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ST. CLAIR COUNTY
SAUGET
Congressional District # 12
SAUGET AREA 1
EPA ID# ILD980792006Last Updated: August, 2009
Site Description
Sauget Area 1 is located in the Villages of Sauget and Cahokia, in St. Clair County, Illinois. It consists of three closed waste disposal areas (Sites G, H, and I), a closed construction debris disposal area (Site N), a backfilled impoundment (Site L), an inactive borrow pit (Site M), and aproximately 3.5 miles of Dead Creek. Each of these areas of the Sauget Area 1 Site is discussed briefly below:
Site G is located in the Village of Sauget, south of Queeny Avenue, west of Dead Creek and north of the containment cell constructed for the Sauget Area 1 Time-Critical Removal Action. Approximately five acres in size, Site G was operated and served as a disposal area from sometime after 1940 to 1966, and was subject to intermittent dumping thereafter until 1988. Covered with vegetation, the site is enclosed by a fence and is not currently used. However, waste areas also extend beyond the fenced area to the west, under a parking lot and industrial storage building.
Site H is located in both the Village of Sauget and the Village of Cahokia, south of Queeny Avenue, west of Falling Spring Road and west of the Metro COnstruction Company property. It occupies approximately five acres of land and is connected to Site I under Queeny Avenue. Industrial wastes were disposed at Site H from approximately 1931 to 1957. Currently Site H is graded and grass covered with some exposed slag.
Site I is located in the Village of Sauget, north of Queeny Avenue, west of Falling Spring Road and south of the Alton & Southern Railroad. It covers approximately 19 acres, although not all of it contains waste. Connected to Site H and together known as part of the "Sauget-Monsanto Landfill", which recieved industrial and municipal wastes from approximately 1931 to 1957. in size. Currently Site I is fenced, graded, covered with crushed stone and used for equipment and truck parking.
Sites G, H, and I contributed to a large plume of clorinated organic-contaminated groundwater which flows west toward the Mississippi River. Some of the plume is currently captured by a groundwater migration control system which is part of the Sauget Area 1 Superfund Site closer to the river. Sites G, H, and I also contribute to an area of residual dense, non-aqueaous phase liquids (DNAPL) in groundwater, which is present under and close to the disposal areas.
Site L is located in the Village of Cahokia, immediately east of Dead Creek and south of the Metro Construction Company property. The site was used for the disposal of wash water from truck cleaning operations from approximately 1971 to 1981. The trucks were used for bulk-chemical transport. The area of the wash water impoundment was approximately 7,600 square feet. This site is now covered by cinders and used for equipment storage.
Site M is located in the Village of Cahokia, along the easter side of dead Creek at the western end of Walnut Street. Originally used as a borrow pit in the 1940's, the site was connected to Dead Creek through an opening and contaminants entered from the creek. The 59,200 square foot site has been remediated (see below), backfilled and fenced.
Site N is located in the Village of Cahokia, on the eastern side of Dead Creek between Judith Lane and Cahokia Street. Like Site M, this site was initially developed as a borrow pit in the 1940's, but later used to dispose of demolition debris, and to a lesser extent, solid waste and chemical wastes. The site is approximately four acres in size and currently inactive and fenced.
Dead Creek is located between the W.G. Krummrich plant property in the Village of Sauget, to a discharge point at Prairie du Pont Creek at the Metro East Sanitary District lift station approximately 3.5 miles to the south. In its upper reaches it is an actively managed storm water conveyance channel running through heavily-developed comercial and residential areas, and in its lower reaches it runs through agricultural and undeveloped stretches. For evaluation purposes, the creek was broken into segments known as (from north to south) Segment A through F. Segment F also backs up into an area known as Borrow Pit Lake. Before 1930, industries and other facilities located along the creek disposed of waste water directly into the creek. Sometime between 1939 and 1943, the Village of Sauget incorporated Dead Creek to act as surge pond in the Village sewer system. Dead Creek recieved waste water discharges from various Sauge tindustries and residences until the sewer connection was closed in 1990. The creek was remediated in a series of removal actions discussed below.
Site Responsibility
The site is being addressed through PRP actions under state and federal enforcement agreements, and federal actions.Threats and Contaminants
A variety of industrial and municipal wastes and contaminated soil are present in the closed landfills. The landfills contain crushed drums, uncontained wastes, construction debris, and miscellaneous trash. Only one intact drum was found, which has been removed. Contaminants include a variety of volative and semi-volatile organic compounds such as chlorobenzene and 1,4-dichlorobenzene; herbicides such as pentachlorophenol; PCBs, and metals. Based on work to date, it appears that the landfills may present a potential risk to onsite outdoor industrial workers and construction workers, but not to residential areas. The utility corridor between sites H and I is also a potential risk area for utility workers. Based on work to date, the landfills and associated areas of dense non-aqueous-phase liquids in groundwater currently do not appear to present an unacceptable vapor intrusion risk to the nearby municipal building or nearby businesses.
Groundwater downgradient of Site G, H, and I is contaminated with a variety of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, including benzene; chlorobenzene; 1,4-dichlorobenzene; p-chloraniline; and 1,2-dichloroethene. Groundwater in the area is not currently being used as drinking water, and new drinking water wells are prohibited. However, a few non-drinking-water wells exist at residences in the area. These wells should not be used for drinking.
Prior to the removal action discussed below, sediment and surface water in Dead Creek were contaminated with volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds such as benzene, toluene, and chlorobenzene; PCBs; and metals. Floodplain areas were also sampled but found not to be significantly contaminated.
Cleanup Progress
The site has been addressed by a new number of large removal actions, and an on-going longer-term remedial action phase, as described below.In 1990, Segment A of Dead Creek was remediated by a potentially responsible party (PRP) iunder a consent decree with the Illinois EPA (IEPA). Over 22,000 cubic yards of contaminated creek sediment were removed, a vapor barrier was installed, and the area was backfilled.
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 1999, U.S. EPA issued a Unilateral Administrative Order to a PRP to replace culverts on Dead Creek at Cargill Road and the Terminal Railroad Embankment. This work was completed in 2000. In 2000, U.S. EPA modified the order to include removal of contaminated sediment in Segments B, C, D, and E of Dead Creek in order to eliminate potential risks associated with flooding and to eliminate adverse ecological impacts. In 2001, the Order was amended to include sediments in Segment F up to the confluence with Borrow Pit Lake. The PRP implemented the Order, with work beginning in 2000. A 50,000 cubic yard, TSCA and RCRA-compliant on-site containment cell was constructed adjacent to Dead Creek Segment B. Aproximately 46,000 cubic yards of sediment were excavated from Dead Creek and placed in the cell. Sediment removal was completed in 2000.
After completion of Dead Creek sediment removal, creek bottom soils were sampled throughout Dead Creek, and additional sediments were sampled in Borrow Pit Lake. Remaining contamination above risk-based levels were removed starting in 2005. A total of 5,028 cubic yards of contaminated creek-bottom soil was removed from Segments B through F of Dead Creek and 7,315 cubic yards of contaminated sediment was removed from Borrow Pit Lake. This work was completed in 2006. In addition, a liner was placed in Segment B, which was completed in 2008.
In 1999, U.S. EPA also entered into an administrative order on consent (AOC) with a PRP to conduct a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study to assess what investigation and cleanup remained to be done for the entire site after the removal actions were completed. In 1999 to 2000, under oversight of U.S. EPA and IEPA, the PRP conducted extensive site investigations covering the landfill source areas, downgradient groundwater, surface water, air, and soil.
Between 2002 and 2007, the PRP conducted supplemental investigations related to principal threat waste, treatability of dense non-aqueous-phase liquids in groundwater, floodplain soils, leachability of Dead Creek soils, and mass flux of contaminants from the landfills to groundwater, as well as extensive assessments of remaining human health and ecological risks. EPA also conducted its own investigations in some areas during this period. Results of all of these studies are currently being evaluated and compiled into Remedial Investigation Report and a Feasibility Study to assess potential alternatives to address remaining risks at the site.
As of Summer of 2009, removal actions at Dead Creek have been completed, with the exception of final capping of the on-site containment cell. The RI/FS reports are under development, and following their completion, U.S. EPA will issue to the public a proposed plan to address remaining threats at the site.
Contacts
Remedial Project Manager, U.S. EPAleah 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