East Avenue Study Area: What Has Been Done

EPA began cleanup actions under the Removal Program at the Erie Coke facility in September 2020. EPA’s Removal Program focuses on emergency actions for immediate threats to public health and the environment. From September 2020 through November 2022, EPA addressed hazardous substances at the facility found in tanks, containers, and piping. These areas posed the greatest risks to public health. Some cleanup activities included shipping bulked waste collected from drums and other containers off-site, pumping out wastewater treatment tanks and disposing the contents, and disposing of coal tar wastes. EPA also collected and reviewed samples taken from the site to determine what types of substances were present at the site and evaluate the best methods for proper off-site disposal. In October 2022, EPA confirmed that the site team would not take further emergency cleanup actions at the facility. The site transitioned to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP). EPA demobilized at the site by the end of November 2022. Because EPA’s emergency response actions did not investigate or manage potential contamination in the surface water, soil, sediment, or subsurface groundwater, PADEP continued the site investigation and cleanup process to address these areas. PADEP began the initial phase of a site investigation in Fall 2022 and completed it in Spring 2023. The Site Investigation Report from PADEP was finalized in July 2023. Additional investigation activities began in Fall 2023 and are continuing.  Information and reports on the PADEP investigation can be found on their website: www.dep.pa.gov/About/Regional/NorthwestRegion/Community-Information/Pages/Erie-Coke-Corporation.aspx

Information regarding the EPA removal at Erie Coke can be found at response.epa.gov/eriecokesite