USS Lead Superfund Site

EPA Seeks Comments on Agreements on Zone 1

On May 4, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will begin a 30-day public comment period on two proposed agreements and a draft document concerning the cleanup of the former West Calumet Housing Complex property in Zone 1 of the USS Lead Superfund site in East Chicago, Indiana. 
EPA seeks comments on a prospective purchaser agreement, or PPA. The PPA requires Industrial Development Advantage, the buyer of the former housing complex property, to clean up the property in a way that meets EPA requirements. EPA and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management will oversee the cleanup.

EPA also seeks comments on an administrative settlement agreement and order on consent, or ASAOC. The ASAOC requires parties potentially responsible for the contamination to provide financial assurance for the Zone 1 cleanup and reimburse EPA for $18 million in past cleanup costs primarily associated with Zone 3.  

In addition, EPA is accepting comments on an explanation of significant differences, or ESD. The ESD document confirms that certain conditions have been met and the former housing complex property will be cleaned up to EPA-specified industrial standards. The property has been rezoned by the City of East Chicago as industrial and will soon be purchased by an industrial developer. The draft ESD will be finalized when the buyer obtains the title to the former housing complex property. Work is expected to begin shortly thereafter.
The proposed agreements, draft ESD and a fact sheet that explains the documents are available at the following links:

• U.S. EPA Fact Sheet: EPA Seeks Comments on Agreements on Zone 1 (PDF) (2 pp, 193.78 KB)
• (En Español) Hoja Informativa de US EPA: La EPA Propone Acuerdos Administrativos, Zona 1 (PDF) (2 pp, 159.99 KB)
• Proposed ASAOC: Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent for Payment of Certain Operable Unit 1 Response Costs and for Providing Financial Assurance Associated with Prospective Purchaser Agreement for Remedial Design and Remedial Action at Modified Zone 1 (PDF) (59 pp, 5.59 MB)
• Proposed PPA: Administrative Settlement Agreement for Remedial Action By Prospective Purchaser (PDF) (75 pp, 4.72 MB)
• Draft ESD: Second Explanation Of Significant Differences - USS Lead Superfund Site Zone 1 - Draft For Public Comment Purposes (PDF)(13 pp, 802.45 KB)

How to submit comments

The comment period is open from May 4, 2022, to June 3, 2022. There are several ways to submit comments on both proposed administrative settlements and the draft ESD:

Federal eRulemaking Portal www.regulations.gov

EPA online comment form

Via Email:     Charles Rodriguez (rodriguez.charles@epa.gov)
By Mail:     
Charles Rodriguez
U.S. EPA, Region 5, Mail Code RE-19J
77 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604
By Phone:  (312) 353-6284 (Leave a voice message after the prompt)

Public Hearing: A public meeting and hearing is scheduled for May 21, 2022, where EPA will answer questions regarding the proposed administrative settlements and the ESD. The public meeting and hearing will provide the public with an additional opportunity to comment on all three documents.
Date: May 21, 2022 Time: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Venue: Old Carrie Gosch School, Auditorium, 455 E. 148th St., East Chicago