Region 5 Superfund (SF)

U.S. EPA REGION 5
CHIPPEWA COUNTY
SAULT STE MARIE

Congressional District # 01

CANNELTON INDUSTRIES, INC.

EPA ID# MID980678627
Last Updated: April, 2008

Site Description

The Cannelton Industries, Inc. site covers 75 acres along the St. Mary's River in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan. From 1900 to 1958, the Northwestern Leather Company operated a tannery at the site and processed animal hides. Waste materials from the tannery operations were discharged through three main drains to a low-lying shoreline area. Barrels and general wastes were burned and disposed of along the river. In 1958, a fire damaged many of the tannery's buildings, nearly all of which have since been torn down. The site has been unused since the tannery burned in 1958 and is presently vacant. A portion of the site is located within the 100-year flood plain of the St. Mary's River. Soils, sediments, and surface water in the St. Mary's River were contaminated with heavy metals, including chromium, lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury. Approximately 14,700 people live in Sault Sainte Marie. The current land use, surrounding the site, is residential and light industrial. There are approximately 400 single-family residences, located within one-half mile of the site boundary, and the McKinley Elementary School is located 100 feet south of the western portion of the site and is attended by approximately 350 students. The nearby residences and the school are connected to the city's municipal water system. 

Site Responsibility

This site has been addressed through federal and potentially responsible parties' actions. 

Threats and Contaminants

Soils, sediments, and surface water in the St. Mary's River were contaminated with heavy metals, including chromium, lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury. Remaining sediments onsite potentially could be a concern if contaminants are taken up by microorganisms into the food chain.  If pollutants bioaccumulate in fish, they may pose a health hazard if eaten. 

Cleanup Progress

Immediate threats have been mitigated through various removal actions. In 1988, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) excavated five trenches to decrease the potential for additional fires; the potentially responsible party (PRP), Cannelton Industries, Inc. who owns the property, constructed a chain-link fence to limit access to a portion of the property. In 1989, under a Unilateral Administrative Order (UAO), Cannelton Industries, Inc. stabilized the shoreline to prevent erosion from the site. In 1991, under an Administrative Order on Consent (AOC), Cannelton Industries, Inc. completed further stabilization and security actions, including fencing a greater area of the site, repairing existing fences, and further stabilizing the shoreline area. In 1994, under another AOC, Cannelton Industries, Inc. completed a full shoreline stabilization along the entire site.

Under an AOC Cannelton Industries, Inc. completed the remedial design (RD) as well as additional studies needed for the site.  These additional studies included soil leaching tests, bioaccumulation studies, and benthic/sediment toxicity studies.  The results of these studies showed that there are no leaching contaminants and found low toxicity to benthic organisms and no bioaccumulation of contaminants.  The RD was completed in December 1998.  The response action was to excavate and dispose of offsite approximately 50,000 cubic yards of contaminated waste and soils and to maintain shoreline stabilization to prevent erosion into St. Mary's River. 

Cannelton Industries, Inc. began the construction activities for Remedial Action (RA) under a UAO on June 8, 1999, when a Pre-Construction meeting took place.  RA activities were completed in September 1999. A Preliminary Close Out Report/Construction Completion was completed on September 27, 1999. A final inspection took place on October 19, 1999. A Construction Completion Report was prepared by the PRP and submitted to U.S. EPA in December 1999.  

Long-term monitoring of sediments, soil, and surface water is taking place to ensure protectiveness of the remedy.  Monitoring activities began in spring 2000.  A baseline biomonitoring took place in 1997 and a second round of biomonitoring took place between July and September 2000. 

As required under statute, five-year reviews are performed to assess remedy protectiveness.  The first five-year review was completed on August 20, 2004. The five-year review results showed the remedy to be protective in the short term. Long term protectiveness will be verified upon completion of institutional controls and additional monitoring. The next five-year review is due in mid-2009.

An Interim Remedial Action Report was completed in July 2002. U.S. EPA is seeking to delist some parcels of the site where cleanup goals have been achieved from the National Priorities List. These parcels will be redeveloped and turned to productive use.

Sediment dredging in Tannery Bay was proposed as an additional action under EPA's Great Lakes Legacy Act in 2005-2006. The dredging project, which began in the fall of 2006 with the removal of 8,000 cubic yards of sediments, involved the removal of 40,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments and approximately 500,000 pounds of chromium and 25 pounds of mercury from the bay and nearby wetlands.  Dredging activities were completed in August 2007 with the removal of 40,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments.  

Contacts

Remedial Project Manager, U.S. EPA
stephanie linebaugh (linebaugh.stephanie@epa.gov)
(312) 353-2315

Community Involvement Coordinator, U.S. EPA
Don De Blasio
(312) 886-9749

Aliases

CANNELTON INDUSTRIES
ALGOMA TUBE
NORTHWESTERN LEATHER

 

Site Profile Information

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