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OZAUKEE COUNTY
CEDARBURG
Congressional District # 5
CEDAR CREEK
EPA ID# WID988590261Last Updated: January, 2009
Site Description
The Cedar Creek Site is in the city and township of Cedarburg (Ozaukee County) in southeastern Wisconsin in a suburban residential area north of Milwaukee. The entire site consists of Mercury Marine's Plant 2, the Amcast Industrial facility and associated potential migration pathways to Cedar Creek, and the segment of Cedar Creek from below the Ruck Pond dam to the point where it meets the Milwaukee River. This creek includes open stretches of creek as well as areas known as Columbia Pond, Wire and Nail Pond, and the former Hamilton Pond for a total of 4.6 creek miles.
Site Responsibility
The Site is being adressed through federal and potentially responsible parties (PRPs) actions.
Threats and Contaminants
The constituents of concern at the site are polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). During the early 1980s, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) detected PCBs in Hamilton Pond sediment. This prompted additional studies that led to the discovery of PCBs in sediments of three other impoundments on Cedar Creek - namely, Ruck, Columbia, and Wire and Nail Ponds.
PCBs from two local companies (Mercury Marine and Amcast Industrial) contaminated Cedar Creek, the Plant 2 property, the Amcast facility and nearby surrounding areas (Quarry Pond, residential yards, Wilshire Pond, sewers).
Cleanup Progress
Under a State lead, Mercury Marine performed a sediment removal action in Ruck Pond, the uppermost impoundment of Cedar Creek with PCB-containing sediment. In 2000, Mercury Marine also performed a soil removal action along the Former Hamilton Pond.
In 2002, EPA took the lead on the project. Following discussions between Mercury Marine and EPA, an Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) was executed in September 2002. The AOC required Mercury Marine to perform a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) for the portion of Cedar Creek from just below the Ruck Pond dam to the confluence of the creek with the Milwaukee River, as well as for Mercury Marine's Plant 2 and related discharge areas in the City of Cedarburg. Amcast signed a separate AOC with EPA in February 2003 to conduct a RI. According to the Statement of Work (SOW), the FS conducted by Mercury Marine must also address the Amcast facility and related discharge areas located in the vicinity of the Former Hamilton Pond.
The Mercury Marine Plant 2 building was demolished in May 2005. EPA decided to split the project into operable units. Plant 2 now has a separate RI/FS. The Plant 2 RI/FS was completed in October 2007. The Plant 2 - OU1 Record of Decision (ROD) was signed on March 31, 2008. The selected remedy will serve as the final action for soil contamination at the site. The selected remedy consists of excavating soil that exceeds site-specific cleanup levels for PCBs. In addition, shallow soils where the highest VOC concentrations were detected will be excavated. It will include removal of affected soils around the perimeter and beneath the existing concrete building slab. The remedy will also include periodic groundwater monitoring, installation of new monitoring wells, and institutional controls. The final remedy for groundwater will be determined at a later date, based on the results of the periodic monitoring. In September 2008, Mercury Marine signed an AOC with EPA to conduct the remedial design work required by the March 2008 ROD for Plant 2 – OU1. The remedial design work is currently underway.
The Creek OU2 RI will be finished in early 2009. The Creek FS will be submitted to EPA in early 2009. Amcast, on the other hand, has filed for bankruptcy. At this time EPA, along with WDNR, is trying to determine how to address the Amcast property and surrounding areas.
Community Involvement
There is a community group that is involved with the project.
EPA conducted a public meeting for the proposed plan for the Plant 2 property in October 2007.