EPA RCRA ID: MID005356621
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Facility Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Enforcement and Compliance
- Related Information
- Contacts for this Facility
Cleanup Status
Note: The state is the lead agency for managing this facility. For more information about cleanup activities, visit the state’s web page.
Cleanup of the Delco Chassis Plant began in 1980 when General Motors Corporation installed a French drain groundwater collection system—a perforated pipe surrounded by gravel that groundwater flows into—in the southwest corner of the facility. The French drain collects groundwater impacted by contaminants in the facility’s plating area (Area 1), and the water is then pumped to the surface for treatment. Between 2002 and 2004, General Motors Corporation conducted a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Facility Investigation (RFI) to determine if hazardous waste releases had occurred. Where a potentially significant release was identified, further investigation was completed to characterize the nature and extent of hazardous waste at the site.
Beginning in 2004, General Motors Corporation implemented additional actions at the Delco facility to address contaminants identified during the historical investigations and the RFI. GM’s activities included:
- Installing an underground barrier wall around Area 1 to contain contaminated groundwater,
- Removing soil containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and benzo(a)pyrene, and
- Performing chemical injections to treat groundwater contaminated with chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs), including trichloroethene (TCE), in the former fire training area (Area of Interest [AOI] 31) at the southeast corner of the facility.
In 2006, the EPA selected a final remedy for the Delco facility that included:
- Soil excavation
- Institutional and engineering controls, including the underground barrier wall
- Ongoing operation of the French drain collection system
- Groundwater monitoring
Each of the remedy components was implemented, and groundwater monitoring continues in Area 1 and in the residential area downgradient of the former fire training area (AOI 31).
Following General Motors Corporation’s 2011 bankruptcy, the Delco facility was transferred by court order to the Revitalizing Auto Communities Environmental Response Trust to continue implementing the remedy and prepare the property for beneficial reuse. RACER continues to cleanup and monitor contaminants at the facility.
Area 1
In 2017, RACER identified per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in groundwater in Area 1. As part of the construction of a new building in this area in 2021, RACER installed an impermeable surface cap barrier between the building and the underground barrier wall. This surface cap prevents water infiltration into the ground and reduces groundwater pumping from the French drain collection system. RACER is currently evaluating the efficiency of the groundwater impermeable cap within the barrier wall. Based on the results, RACER will develop a long-term operation plan for the French drain groundwater collection system and area groundwater monitoring.
AOI 31
In 2012, RACER investigated the production of vapors from a groundwater plume containing TCE that migrated off-site to the southeast from AOI 31. Based on the results of these investigations, RACER installed vapor mitigation systems in two private homes and continues to monitor groundwater and soil vapor conditions.
Data suggests that the plume may be migrating onto a housing development owned by the City of Livonia located south of North Capitol Court. Under EPA oversight, RACER plans to collect groundwater and soil vapor samples on the housing development property to determine whether TCE is present. Based on the results, RACER will determine if vapors may enter housing development buildings through vapor intrusion, which occurs when vapor-forming chemicals migrate from a subsurface source into an overlying building. To ensure the protection of human health and the environment, RACER will install vapor intrusion mitigation systems in buildings that have a potential concern.
Cleanup Actions or environmental indicators characterizing the entire facility are shown below. It is not intended as an extensive list of milestones/activities. This listing, and all the data on this page, come from EPA’s RCRAInfo and are refreshed nightly to this page. For this table and the Cleanup Activities Pertaining to a Portion of the Facility table that follows, a blank in the Status column could mean the action either has not occurred or has not been reported in RCRAInfo.
Cleanup Activities Pertaining to the Entire Facility
| Action | Status | Date of Action |
|---|---|---|
| Human Exposure Under Control Human Exposure Under Control(CA725) | ||
| Groundwater Migration Under ControlGroundwater Migration Under Control (CA750) | ||
| Remedy DecisionRemedy Decision (CA400) | ||
| Remedy ConstructionRemedy Construction (CA550) | ||
| Ready for Anticipated Use Ready for Anticipated Use (CA800) | ||
| Performance Standards AttainedPerformance Standards Attained (CA900) | ||
| Corrective Action Process TerminatedCorrective Action Process Terminated (CA999) |
For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Cleanup Activities Pertaining to a Portion of the Facility
| Action | Area Name | Date of Action |
|---|
For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Facility Description
Link to a larger, interactive view of the map.
The 120-acre RACER Trust (Delco) facility, located at 13000 Eckles Road, Livonia, Wayne County, Michigan, is surrounded by industrial properties and a residential neighborhood southeast of the site. General Motors Corporation conducted manufacturing in the former main building, known as the Delco Chassis Plant. General Motors Corporation performed metal stamping, heat treating, metal plating/finishing, and assembly and support processes including industrial wastewater treatment, recycling of quench/lubricating oils, and degreasing/parts cleaning at the site.
General Motors Corporation purchased the site in 1953 and used it for automobile construction until 2000. Area 1 in the southwest corner of the facility was used for chrome plating, and a fire training area was present at the southeast corner of the facility (AOI 31).
Environmental decommissioning of the former Delco Chassis Plant began in 1999 and continued through 2001. All on-site structures were removed in 2001, except for concrete floor slabs under the former building and a French drain groundwater collection and treatment system located in the southwest corner of the property. The entire property has since been redeveloped and now contains warehouses and light industrial buildings.
Contaminants at this Facility
Primary contaminants in Area 1 at the facility include per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (also known as PFAS) and metals. The primary metals of concern include chromium, nickel, and boron. Chlorinated volatile organic compounds, or CVOCs, including trichloroethene (TCE) and 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) are the primary contaminants of concern in the former fire training area at the southeast corner of the facility (AOI 31).
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
Institutional controls on the property consist of Restrictive Covenants that limit the property to non-residential land uses; restrict the use of groundwater on-site; protect the existing subsurface barrier wall and impermeable surface barrier; and require a dust control plan for earth-moving activities at approximately 2.5 acres in the northern portion of the property. The City of Livonia also passed an ordinance in July 2009 that prohibits the use of groundwater within the city and serves as an additional off-site institutional control.
Institutional and Engineering Controls help ensure human exposure and groundwater migration are under control at a cleanup facility. Where control types have been reported by states and EPA in EPA’s RCRAInfo, they are shown below. Not all control types are needed at all facilities, and some facilities do not require any controls. Where there are blanks, the control types may not be needed, may not be in place, or may not be reported in RCRAInfo.
Are Controls in Place at this Facility?
|
Control(s) Type |
Control(s) in Place? |
Areas Subject to Control(s) |
Documents available on-line: |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Institutional ControlsNon-engineering controls used to restrict land use or land access in order to protect people and the environment from exposure to hazardous substances remaining in the site/or facility. (CA 772) |
Informational DevicesInformational Devices (ID) |
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Governmental Controls (GC) |
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Enforcement and Permit Tools (EP) |
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| Proprietary ControlsProprietary Controls (PR) | ||||
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Engineering ControlsEngineering measures designed to minimize the potential for human exposure to contamination by either limiting direct contact with contaminated areas or controlling migration of contaminants. (CA 770) |
Groundwater ControlGroundwater Control (GW) |
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Non-Groundwater |
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For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Enforcement and Compliance at this Facility
EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) provides detailed historical information about enforcement and compliance activities at each RCRA Corrective Action Site in their Enforcement and Compliance Historical Online (ECHO) system.
RACER Trust is conducting cleanup activities at the facility under an Administrative Order on Consent with the EPA. In addition, the Settlement Agreement approved on March 3, 2011, by the Bankruptcy Court places the responsibility on the RACER Trust to clean up the site.
RCRA Enforcement and Compliance Reports from ECHO
Related Information
For more information about this facility, see these other EPA links:
- RCRA information in EPA’s Envirofacts database
- Information about this facility submitted to EPA under different environmental programs as reported in EPA’s Facility Registry Services.
- Alternative Names for this facility as reported by EPA programs in EPA’s Facility Registry Services.
- Cleanups in My Community provides an interactive map to see EPA cleanups in context with additional data, and lists for downloading data.
- Search RCRA Corrective Action Sites provides a search feature for Corrective Action Sites.
Documents, Photos and Graphics
- EPA Oversees Construction to Treat Groundwater Plume (pdf)
- ATSDR Overview of Vapor Intrusion Fact Sheet (pdf)
- ATSDR Investigating Vapor Intrusion Fact Sheet (pdf)
- EPA Former Delco Chassis Facility Fact Sheet (pdf)
- Hamps Mathews - Phase 3 Vapor Instruction Pathway Monitoring Work Plan (pdf)
Contacts for this Facility
- Jennifer Stanhope (stanhope.jennifer@epa.gov)
RCRA Hazardous Waste Cleanup Program
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5
77 West Jackson Boulevard (LCRD-16J)
Chicago, Illinois 60604
312-886-0681 - Shilpa Patel (patel.shilpa@epa.gov)
RCRA Hazardous Waste Cleanup Program
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5
77 West Jackson Boulevard (LCRD-16J)
Chicago, Illinois 60604
312-886-0120 - Francisco Arcaute (arcaute.francisco@epa.gov)
Community Involvement Coordinator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5
312-886-7613
For further information on this corrective action site, use the Contact Information for Corrective Action Hazardous Waste Clean Ups listings that are accessible through Corrective Action Programs around the Nation.