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EPA to Hold Public Meeting on Proposed Plan for Groundwater Cleanup at Escambia Wood Treating Superfund Site in Pensacola, FL

Release Date: 06/30/2008
Contact Information: Laura Niles, (404) 562-8353, [email protected]

(Atlanta, Ga. – June 30, 2008) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public meeting Wednesday, July 2, 2008 on EPA’s Proposed Cleanup Plan for groundwater (Operable Unit 2) at the Escambia Wood Treating Superfund site (the site). The public meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Pensacola Civic Center, 201 E. Gregory St., Pensacola, Fla.

The Proposed Cleanup Plan is currently open for public review and comment through July 28, 2008 before a final decision on the cleanup is made. The proposed cleanup strategy for Operable Unit 2 is to perform aggressive treatment of the source area and the most contaminated groundwater, and take active measures to address other less-contaminated areas of groundwater outside of the source area.

The site is an abandoned wood preserving facility, located at 3910 North Palafox Street in Pensacola, Escambia County, Fla., that operated from 1942 until 1982. During its operational period, the facility treated utility poles, foundation pilings, and lumber with creosote and pentachlorophenol. In October 1991, EPA excavated approximately 225,000 cubic yards of contaminated material and stockpiled it under secure cover at the site. In 1997, relocation of 358 households around the site began as part of EPA’s National Relocation Pilot Project. EPA is currently implementing the soil cleanup at the site and is completing Phase 2 of the National Relocation Evaluation Pilot project.

For more information on the site and cleanup progress, please visit http://www.etccleanup.org/
The Proposed Plan is available for review at http://etccleanup.org/fact-sheet/etc-ou2-proposed-plan-groundwater

ATTENTION: A media availability session will be held at the Pensacola Civic Center prior to the public meeting at 5:00 p.m. Officials will be available to answer media questions concerning current activities underway at the site. This arrangement will allow for the public to use the entire public meeting to get information and have their questions answered.