening levels in the soil and groundwater at sites H, I, and L.

As of Spring 2008, removal actions at Dead Creek have been completed, with the exception of final placment of a liner in creek segment B.  This last phase of the project is scheduled to be completed in mid 2008.  Previous removal action work involved excavation of approximately 50,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments from Dead Creek Segments B through F, Site M and the basin area.  These sediments were placed in an onsite TSCA and RCRA compliant containment cell which was built as part of this action next to Creek Segment B. 

The PRPs are expected to submit revised draft RI/FS reports to U.S. EPA during 2008 and 2009 which incorporate the additional studies and investigations conducted in 2004 through the present.  Following this, U.S. EPA, in consultation with Illinois EPA, will issue a Record of Decision to address threats to human health and the environment that remain at the site.

 

Contacts

Remedial Project Manager, U.S. EPA
leah evison (evison.leah@epa.gov)
(312) 886-2064

Community Involvement Coordinator, U.S. EPA
patricia krause
(312) 886-9506

Aliases

SAUGET AREA I - DEAD CREEK

 

Site Profile Information

This profile provides you with information on EPA's cleanup progress at this Superfund site.