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EPA Issues Records of Decision for Operable Units 1, 2, and 3 of the Southwest Jefferson County Superfund Site in Jefferson County, Mo.

Release Date: 09/12/2012
Contact Information: Ben Washburn, 913-551-7364, [email protected]

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., Sept. 12, 2012) - EPA Region 7 today issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for Operable Units (OUs) 1, 2, and 3 of the Southwest Jefferson County Superfund Site in Jefferson County, Mo. The RODs identify the selected remedy for soil contamination at the site.

The RODs are a result of a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) which was conducted between 2010 and 2012. The RI/FS evaluated three alternative remedies for site cleanup. The selected remedy for OUs 1-3 is excavation up to 12 inches of contaminated soils, disposal, backfill with clean soil, and revegetation. In addition to these actions, EPA will provide health education to the affected areas and implement institutional controls to ensure that completed remedial actions continue to protect human health and the environment. The objective of the selected remedies is to reduce exposures of lead in soil, particularly to young children, by limiting the amount of lead found in surface soil to less than 400 parts per million (ppm). This action will be performed by EPA at no cost to the homeowner or occupant.

The contaminant of concern at the Southwest Jefferson County Superfund Site is lead from historic mining and ore processing activities, that has come to be located at residential properties. Lead is a highly toxic metal that was also commonly used in paint until lead-based paint was banned in 1978. Lead is a naturally occurring element that can be found in soils typically below 100 ppm in Jefferson County.

The site was proposed for National Priorities List (NPL) listing on April 9, 2009, and was listed on the NPL on September 23, 2009.