Document 99EvpyNvX9VQZJ4LpNKzVbdNq

Applied Chemistry, Creative Solutions December 24, 1997 Solutia Inc. 10300 Olive Boulevard P.O. Box 66760 St. Louis, Missouri 63166-6760 Tei 314-674-1000 To: Mike Foresman - F2EA Brent Gilhousen - G4EK Bruce Yare - F2EA Steve Smith - F2EA Joe Nassif - Thompson Cobum Kevin Cahill - F2EC Keith Miller - 1740 Re: Metro East Gateway Initiative Attached is the latest update on the status of the "Gateway Initiative" for the Metro East area. It appears that the listing on the NPL of Sauget Areas I and II are major steps in the overall plans for the Gateway project. Formerly the chemical businesses of Monsanto Company DSW 134646 STLCOPCB4034604 Gateway Introduction OfrcriArAum&*jsw^* pn^ Introduction Page I of 2 What is the Gateway Initiative? The Gateway Initiative is a community-based approach to environmental protection that focuses resources (Federal, state and local) within the Greater East St, Louis (Dlinois) metropolitan area to reduce risk to human health, protect natural resources, secure real environmental improvement in a timely and efficient manner, and build sustainable community involvement in local environmental issues. The Gateway Initiative is a project of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5 (Chicago) office. A similar effort is underway on the Missouri side, under the auspices of Region 7 (Kansas City, KS). Metro East Metro East, as the area is known locally, is about 60 square miles on the eastern flood plain of the Mississippi River. Its mid-continental location and access to the river have made it a major industrial and transportation hub since the early 1900's.The area has over 70 industrial facilities, including oil refineries, steel mills, electroplating and surface-finishing facilities, chemical companies, paint and pigment manufacturers, stockyards, a commercial hazardous waste incinerator, grain elevators, and copper, lead and zinc smelters. There are also 5 active or closed hazardous waste landfills, and 52 sites that are being looked at by the Superfund (state and/or federal) or RCRA corrective action programs. Gateway Initiative/Metro East in blue is area does not meet health-related air quality standards for ozone and . lead. The ambient air concentrations 1 j for cadmium are amongst the highest in the country, and water bodies are ,;. .. I,.impacted by heavy metals in the : * ' sediments. The community has also expressed great concern over illegal dumping and open burning, abandoned and deteriorating houses, lead poisoning, brownfield sites, and flooding due to aging infrastructure and development on the bluffs to the east. The vast majority of communities in Gateway are either minority or low income. The Region 5 Gateway Team works in partnership with many federal, state and local organizations such as USDA, HUD, Army Corps of Engineers, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois Friday, December 19, 1997 8:00 AM DSW 134647 STLCOPCB4034605 Gateway Introduction Page 2 of 2 Department of Public Health, St. Clair County Sheriffs Department, New Spirit Neighborhood Office, NEIGHBORS United for Progress, East St. Louis Community Action Network. SPILL, and St. Louis Regional Commerce and Growth Association, to name just a few, For additional information, contact the following. Illinois Contact: Janet Haff U.S. EPA Region 5 Maifcode DRP-8J 77 W. Jackson Blvd Chicago, Illinois 60604 phone (312) 353-7923 Missouri Contact: Kerry Herndon U.S, EPA Region 7 Mailcode SUPR 726 Minnesota Avenue Kansas City, Kansas 66101 phone (913)551-7286 intro Members Coals Highlights' information Sites MAIN Please direct any questions or comments about this information to: Anderson.Andrew@epamail.etia.gov. November 28, 1997 http://www.epa.gov/region5/gateway/intro.htm Friday, December 19, 1997 8:00 AM OSW 134648 STLCOPCB4034606 Gateway Team Members o EDA IProhcfio* Members Page 1 of 2 Janet Haff, Acting Team Leader and Team Member for Waste 77 West Jackson Blvd. (DRP-8J), Chicago, IL 60604 (312) 353-7923 email: haif.ianet@eDamail.epa.sov Gordon Blum, Team Member for Public Affairs 77 West Jackson Blvd. (P-19J), Chicago, IL 60604 (312) 353-8501 email: blum.sordon@eDamail.epa.sov Deborah Klassman, Team Member for Regional Counsel 77 West Jackson Blvd. (C-29A), Chicago, IL 60604 (312) 886-6742 email: klassman.debra@enamail.ena.sov Andrew Anderson, Team Member for Air 77 West Jackson Blvd. (AR-18J). Chicago, IL 60604 (312) 353-9681 email: anderson.andrew @ evamail. epa.sov Dion Novak, Team Member for Superfund 77 West Jackson Blvd. (SR-6J), Chicago, IL 60604 (312) 886-4737 email: novak.dion@evamail.epa.sov David Schulenberg, Team Member for Water 77 West Jackson Blvd. (WW-16J), Chicago, IL 60604 (312) 886-6680 email: schulenbers.david@ evamail.epa.sov Please feel free to contact any of the above in regard to questions or concerns about Gateway. You can easily email any team member by clicking on the email address listed under their name. Please direct any questions or comments about this information to: Friday, December 19,1997 8:00 AM DSW 134649 STLCOPCB4034607 Gateway Team Members Anderson.Andrew@et)amail.eoa.gov. November 28, 1997 http://www.epa.gov/regioa5/gateway/members.htm Page 2 of 2 Friday, December 19, 1997 8:00 AM OSW 134650 STLCOPCB4034608 Gateway Team Goals Page 1 of 2 syhPA*\ i"A WWMK Fiscal Year 1998 Goals (October 1, 1997 - September 30, 1998) Problem Statement: The Gateway Initiative encompasses the Greater East St. Louis area. Over 70 industrial facilities, including oil refineries, chemical companies, a steel mill, a commercial hazardous waste incinerator, five active or closed hazardous waste landfills, as well as copper, lead, and zinc smelters, lie in this 60-square mile area. This region is the American Bottoms floodplain of the Mississippi River. The area does not meet the health-related air quality standard for ozone, and ambient air concentrations of cadmium are among the highest in the country. The community has expressed great concern over the prevalence of illegal dumping, open burning, abandoned and deteriorating structures, and flooding in largely minority or low-income neighborhoods. Overall Goal: The goal of Region 5 for the Gateway community is to improve the quality of life, protect the natural resources, and build sustainable community involvement on local environmental issues. Objectives: Reduction of toxics, especially lead ' Attain and maintain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone and Particulate Matter Protect and restore critical habitat Protect people at risk, especially children and EJ communities Slow urban sprawl, especially by promoting brownfields redevelopment Clean up sediment MAIN Please direct any questions or comments about this information to: Anderson.Andrew(g epaxnail.epa.gov. ; "1; s' -- '.I,..-. "V. MS FPA Reyion 5 7 7 Weal J.;ck.ou Wlvti Cliuoyo. it 6060.1 Friday, December 19, 1997 8:00 AM DSW 134651 STLCOPCB4034609 Gateway Team Goals November 28, 1997 http://www.epa.gov/region5/gateway/goals.htm Page 2 of 2 Friday, December 19,1997 8:00 AM DSW 134652 STLCOPCB4034610 wEPAilr11 Sauget Area Sites #1 and #2 Sauget Area l Site The Sauget Area 1 Site is a group of adjacent contaminated areas located mainly between Illinois Route 3 and Falling Springs Road in Sauget and Cahokia, Illinois. The Site includes three hazardous waste disposal landfills, a formerly used waste impoundment, two abandoned gravel pits and six segments of Dead Creek that stretch over 3.5 miles. The Sauget Area 1 Site contains very high levels of chlorobenzenes, chlorophenols, chloroanilines, nitroanilines and PCBs. The most highly contaminated parts of the site are fenced off from the public or are covered by pavement or slag. The site was formally proposed to the National Priorities List by U.S. EPA in June of 1996 and is expected to be finalized in January 1998. The most highly contaminated segment of Dead Creek was cleaned up in 1990, following the signing of a Consent Decree between the Illinois EPA and Cerro Copper Products, Inc. Cerro Copper Products, Inc., removed over 22,000 cubic yards of contaminated creek sediment at the cost of over S14 million. Additionally, in 1995 U.S. EPA conducted an extensive investigation of another hazardous waste landfill in Area 1 following an underground fire at that landfill. After the investigation, the Agency placed a temporary soil cover over the landfill and fenced it In April 1997, U.S EPA conducted a preliminary ecological risk assessment for the wetlands at the south end of Dead Creek. The Agency found that contaminants in this area are a significant ecological threat. The Illinois EPA is the lead agency for the Sauget Area 1 Site. For further information about State activities, contact Paul Takacs at the Illinois EPA at (217) 785-3912. The U.S. EPA is currently gathering information on all parties responsible for the contamination at this Site. If you have any information regarding what parties sent or transported hazardous wastes to the Site, or for a copy of the Preliminary Ecological Risk Assessment, call Leah Evison at the U.S. EPA at (312) 886-4696 or toll free at (800)621-8431. Sauget Area 2 Site The Sauget Area 2 Site includes a covered lagoon containing industrial sludges, two closed industrial landfills that contain chemical wastes, an uncovered, closed municipal landfill that accepted hazardous wastes, and a suspected drum disposal area. Area 2 is located adjacent to the Mississippi River in Sauget and Cahokia, Illinois, to the west of Friday, December 19, 1997 8:01 AM CSW 134653 STLCOPCB4034611 Sauget Sites Page 2 of 2 Area 1. In addition to the same types of contaminants found in the Sauget Area 1 sites, some parts of Area 2 contain very high levels of chlorinated solvents. The Illinois EPA and U.S. EPA anticipate that the Sauget Area 2 Site will be proposed to the National Priorities List in 1998. The Illinois EPA is the lead agency for the Sauget Area 2 Site. In 1979, Monsanto Chemical Company capped its landfill which is in Area 2. In 1992, they signed a Consent Decree with Illinois EPA to conduct an investigation and feasibility study for remaining contamination relating to the landfill. This work is on-going. In 1995, U.S. EPA removed 13 drums and 297 tons of contaminated soil eroding out of another of the landfills which is immediately adjacent to the Mississippi River. Some of the drums contained PCBs. In 1997, U.S. EPA conducted a preliminary ecological risk assessment on the south end of "Site Q", a landfilled and frequently flooded borrow pit area adjacent to Cargill Road. The Agency found high levels of metals (cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury) and PCBs in this area, many of which can accumulate in fish. U.S. EPA and Illinois EPA strongly urge residents not to fish in the ponds along Cargill Road. The Agencies are currently assessing removing more drums and contaminated soil in this area, to address human and ecological threats. U.S. EPA is also currently gathering information on all parties responsible for the contamination at the Sauget Area 2 site as a whole. For further information about State activities, contact Paul Takacs at the Illinois EPA at (217) 785-3912. If you have any information regarding what parties sent or transported hazardous wastes to the Site, or for a copy of the Preliminary Ecological Risk Assessment, call Leah Evison at the U.S. EPA at (312) 886-4696 or toll free at (800) 621-8431. Please direct any questions or comments about this information to: Anderson.Andrew@epamaiI.epa.gov. v > US HJA Hogiwi 5 f ! .Wtvst J.'.ckaon Blvtl.Cliit.ayo. U 600CM November 13, 1997 http://www.epa.gov/regioh5/gateway/saugethtm Friday, December 19,1997 8:01 AM DSW 134654 STLCOPCB4034612