EPA removes portion of the New Brighton/Arden Hills/TCAAP site in New Brighton, Minnesota from NPL
For Immediate Release: No. 19-OPA068
NEW BRIGHTON (Sept. 23, 2019) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has removed part of the New Brighton/Arden Hills/Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP) Superfund site from the National Priorities List (NPL). The 16,000-acre site includes the former munitions plant and parts of surrounding communities.
"EPA is making good on its commitment to pick up the pace of Superfund cleanups so the sites can be restored to productive use," said EPA Regional Administrator Cathy Stepp. "Promoting redevelopment is part of EPA's core mission and helps spur the local economy in communities near Superfund sites."
“The MPCA has been partnering with the U.S. Army and EPA for more than 30 years to clean up the 25-square mile site,” said Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Commissioner Laura Bishop. “The north metro has been waiting a long time to get this site cleaned up, and this delisting is another step closer to making it a reality.”
Under the Trump administration, EPA’s superfund program has reemerged as a priority to fulfil and strengthen the agency’s core mission of protecting human health and the environment. In FY 2018, EPA deleted all or part of 22 sites from the Superfund’s National Priorities List (NPL), the largest number of deletions in one year since FY 2005 and a significant increase over the past few years.
The U.S. Army has completed the cleanup of about 2,400 acres of contaminated soil. The Army continues to clean up a plume of contaminated groundwater. From 1941-1981, the Army dumped waste from the plant at 14 locations contaminating soil, sediment and groundwater.
EPA proposed the partial deletion on July 23, 2019, and held a 30-day comment period. The agency did not receive any comments and the final rule to delete the site can be found in docket: EPA-HQ-SFUND-1983-0002, accessed through https://regulations.gov.
Background
The NPL is a roster of the nation’s most contaminated sites that threaten human health or the environment. The sites on the list are eligible for cleanup under the Superfund program. EPA removes sites from the list once all the remedies are successfully implemented and no further cleanup is required to protect human health or the environment.
To learn more about this site: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/new-brighton.
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