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Stauffer Chemical Company (Tarpon Springs)
National Information
Photos/Multimedia
Western edge of Stauffer Chemical Company Tarpon Springs 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)
Site Summary Profile
EPA ID: FLD010596013Location: Tarpon Springs, Pinellas County, FL
Lat/Long: 28.166660, 082.775690
Congressional District: 09
NPL Status: Proposed: 02/07/92; Final: 05/31/94
Affected Media: Ground water, Sediment, Soil,
Cleanup Status: Contract for soil cleanup should be awarded in October 2009. Construction expected to begin in January 2010. Early actions in 1997-1998.
Site Reuse/Redevelopment: Potential for Commercial/Industrial
Site Manager: Randy Bryant (bryant.randy@epa.gov)
Site Background
The Stauffer Chemical Company’s Tarpon Springs site is situated on 130 acres along the Anclote River in Tarpon Springs, Pinellas County, Florida. The facility was used to produce elemental phosphorous using phosphate ore mined from deposits in Florida. The plant was originally constructed and operated by Victor Chemical Company, which began production in 1947. The Stauffer Chemical Company obtained the plant from Victor Chemical in 1960 and continued to manufacture elemental phosphorous until the plant closed in 1981. The decision to decommission and dismantle the plant permanently was made in 1983. The Stauffer Management Company (SMC) was formed in 1997 as a result of a divestiture of the Stauffer Chemical Company.
Contact Information
Threats and Contaminants
Site operations resulted in the contamination of soils, ground water, and waste ponds on the property. The main contaminants of concern (COCs) in soil include arsenic, antimony, beryllium, elemental phosphorous, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and radium-226.
Agency for Toxic Substance Disease Registry Petitioned Health Consultations
Site Cleanup Plan
The cleanup plan for the Stauffer Chemical Company’s Tarpon Springs site involves two operable units (OUs): OU-1 (source control) and OU-2 (ground water). Groundwater quality will be tested after the completion of the source control remedy to evaluate what actions may be necessary for groundwater at the Site.
The Record of Decision (ROD) for the OU-1 (source control) at the Site was issued in 1998. Major cleanup elements for the site included:
- Limited excavation of radiologically and chemically contaminated material/soil which exceeds Residential Cleanup Standards.
- Consolidation of contaminated material/soil in the main pond area, slag area, and/or other areas on site. Top Cover Caps which meet the Florida Administrative Code 62-701.050 will be placed over the Consolidation Areas. The movement of contaminated soil/waste will be limited to minimize the generation of fugitive dust and to prevent the creation of additional threats to human health and the environment.
- Institutional Controls must be placed on the site to include deed restrictions, land use ordinances, physical barriers, and water supply well permitting prohibitions. These restrictions will limit access to the site and prohibit the disturbance of the remedy.
- On-site solidification/stabilization of pond material and contaminated soil below the water table will be required in the site consolidation areas. **This part of the remedy was subsequently changed due to a fire during a pilot test of the solidification. There will be no solidification; instead a groundwater cutoff wall be installed in that portion of the Site (see the June 2007 Explanation of Significant Differences).
- Background Information (PDF) (12 pp, 39K)
- There will be two capped areas at the Site, one in the north parcel and one in the south parcel. The use of two capped areas eliminates the transport of material between the two parcels and reduces the overall height of the capped areas.
- The design includes restoration of the eastern shore of Meyers Cove by excavation of the adjacent Pond 42. Materials excavated from Pond 42 will be placed within the footprint of the planned cap on the southern parcel.
- Ponds 42, 39, and the northern pond are the only waste ponds to be excavated. These ponds contain less phosphorus (than the southern ponds) and are more suitable for excavation. However, if significant amounts of phosphorus are encountered during excavation, then the material may be capped in place without further excavation.
- Future commercial/industrial use of the Site is possible after construction is complete. It appears that the likely future uses are related to boating: marina, boat launch, boat storage, boat sales and service, parking, etc.
- Future uses of the Site must be compatible with, and protective of, the completed remedy.
- 2005 Consent Decree for RD/RA (PDF) (93 pp, 3.0MB)
- 2005 Statement of Work for RD/RA (PDF) (27 pp, 1.2MB)
- Agreement to Conduct Additional Studies (PDF) (22 pp, 1.3MB)
- Responses to Community Questions, October 2000
- Responses to Community Questions, June 2007 (PDF) (4 pp, 44K)
- Letter to the Editor, June 2000 (PDF) (2 pp, 120K)
- Explanation of Significant Difference #1-Superfund Fact Sheet June 22, 1999 (PDF) (7 pp, 34K)
- Explanation of Significant Difference #2-Superfund Fact Sheet August 16, 1999 (PDF) (8 pp, 38K)
- Explanation of Significant Difference #3-Superfund Fact Sheet March 27, 2000 (PDF) (6 pp, 68K)
- Explanation of Significant Difference #4-Superfund Fact Sheet June 2007 (PDF) (7 pp, 369K)
- Fact Sheet-Results of EPA Gamma Radiation Surveys and Sampling of Slag Materials Taken in the Tarpon Springs Area in June - August 1998 (PDF) (9 pp, 43K)
- Fact Sheet 2-Community Advisory Group (CAG) Fact Sheet (PDF) (4 pp, 1.6MB)
- Pinellas-Pasco Technical Assistance Group (Pi-Pa-TAG, Inc.) Contacts
- Anclote Community Advisory Group (ACAG)
- Administrative Record Index, 1993 (PDF) (24 pp, 1.0MB)
- Administrative Record Index, 1997 (PDF) (3 pp, 112K)
- Explanation of Significant Differences #1, 1997 (PDF) (1 pg, 44K)
- Administrative Record Index, 1998 (PDF) (15 pp, 631K)
- Explanation of Significant Differences #2, 1999 (PDF) (1 pg, 21K)
Cleanup Progress
Under a removal action, SMC, the potentially responsible party (PRP), removed approximately 33,000 gallons of elemental phosphorous contained in on-site aboveground tanks in 1997-1998.
In June 2007, EPA issued an Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD) to modify the on-site solidification component of the remedy. No solidification will be performed; instead a ground water cut-off wall was designed to surround much of the waste ponds on the southern parcel and reduce the movement of ground water contamination. Other components of the remedy, including capping and restrictions regarding future on-site ground water use and land use, remain unchanged.
The design has been completed for the selected soil remedy. EPA had sent out a fact sheet to the public in October 2008 describing the pre-final design report. The Remedial Action (RA) workplans are now being developed and Stauffer is interviewing potential construction contractors.
The current estimate is that the construction contract may be awarded by October 2009. Construction could then begin during January 2010 and be completed in early 2011.
As noted in the previous fact sheet:
Enforcement Activities
On July 28, 1992, SMC voluntarily entered into an Administrative Order on Consent with EPA, which required the performance of a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS). The RI and FS final reports were completed and approved in March of 1996.
The EPA and SMC initially signed a Consent Decree in 1999 to implement the selected remedy; however, in response to public comments, this initial Consent Decree was withdrawn and additional studies were performed at the site.
In August of 2000, EPA and SMC signed an agreement to conduct the requested additional studies at the site. This investigation included geophysical studies, treatability studies, and ground water characterization studies and was completed in 2004.
SMC and EPA signed another Consent Decree for the design and cleanup at the site in April 2005.
Legal Documents
Community Involvement
EPA has conducted a range of community involvement activities at the Stauffer Chemical Company’s Tarpon Springs 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 fact sheets, public notices, interviews, and public meetings on cleanup activities and updates.
The community has been very involved in the Superfund process at the site. The EPA awarded a Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) to Pi-Pa-TAG, Inc. in May of 1996. The EPA also assisted the community in forming the Anclote Community Advisory Group (ACAG) in the June 2000.
Resources/Fact Sheets
CAG/TAG Information
Future Work
A start date for remedy construction will be established once the Remedial Action workplans have been completed. It is currently estimated that construction will begin in 2010 and will take about one year to complete.
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.
Tarpon Springs Public Library
138 E. Lemon St.
Tarpon Springs, FL 34689
Administrative Record Index
For documents not available on the website, please contact the Region 4 Freedom of Information Office.