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Brown's Dump
National Information
Photos/Multimedia
Photo of Brown's Dump Superfund Alternative site.
- Additional Site Photos
- Site Video
Additional Resources
- Site Cleanup Terms - can be found in EPA's glossary
- EPA Guides to Cleanup Technologies
- Superfund Community Involvement (PDF) (17 pp, 130K, About PDF)
Site Summary Profile
EPA ID: FLD980847016Location: Jacksonville, Duval County, FL
Lat/Long: 30.364888, -81.684883
Congressional District: 06
NPL Status: Superfund Alternative Site
Affected Media: Ground water, Soil
Cleanup Status: Remedial design underway; remedial action expected to begin in 2010
Site Reuse/Redevelopment: Potential for future use - former elementary school. In continued use - electrical substation north of former elementary school facility; adjacent single-family homes and multi-family complexes.
Site Manager: Scott Martin (martin.scott@epa.gov)
Site Background
The Brown's Dump Superfund Alternative site is located in the City of Jacksonville. Approximately 80 acres in size, the site consists of the former Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School, an electrical substation of the Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA), surrounding single family homes and multiple family complexes (e.g., apartments).
From the late 1940s until the mid-1950s, the site was an operating landfill used to deposit ash from the City of Jacksonville's municipal incinerators. Investigations have indicated that ash is present within the site at depths varying from the surface to, in some locations, greater than 20 feet below land surface. After closure of the landfill in 1953, the property was obtained by the Duval County School Board in 1955, through condemnation procedures, for construction of a school. At approximately the same time and later, land surrounding the original landfill began to undergo development of residential homes and apartment complexes.
The original location of the dumping operation is centered on the northern portion of the former Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School. School year 2000/2001 was the last operating school year.
In 1999, EPA identified the City of Jacksonville, the Duval County School Board and JEA as potentially responsible parties (PRPs). In September 1999, the City of Jacksonville voluntarily entered into an Administrative Order by Consent (AOC) with EPA for the performance of a Remedial Investigation (RI) and Feasibility Study (FS). Therefore, this site was never listed on the National Priorities List (NPL); rather, it is a Superfund Alternative Site (SAS) which, in agreement with the 1999 AOC, followed the National Contingency Plan (NCP) for the required investigation/study. Site cleanup is to be funded by the City of Jacksonville.
Threats and Contaminants
Elevated levels of lead, arsenic, other inorganics, organics, pesticides/PCBs and dioxin/furans were found in soils. During the early investigations, soil exposure to students of the elementary school and residents living on and near the site was the primary concern. Exposure to ground water and surface water were also of concern.
Site Cleanup Plan
The cleanup plan for the site, the Record of Decision (ROD), was issued in 2006. The plan called for shallow soil excavation, off-site disposal, and soil cover to eliminate, control, or significantly reduces risks at the site. The major components of the cleanup approach included:
- Removal of soil contaminated above cleanup goals as needed to allow for installation of a two foot thick soil cover. For the most part, in residential areas this approach will result in the removal of any contamination above cleanup goals in the upper two feet of soil to be followed by replacement with a two foot thick soil cover. Approximately 240 residential properties will undergo excavation.
- Temporary relocation provided to eligible residents upon their request.
- Excavation will be followed by restoration activities (e.g., replacement with clean soil, replacement of flower beds, trees, shrubs, grass, etc.).
- Stabilization of the banks of Moncrief Creek (e.g., clear banks, excavate soil to achieve acceptable side slopes, dispose of excavated soil/material properly, installation of erosion controls to prevent erosion of ash/contamination into creek, etc.).
- Place geotextile (or other membrane) cover topped with gravel under residential houses with open crawlspaces (that can be easily accessed by children) that exceed human health cleanup goals to further prevent direct contact with the soil.
- Institute ground water monitoring to verify the "No Action" decision for the ground water.
- Solidification/stabilization of excavated soil exceeding the limits of Toxicity Characterization Leaching Procedures. An estimated 8,500 cubic yards of excavated soil/ash will need to be solidified/stabilized prior to disposal at an appropriate Subtitle D Landfill.
- Implementation of institutional controls (i.e., administrative notices and restrictions) to control exposure to remaining soil contamination (e.g., soil contamination located under the soil cover, and soil contamination remaining under buildings, roads, etc.).
Cleanup Progress
The remedy will be designed during 2009 and the main remedial action is expected to start in 2010.
Enforcement Activities
In September 1999, the City of Jacksonville voluntarily entered into an AOC with EPA for the performance of an RI and FS.
After entering negotiation with the City of Jacksonville in September, 2006, a Consent Decree for the completion of Remedial Design/Remedial Action was lodged in Florida Superior Court on July 17, 2008. The final settlement was for the estimated remedial cost of $96 million.
Community Involvement
EPA has conducted a range of community involvement activities at the Brown’s Dump site to solicit community input and to ensure that the public remains informed about site activities throughout the site cleanup process. Outreach activities have included site fact sheets (found below), public notices, and information meetings on cleanup progress and activities.
A Site Summary Video dated October 2002 was also made available to the press and public.
Fact Sheets
- Reuse Fact Sheet (PDF) (1 pg, 688K, About PDF).
- Fact Sheet, August 2004 (PDF) (5 pp, 34K, About PDF).
- Fact Sheet, May 2002 (PDF) (4 pp, 119K, About PDF).
- Fact Sheet, April 2000 (PDF) (7 pp, 308K, About PDF).
- Fact Sheet, October 1999 (PDF) (6 pp, 201K, About PDF).
Future Work
The specific cleanup will be designed during 2009 and the main cleanup action is expected to start in 2010.
Site Administrative Documents
Site Repository
For more information or to view any site-related documents, please visit the site information repository at the following location. As new documents are generated, they will be placed in the information repository for public information.
Clanzel T. Brown Center4415 Moncrief Rd.
Jacksonville, Florida
904-764-8752
Administrative Record Index
- Administrative Record (PDF) (9 pp, 494K, About PDF).
- OU-1 (PDF) (3 pp, 131K, About PDF).
For documents not available on the website, please contact the Region 4 Freedom of Information Office.