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News Releases from Region 05

EPA Proposes Fairmont City, Illinois, site for Superfund National Priorities List

09/28/2015
Contact Information: 
Francisco Arcaute (arcaute.francisco@epa.gov)
312-886-7613, 312-898-2042

For Immediate Release No. 15-OPA155

CHICAGO (Sept. 28, 2015) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today proposed adding the Old American Zinc site in Fairmont City, Illinois, to the National Priorities List of Superfund sites. Superfund is the federal program that investigates and cleans up the most complex uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country.

The Old American Zinc Plant is a 132-acre former zinc smelting facility that operated from 1916 to 1953. Elevated levels of contaminants, including arsenic, cadmium, lead, zinc, and manganese, were found at the site of the former plant, in the yards of nearby residences and in Rose Creek.

EPA's Old American Zinc Plant proposal will be published in Federal Register on September 30, 2015. EPA will accept public comments for 60 days following publication.

Information about proposed and final NPL sites are available on EPA's website: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/current.htm.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the enactment of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the law establishing the Superfund program. The Superfund law gives EPA the authority to clean up releases of hazardous substances and directs EPA to update the National Priorities List at least once a year.


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