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EPA Issues Amendment to Record of Decision for the Peoples Natural Gas Superfund Site in Dubuque, Iowa

Release Date: 10/21/2013
Contact Information: Ben Washburn, 913-551-7364, [email protected]

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Lenexa, Kan., Oct. 21, 2013) - EPA Region 7 has issued an amendment to the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Peoples Natural Gas Superfund Site in Dubuque, Iowa. EPA signed the original ROD for the site in January 1991 to address soil and ground water contamination. The selected remedy for the 1991 ROD was excavation and incineration of contaminated soils as well as ground water extraction, monitoring, and treatment of soils on-site.

The ROD was modified in 2001 and 2004 to exclude the installation of the ground water extraction system for an area where ground water contamination was found to be very limited, and to change the cleanup level for benzene, respectively.

The selected remedy for the amended ROD includes institutional controls along with extraction wells to prevent movement of the contaminants in the ground water and monitoring natural degradation of the contaminants.

A Technical Impracticability (TI) waiver will be implemented for ground water within the TI zone; ground water cleanup levels must be met outside of the TI zone, however institutional controls will prevent exposure to contaminated ground water in the TI zone, as well as exposure to contamination in subsurface soils and vapor intrusion.

The contaminants of concern at the Peoples Natural Gas Superfund Site are volatile organic compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Accidental ingestion of, or direct contact with, contaminated soil or ground water may pose health threats to individuals. The site was added to the National Priorities List in August 1990.