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EPA Proposes Bautsch-Gray Mine in Illinois for Superfund National Priorities List

Release Date: 03/14/2012
Contact Information: Francisco Arcaute (312) 886-7613, [email protected]

(03/14/12) For Immediate Release No. 11-OPA015
EPA Proposes Bautsch-Gray Mine in Illinois for Superfund National Priorities List

Chicago - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today proposed adding the Bautsch-Gray Mine near Galena, Illinois, to the National Priorities List of Superfund sites. Superfund is the federal program that investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country.

The Bautsch-Gray Mine site consists of the remnants of an abandoned lead-zinc mine and milling operation in Rice Township, Jo Daviess County. The site has a 40-acre mine tailings pile, a 4.8-acre surface impoundment and 4.9 acres of contaminated soil. Sampling shows elevated levels of lead, zinc, arsenic and cadmium.

Today EPA added nine new hazardous waste sites to the NPL and proposed 10 more, including the Bautsch-Gray Mine. Since 1983, 359 NPL sites have been cleaned up and 1,302 remain on the NPL. There are 62 proposed sites waiting final agency action.

Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the final and proposed sites: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/current.htm