Jasper Creosoting Company

Site Description

The Jasper Creosoting Company Site is an 11 acre site located in Jasper, TX (population 7,000) that is an abandoned creosote plant in a mixed rural and suburban area with one occupied residence on the site and nine residences adjacent to it. The site is bounded on the east by the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway, on the west by N. McQueen Street, to the south by State Highway 776, and on the north by the inactive Louisiana Pacific Lumber Yard. From 1946 until 1992, the facility discharged wastewater from the wood treatment process directly into an off-site drainage ditch, contaminating the soil, sediment, and groundwater with semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pentachlorophenol (PCP) and dioxins/furans. The groundwater contamination at the site poses a threat to the Jasper Aquifer, which serves as the drinking water supply for the City of Jasper.

Current Site Status and Cleanup Actions to Date

• In 1996, EPA dismantled the existing tanks, structures and equipment, removed liquid wastes and contaminated soils, drained the on-site impoundments, stabilized the remaining sludge, and consolidated the sludge and contaminated soil into an on-site waste cell. The waste cell is approximately 1.0 acre in area, is fenced with warning signs posted, and contains an estimated volume of 14,270 cubic yards.
• In 1999, EPA returned to the site to address surface erosion on the on-site waste cell.
• In 2001, EPA investigated the wetland area, the drainage ditch between the wetland drainage outlet and Big Sandy Creek, and the on-site waste cell, and detected PAHs, PCP, and dioxins/furans in soil, sediment, and surface water samples.
• In July 2003, EPA will complete the design for the cleanup plan. EPA plans to use thermal desorption (PDF 65KB, 2 pages) to clean the contaminated soils within and adjacent to the waste cell and fencing of the wetland area.
• EPA continues to monitor the site to ensure that there is no immediate threat to human health or the environment pending the start of long-term cleanup work.
• A cleanup contract has been signed by EPA and the State of Texas.

Current Funding Status

• To date, EPA has spent approximately $1.8 million for removal action and design work at this site.
• EPA's actions taken to date have considerably lessened the potential for human health or environmental exposure. EPA has determined that this site does not pose an immediate threat to human health, and will continue to monitor this site for any changes that may trigger additional action. EPA will consider funding for this site in Fiscal Year 2004.

For more information on this site, please read the Fact Sheet (PDF 166KB, 7 pages) on the Region 6 Superfund Web site.

Key Accomplishments