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MONTGOMERY COUNTY
TAYLOR SPRINGS
Congressional District # 17
ASARCO TAYLOR SPRINGS
EPA ID# ILN000508170Last Updated: April, 2008
Site Description
The ASARCO site is located on the south side of the village of Taylor Springs, Illinois, in Montgomery County. The site occupies approximately 673 acres, of which 303 acres are wooded, 189 acres are used for agriculture, and the remaining 181 acress comprise the former and current site operations area. The site is bordered to the northwest by cultivated farmland and woodlands, to the northeast by residential areas, to the east by the Taylor Springs waste water treatment plant and cultivated farmland, and to the south and west by cultivated farmland and woodlands. There are two ponds located on the northwest edge of the site that are regularly fished by the local community.
Previous operations at the site include: mining and storage of coal, primary slab zinc production, sulfuric acid production, secondary slab zinc production, American Process zinc oxide production, and French Process zinc oxide production.
Site Responsibility
This site is being adressed through federal, state, and potentially responsible parties' (PRP) actions.
Threats and Contaminants
A significant amount of the slag within the facility from mining and processing zinc is stored in a waste pile that occupies approximately 2.5 acres and a shallow waste pile that occupies approximately 9.1 acres. Contaminants of concern associated with the slag pile are metals, primarily arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc. The slag pile is not contained, and surface water run-off is collected by two seperate drainage routes west of the facility. These drainage routes both flow through a series of wetlands and into Middle Fork of Shoal Creek. Middle Fork of Shoal Creek is considered to be a fishery, and the wetlands support small wildlife commonly found in and around healthy creeks in central Illinois.
Soil contamination is also believed to be present on residential properties adjacent to the ASARCO facility.
Cleanup Progress
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is currently in negotiations with PRPs to conduct a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS). The RI will determine the nature and extent of the contamination and evaluate possible health risks and risks to the environment. The PRPs with oversight by U.S. EPA will use this information in the FS to develop a list of possible clean up actions, if needed. U.S. EPA will then present these cleanup options to the community and solicit their comments. This input will be considered in deciding on the best cleanup approach. Any remediation performed will then be monitored over time to ensure effectiveness. This can be a long process, but the public will be notified through various communication methods such as mailings and public meetings, and will be invited to make comments. In addition, funds are available for a qualified community group to hire a technical advisor to help the community better understand the investigation and cleanup process.
A Removal Site Assessment was conducted June 5-12, 2006 at residential properties surrounding the ASARCO facility. Approximately 150 residential properties were assessed. The results of the sampling were made available to property owners in September and October 2006. This data was used to plan for the Removal Action which was initiated in December 2007. The activities associated with the Removal Action have been completed. Excavation and restoration occurred at 36 properties where soils exceeded the Time Critical Removal Criterion of 1,200 ppm lead. Approximately 2783.75 cubic yards were removed from residential properties and placed in the on-site staging area on the ASARCO Taylor Springs site. The staging area was then capped and hydroseeded to reduce erosion. Restoration of the residential properties, including hydroseeding, was completed on March 2, 2008.
Contacts
Remedial Project Manager, U.S. EPAstephanie linebaugh (linebaugh.stephanie@epa.gov)
(312) 353-2315
Aliases
ASARCO