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NPL Site Narrative for Harris Corp. (Palm Bay Plant)
HARRIS CORP. (PALM BAY PLANT)
Palm Bay, Florida
Federal Register Notice: July 22, 1987Conditions at proposal (April 10, 1985): The Harris Corp. Site occupies over 500 acres in Palm Bay, Brevard County, Florida. Harris, which has two major operating divisions (Semiconductor Sector and Government Systems Sector), produces a wide variety of electronic devices and components.
The site was first proposed for listing under the name "Harris Corp./General Development Utilities."
General Development Utilities, Inc. (GDU) provides drinking water and manages the waste water collection, treatment, and disposal system for much of Palm Bay. GDU's well field consists of 18 producing wells and is located south of the Harris complex adjacent to the facility and downgradient. It serves at least 18,000 people. According to a nationwide survey of ground water supplies conducted by EPA, the well field is contaminated with volatile organic compounds. Although the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation has indicated that Harris is the source of these compounds, the precise origin and cause of the contamination are unknown. Past spills are suspected, however.
The Department of Environmental Regulation and Harris Corp. signed a Consent Agreement in December 1983. According to the agreement, which was based on Florida law, Harris is to determine the extent of ground water contamination and then develop a restoration program to improve ground water quality in the area. Harris has begun construction of a system to pump out ground water and pass it through an air stripper to remove the volatile organic compounds.
Status (July 22, 1987): The air stripper was activated in May 1985 and is continuing to operate with some minor mechanical problems. The system is expected to operate into the 1990s to complete the cleanup.
Tests conducted by Harris detected heavy metals in on-site ground water in the area of Building #6. Harris must study this contamination under the Consent Agreement.
For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.