Lindsay Light Investigations
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- 150 E. Ontario (OU26)
- 218 E. Grand (fka 535 N. St. Clair) (OU27)
- Future DuSable Park
- Streeterville Cooperative Agreement
- 545 N. McClurg Court
- 455 North Park Drive
- 465 N. Park Drive
- 515 N. Peshtigo Court (aka 500 N. Lake Shore Drive)
- 224-228 E. Ontario St. (OU22)
- 510 N. Peshtigo Court (aka Operating Unit 10)
- Navy Pier CTA Electric Bus Charging Station
- 400 Lake Shore Drive
150 E. Ontario (OU26)
The thorium investigation is complete.
Thorium testing was conducted during the construction a new 28-story hotel located within the Streeterville Thorium Monitoring Area. Under EPA oversight, contractors for the project’s owner used specialized radiation-detecting instruments to scan the soil during excavation. Thorium was not encountered. A copy of this legal agreement is posted below and contains the work plan and redacted Action Memorandum.
218 E. Grand (fka 535 N. St. Clair) (OU27)
This thorium investigation is completed.
Thorium contamination was not encountered since the multi-story parking garage was demolished and construction commenced on this multi-story high-rise building. Under EPA oversight, contractors for the project’s owner used specialized radiation-detecting instruments to scan the soil during excavation. A copy of this legal agreement is posted below and contains the work plan and redacted Action Memorandum. The EPA and property owners are currently negotiating institutional controls which outline how the property can be used in the future.
Future DuSable Park
The 3.5-acre peninsula just east of Lake Shore Drive between the Chicago River and the Ogden Slip is the proposed area to become DuSable Park. The parcel is owned by the Chicago Park District and is expected to be dedicated to Chicago's first non-Native-American settler, Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable, once development is complete.
In 2012, the Chicago Park District received about $250,000 through a previous cooperative agreement to clean up contaminated areas on the DuSable Park site. Then under a June 2017 cooperative agreement, EPA provided $6.8 million to the Chicago Park District to continue the cleanup. Under EPA oversight, contractors for the park district removed more than 115 cubic yards of thorium-contaminated soil. Funding for the cleanup also came from a 2014 fraud settlement in which Kerr-McGee Corp. and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. agreed to pay for environmental cleanups at former Kerr-McGee sites across the country. This funding paid for the removal of nearly 1,000 additional cubic yards of thorium-contaminated soil.
A small part of the elevated portion of the Navy Pier Flyover will pass over DuSable Park and be supported by several columns that will be placed in the park near Lake Shore Drive.
- Dusable Park Construction photo gallery, January 2020
- Lindsay Light Cooperative Agreement with Chicago Park District for DuSable Park, May 2017
- Lindsay Light Cooperative Agreement With Chicago Park District for DuSable Park, July 2011
- Chicago Park District DuSable Park Web Page
- Lindsay Light II Site: Aerial Photo 2 - February 2010
- DuSable Park Site - Aerial Photo 2008
Streeterville Cooperative Agreement
The city of Chicago is cleaning up elevated levels of thorium contamination in the “Streeterville Thorium Investigation Area.” The approximate area is bounded on the south by Randolph Street, on the west by Michigan Avenue, on the east by Lake Michigan and on the north by Erie Street.
Through grants, U.S. EPA is providing approximately $45 million to help fund the cleanup of some city sidewalks, streets, and parkways. The project may last through Aug. 31, 2025, subject to potential grant extensions.
- Lindsay Light Cooperative Agreement - 00e02452 (pdf) (June 2019) (433.52 KB)
- Lindsay Light Cooperative Agreement - 00e02452 Mod 1 (pdf) (June 2019) (1.11 MB)
- City of Chicago Anadarko/Tronox Streeterville Removal Response Cooperative Agreement Workplan (pdf) (January 2019 – August 2025) (176.38 KB)
- Lindsay Light Assistance Amendment, November 2012
- Lindsay Light Cooperative Agreement, September 2012
U.S. EPA also has a Cooperative Agreement with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to review and comment on Environmental Covenants related to cleanup in the Streeterville Thorium Investigation Area.
- Lindsay Light Cooperative Agreement - V-00e03238 (pdf) (September 2022) (211.69 KB)
545 N. McClurg Court
The thorium investigation is complete.
Prior testing determined that there was thorium-contaminated soil in some subsurface areas at this site. The project’s owner signed a legal agreement with the EPA to find and remove the thorium-contaminated soil. Contractors used specialized radiation-detecting instruments to scan the soil during excavation. Under EPA oversight, any discovered thorium-contaminated material was immediately secured, then covered and packaged for removal to a licensed radioactive waste disposal facility.
Lindsay Light Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent for Removal Action, June 2014
455 North Park Drive
The thorium investigation is complete.
Prior testing determined that there was thorium-contaminated soil in some subsurface areas of the site. The project’s owner signed a legal agreement with EPA to find and remove the thorium-contaminated soil. Contractors used specialized radiation-detecting instruments to scan the soil during excavation. Under EPA oversight, 355 cubic yards of thorium-contaminated material was discovered and immediately secured, covered and packaged for removal to a licensed radioactive waste disposal facility.
465 N. Park Drive
The thorium investigation is complete.
In 2008, an administrative settlement agreement and order on consent were issued for 319 E. Illinois St., aka 465 N. Park Drive. During 2012 and 2013, about 12 cubic yards of thorium-contaminated soil was removed. The site was also covered with gravel and used as a staging area during the cleanup of the adjacent property at 455 N. Park Drive. In 2016, a high-rise residential building was erected here.
Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent, April 25, 2008
515 N. Peshtigo Court (aka 500 N. Lake Shore Drive)
The thorium investigation is complete.
More than 160 yards of subsurface thorium-contaminated material was secured, covered and packaged for removal to a licensed radioactive waste disposal facility. A 45-floor residential tower was built after the former three-story masonry structures were demolished.
224-228 E. Ontario St. (OU22)
The thorium investigation is complete.
Thorium testing was done during the construction of a new 20-story hotel located within the Streeterville Thorium Monitoring Area. The project’s owner signed a legal agreement with EPA to remove thorium-contaminated soil, if any was found. Under EPA oversight, the project owner’s contractors used specialized radiation-detecting instruments to scan the soil during excavation. No thorium was detected during work at this site.
218 E. Grand (fka 535 N. St. Clair)(OU27)
The thorium investigation has started.
Thorium contamination has not been encountered since the multi-story parking garage was demolished and construction has commenced on this multi-story high-rise building. The project’s owner signed a legal agreement with EPA to remove thorium-contaminated soil, if any is found. Contractors for the project’s owner will use specialized radiation-detecting instruments to scan the soil during excavation. EPA will oversee the work. A copy of this legal agreement is posted below and contains the work plan and redacted Action Memorandum.
510 N. Peshtigo Court (OU10) (aka 451 E. Grand Ave., aka 400 E. Illinois)
The thorium investigation is complete.
Thorium-contaminated soil was discovered before the construction of 67-story residential high-rise building. The developer signed a legal agreement with EPA to find and remove the contaminated soil when encountered. Contractors used specialized radiation-detecting instruments to scan the soil during excavation. , Under EPA oversight 8 cubic yards of thorium-contaminated material was discovered and immediately secured, covered and packaged for removal to a licensed radioactive waste disposal facility.
Navy Pier CTA Electric Bus Charging Station
The thorium investigation is complete.
The Chicago Transit Authority constructed an electric bus charging station at Navy Pier. The units will allow charging within 5 to 10 minutes allowing buses to return to service quickly.
This project is located within the “Lindsay Light Streeterville Thorium Monitoring Area” near Navy Pier at the intersection of East Grand Avenue and Park Drive. EPA is providing technical oversight to CTA and its contractors to ensure that monitoring for thorium-contaminated soil is conducted during construction activities. Approximately 18 cubic yards of thorium-contaminated soil was removed.
400 Lake Shore Drive (OU00)
The thorium investigation has started.
This project has started. This project is located with the “Lindsay Light Streeterville Thorium Monitoring Area” near North Water Street and Lake Shore Drive, between the Ogden Slip and the Chicago River.
Excavation and soil testing.
