Mallard Bay Landing Bulk Plant

Site Description

The Mallard Bay Landing Bulk Plant is a ten acre site located on the Intracoastal Waterway near Grand Cheniere, Louisiana. From 1980 through 1983, and again from 1985 through 1987, the facility operated as a crude oil refinery, producing such products as naphtha, diesel fuel, and No. 6 fuel oil. When the owners declared bankruptcy in 1987, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) conducted a site inspection and found that the facility had illegally accepted hazardous waste and had attempted to process styrene, a compound commonly used to produce plastics. In 1993, LDEQ referred the site to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which found that styrene, arsenic, chromium, lead, mercury, and other hazardous materials and metals either had migrated or could migrate to the nearby water bodies and wetlands. The site is close to more than 20 miles of numerous wetlands, endangered wildlife habitats, and the primary commercial fishing grounds for Cameron Parish, LA, and one person lives within one half mile of the site. The surrounding area is undeveloped and utilized for hunting or cattle ranching, although there is commercial interest in redeveloping the area into a shipping station.

Current Site Status and Cleanup Actions to Date

• In 1998, EPA conducted an initial emergency action to remove the sludge and oil waste materials from the site.
• From January to March 1999, EPA oversaw the removal and off-site disposal of approximately 866,304 gallons of oil/waste material from on-site tanks, however an additional 152,392 gallons of thick, sludge-like oil/waste material could not be removed from some tanks because of its consistency.
• From 2000 through 2002, EPA investigated the extent of the contamination and designed a plan to clean up the site. In 2003, EPA removed the remaining sludge materials, wastes, tanks, and buildings containing asbestos materials. The surface water from on-site impoundments continues to be tested and discharged into local drainage ditches.
• EPA continues to monitor the site to ensure there is no immediate threat to human health or the environment during implementation of the long-term cleanup work.

Current Funding Status

• To date, approximately $2.6 million has been spent to conduct work at this site. In 2003, EPA is providing an additional $2.0 million to conduct new work at the site, including removal of:
  • 153,000 gallons of hazardous sludge located in tanks and piping;
  • 1,077 cubic yards of soils;
  • 4,730 linear feet of tank piping found both above and below the ground;
  • Seven buildings;
  • Twenty on-site steel tanks; and
  • 210 linear feet of materials containing asbestos.
• EPA will also continue test the groundwater to determine of additional work to prevent continuous groundwater contamination.

For more information on this site, please read the Fact Sheet (PDF 244KB, 6 pages) on the Region 6 Superfund Web site.

Key Accomplishments