Superfund Sites in Reuse in Indiana
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AMERICAN CHEMICAL SERVICE, INC.
The 33-acre American Chemical Service, Inc. Superfund site is in Griffith, Indiana. American Chemical Service, Inc. ran a solvent recovery firm, a chemical manufacturer and a chemical drum reconditioning business on-site starting in 1955. Improper waste disposal practices contaminated groundwater, surface water and soil. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. Cleanup included treatment of contaminated groundwater, soil and sediment. It also removed chemical drums and debris. Long-term groundwater and well monitoring are ongoing. American Chemical Service, Inc. continues to make specialty chemicals at its facility on-site.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 25 people and generated an estimated $7,880,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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AUGUSTUS HOOK PROPERTY
The 13-acre Augustus Hook Property site is in Frankfort, Indiana. Porcelain enamel manufacturer Ingram-Richardson, Inc. operated next to the site until 1981. Ingram-Richardson, Inc. bought the property in 1953. It began using it as a disposal area sometime after 1953. Operators disposed of various plant wastes in a 4-to-6-acre wetland area at the site. These disposal practices resulted in the contamination of area soil and groundwater. Cleanup activities included removal of toxic materials, backfilling of the wetland area with clean clay and groundwater treatment. In 2006, after cleanup finished, EPA issued a Ready for Reuse Determination. It states that the site’s remedy is protective for unrestricted commercial, industrial and recreational use. A used truck and car dealer, a gravel parking area and a small pond are on-site.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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BECK'S LAKE
The 45-acre Beck’s Lake Superfund site is in South Bend, Indiana. A dump and landfill were on-site from about 1938 through the mid-1950s. Many companies, including Bendix Corporation, dumped a variety of materials containing hazardous substances there. In 2001, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) found contamination in soil samples. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2013. Cleanup activities included removing contaminated soil, backfilling areas with clean soil and capping some of the areas. Today, land uses at the site include recreational, ecological, public service and industrial areas. A fabrication, welding and laser plant is active on-site. LaSalle Park offers recreation and ecological amenities. It includes sports fields and courts, a picnic area, playgrounds and a walking trail around Beck’s Lake. A community center on-site includes a gymnasium, community kitchen, computer lab and game room. It offers daily programs and activities for all ages.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 2 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 9 people and generated an estimated $293,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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CARTER LEE LUMBER CO.
The 4-acre Carter Lee Lumber Co. Superfund site is in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Carter Lee Lumber Company acquired the site property in 1979 for lumber storage. The Penn Central Corporation previously owned the area. From 1960 to 1973, several commercial and industrial waste-hauling companies leased the property. Activities on-site contaminated soil and groundwater with heavy metals and other contaminants. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. In 1992, EPA removed lead contamination from the area. EPA took the site off the NPL in 1993. The Carter-Lee Lumber company (now Pro-Build) still operates a lumber storage yard on-site.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 2 on-site businesses. EPA did not have further economic details related to these businesses. For additional information click here.
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CLIFF DRIVE GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION
The Cliff Drive Groundwater Contamination Superfund site is in Logansport, Indiana. The city first found contaminants in the municipal well system in 1994. Contamination is still present in five supply wells. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) identified more than 20 active and former facilities that are potential contributors to the contamination. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in May 2019. Investigations are ongoing, with sampling tentatively planned for late 2024 or early 2025. Area residents continue to use the municipal water supply for drinking water. Water pumped from the contaminated wells is treated before distribution in the municipal water supply system. The water supply meets Safe Drinking Water Act standards. Commercial, industrial, residential and agricultural areas are located above and adjacent to the plume of contaminated groundwater.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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COLUMBUS OLD MUNICIPAL LANDFILL #1
The 19-acre Columbus Old Municipal Landfill #1 Superfund site is in Columbus, Indiana. From 1938 to 1966, the city of Columbus ran an unpermitted municipal landfill on-site. It accepted household wastes and materials from industrial sources. Waste disposal practices resulted in soil and groundwater contamination. In 1986, EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL). The city planned to relocate part of State Highway 46 through downtown Columbus. The city’s plan included a road across the landfill and a new bridge across the East Fork of the White River next to the site. EPA’s cleanup plan made sure that this construction would not affect the site’s remedy. Cleanup included installation of fencing with warning signs, landfill cover inspections and maintenance, installation of more monitoring wells, groundwater monitoring, and land and water use restrictions. The site’s potentially responsible parties led the cleanup. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management provided oversight. The city completed the road and bridge project in 1999.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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CONRAIL RAIL YARD (ELKHART)
The Conrail Rail Yard (Elkhart) Superfund site covers 2,500 acres in Elkhart, Indiana. It includes a rail yard, a former drag car racing strip, and other areas affected by contamination. Operations at the 675-acre rail yard area began in 1956. Rail yard operations transferred to Conrail in 1976 and to Norfolk Southern Corporation in 1999. Past activities and solvent spills at the rail yard and drag strip resulted in contaminated groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990. Cleanup activities include providing affected residences with an alternate drinking water source, containing and monitoring contaminated groundwater, and sampling for chemical vapors in residences. Where sampling identified chemical vapors in homes, Conrail installed basement venting units. The remedy also includes a groundwater extraction system at the rail yard and a biological groundwater treatment remedy at the former drag strip area. Injection of organic matter to break down solvent contaminants in groundwater is being implemented at the former drag strip area. Norfolk Southern Corporation continues to operate the rail yard. It serves as a classification distribution yard for freight cars. Rail car repair, engine cleaning and diesel refueling facilities are also located at the yard. The commercial drag car racing facility shut down and a new owner acquired the property in 2021 to redevelop the 170-acre area into farmland.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 600 people and generated an estimated $404,603,175 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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CONTINENTAL STEEL CORP.
The 183-acre Continental Steel Corp. Superfund site is in Kokomo, Indiana. From 1914 to 1986, a steel manufacturing facility operated on site. Facility operations resulted in soil, sediment, surface water and groundwater contamination. In 1986, Continental Steel filed for bankruptcy. In 1989, EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL). During cleanup, EPA and the state worked with the community and local developers to support the return of parts of the site to beneficial use. In 1991, a local florist began using an on-site warehouse and sublet part of the property for equipment storage. A construction company purchased part of the site property for equipment storage. EPA also worked with the community to evaluate other reuse opportunities. Part of the cleanup allowed the local government to move forward with a stormwater project that uses the on-site quarry as a stormwater retention/detention basin. EPA worked with Howard County to remove and relocate fill material from an area with poor drainage. This free fill was used at the site, saving the project millions of dollars. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the city and EPA also worked to plant prairie grasses, native plants and trees in the former quarry area. Cleanup includes treatment of contaminated groundwater, excavation of contaminated soil and sediment, capping areas of residual contamination, and controls on land and groundwater use. Three wind turbines on site produce over half of the energy needed to power groundwater treatment operations. A traffic circle improves congestion at one of the busiest intersections in the area. The circle’s raised design preserves the soil cover in place and helps address flooding concerns. A community-based redevelopment plan, announced in 2006, called for retail space as well as recreation areas at the site. The first phase of the 60-acre Wildcat Creek Soccer Complex sports facility finished in 2015. At full buildout, it will accommodate 30 youth and full-size soccer fields, a one-and-a-quarter mile walking trail, parking for 400 vehicles, a concession stand, storage facilities and restrooms. The complex has enhanced community access to recreation and outdoor activities. In December 2016, a $10 million solar facility capable of generating about 9.1 million kilowatts of electricity each year began operating at the site. The 29-acre Kokomo Solar Park includes 21,000 solar panels and provides power for up to 1,000 homes. It revitalizes part of the site that had been vacant for decades. In April 2017, EPA Region 5 presented the local government with a RENEW Award in recognition of excellence in site reuse. EPA Region 5 developed the RENEW Award to recognize outstanding efforts in the reuse of Superfund sites that strengthen communities and advance environmental protection.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, economic data were not publicly available for this site. For additional information click here.
For more information:
- From Steel to Solar and Soccer: Mixed-Use Redevelopment in Indiana at the Continental Steel Superfund Site in Kokomo, Indiana (PDF)
- Site Redevelopment Profile: Continental Steel Superfund Site (PDF)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
- EPA Region 5 RENEW Award
- Solar Farm at Superfund Redevelopment Site in Kokomo, Indiana
ELM STREET GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION
The 18.5-acre Elm Street Ground Water Contamination Superfund site is in Terre Haute, Indiana. In the 1980s, sampling identified industrial chemicals in Terre Haute’s Elm Street municipal well field. Several area industries likely contributed to the contamination. The four Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) at Elm Street are GCSC Enterprises, Inc. (formerly Gurman and Supply Co.). Valvoline LLC, CR-Troy, Inc. (Formerly Consolidated Recycling), and Machine Tool Service, or MTS (Please see site breakdown below)* Operations at the Gurman Container and Supply property started in 1922. The Ashland property hosted a supplier of Texaco products from the 1930s through the 1980s. MTS purchased this property and leased it to companies for waste oil recycling and storage. Records from the late 1800s indicate that the MTS property was a locomotive repair and maintenance facility. The MTS facility also stored petroleum products and solvents. Sinclair Oil also stored petroleum products and solvents on the eastern portion of the MTS property. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2007. Gurman Container and Supply Rents its property to tenants. The Ashland property is vacant, following demolition of buildings and removal of contaminated soil. Ashland completed this work in 2013. The site’s remedial design includes removal of accessible soil contamination, use restrictions and groundwater monitoring, and the option to use of a soil vapor extraction system to remove contaminated soil vapors if excavation does not show evidence of decreased groundwater levels. EPA signed the Consent Decree for the remedial design and remedial action with the site’s PRPs in September 2023. The Consent Decree was entered by the court in November 2023. Remedial Action work is set to begin Summer 2024.
* Here is the breakdown:
Valvoline = Ashland
GCSC = Gurman
Machine Tool Service = Machine Tool Service (MTS)
Sinclair = CR Troy
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 2 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 9 people and generated an estimated $7,993,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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FISHER-CALO
The Fisher-Calo Superfund site is in the Kingsbury Industrial Development Park (KIDP) in La Porte County, Indiana. Past site uses include the Kingsbury Ordnance Plant, a U.S. government installation that made military ordnance. After its closure, Fisher-Calo and various subsidiaries began operating at KIDP in the early 1970s. The state of Indiana and EPA found that past operations resulted in soil and groundwater contamination. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. The long-term remedy included the excavation and off-site disposal of buried drums and contaminated soils. It also included soil vapor extraction and groundwater pumping and treatment. Construction of the remedy took place from 1994 to 1998. Operation and maintenance activities are ongoing. In 2022, EPA issued an Explanation of Significant Differences. It documented the need for institutional controls to prevent exposure to contaminated groundwater and protect the integrity of the remedy. The area remains in industrial use. Two chemical manufacturing companies are on-site.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 3 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 142 people and generated an estimated $22,524,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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GALEN MYERS DUMP/DRUM SALVAGE
The 5-acre Galen Myers Dump/Drum Salvage Superfund site is in St. Joseph County, Indiana. From 1970 to 1983, a dump on-site accepted 55-gallon steel drums. Workers emptied the drums on the ground. Operators later resold the drums as trash containers. In 1984, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and EPA found that dumping had contaminated surface soils and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. EPA and IDEM removed drums, flammable materials and contaminated soils. The agencies also connected 183 homes to the public water system. Groundwater monitoring is ongoing. In 2016, EPA sampled indoor air at homes near the site. Based on sampling results, EPA put in vapor mitigation systems at nine properties. These systems will continue to run until they are not needed. In August 2005, an individual purchased the site property. The owner built a home and two storage sheds for their landscaping business on-site.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 4 people and generated an estimated $137,220 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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INGRAM RICHARDSON COMPANY
The 17-acre Ingram Richardson Company site is in Frankfort, Indiana. From 1915 to 1981, the Ingram Richardson Company produced frit material for steel, cast iron and other porcelain products on-site. Waste dumping, a leaking transformer and asbestos-containing building materials contaminated the area. The Frankfort Fire Department cleaned up an oil spill on-site in 1990. EPA led further cleanup to remove contaminated soil and debris from the area. Cleanup finished in 1994. To support the community’s interest in understanding the site’s potential for reuse, EPA developed a Ready for Reuse Determination in 2007. The document clarified that the area could support commercial and industrial land uses. Today, a local non-profit organization operates a 14,000-square-foot facility at the site. It offers services to clients with developmental disabilities and their families. A convenience store is also on-site.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 6 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 63 people and generated an estimated $2,338,651 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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JACOBSVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD SOIL CONTAMINATION
The 4.5-square-mile Jacobsville Neighborhood Soil Contamination Superfund site is in Evansville, Indiana. Several manufacturing companies were active at the site beginning in the 1880s. Windborne particulates from their operations resulted in widespread soil contamination in the community. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2004. Cleanup activities include removal of contaminated soil at residential and high-access properties (e.g., parks, daycares) and backfilling of these areas with clean soil. EPA’s cleanup of two vacant lots in the Jacobsville neighborhood enabled a local nonprofit, the ECHO Housing Corporation, to build a 26-unit residential building for homeless and disabled military veterans, which opened in 2011. EPA has worked with a variety of private developers on projects, including a 119-apartment senior assisted living center that opened in 2018 and an affordable housing complex that opened in 2019. EPA also worked with the city of Evansville during its preparation of a 6-acre area that now hosts the Deaconess Aquatic Center. In December 2021, the site was among those selected by EPA to receive cleanup funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). With this funding, EPA is already initiating work on backlogged remedial construction projects and accelerating cleanups at NPL sites. At this site, funding will accelerate the number of properties cleaned up each year and the timeline for project completion. As of June 2022, workers have sampled more than 6,500 properties and cleaned up about 4,000 properties. Cleanup activities have not displaced any residents. The site also supports recreational and ecological reuses. These areas include athletic fields, parks, playgrounds, gardens and other spaces for outdoor activities.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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KEYSTONE CORRIDOR GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION
The Keystone Corridor Ground Water Contamination Superfund site is in Indianapolis, Indiana. Past solvent discharges from dry cleaners and a metal plating facility in the area contaminated soil and groundwater. Contaminant gases also seeped into properties. In 1989, sampling found soil contamination at one of the dry-cleaning facilities. EPA led two time-critical removal actions to clean up the site, excavating and disposing of more than 2,550 tons of contaminated soil and two underground storage tanks. EPA also installed vapor intrusion mitigation systems in buildings where gases accumulated to unsafe levels. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2013. Cleanup activities include installation of additional vapor intrusion mitigation systems at commercial, industrial and residential properties within the site’s vapor intrusion area of concern. EPA has installed 41 systems to date. In 2020, EPA selected in-site thermal treatment (ISTT) to address soil contamination at the primary source area. ISTT involves applying energy (heat or steam) underground to mobilize, vaporize, capture and treat the contaminants. In December 2021, the site was among those selected by EPA to receive cleanup funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). With this funding, EPA is already initiating work on backlogged remedial construction projects and accelerating cleanups at NPL sites. This funding will expedite vapor intrusion and ISTT cleanup at the site. The design of the ISTT system was completed in 2022 and construction and startup of the system is scheduled to begin in 2024. A used car dealership is active on-site. Other areas of the site remain in continued commercial, industrial and residential use.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 6 people and generated an estimated $1,090,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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LAKE SANDY JO (M&M LANDFILL)
The 50-acre Lake Sandy Jo (M&M Landfill) site is in Gary, Indiana. An unpermitted landfill was on-site from 1971 to 1980. Various wastes, including construction and demolition debris, garbage and industrial wastes, and drums are believed to be buried on-site. Landfilling operations contaminated soil, sediment and groundwater. EPA added the site to the NPL in 1983. Cleanup included adding a clean soil cover and perimeter fencing as well as drinking water line extensions for nearby homes. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management monitors groundwater and maintains the soil cover. EPA provides oversight. Institutional controls prohibit residential use and installation of groundwater wells. In May 2021, EPA took part of the site off the NPL. The Region 5 RPM worked with ORD to put together a proposal using stakeholder engagement to identify community values and priorities and then use ecosystem service models to look at different potential futures for the site. After the proposal was funded, the Region found out that the city had already signed a 99-year lease with a developer and that the developer already had a planned future use in mind. EPA then began developing a collaborative relationship with the city, IDEM, and the developer and rescoped the project to identify community values and priorities and then use ecosystem service models to explore how the inclusion of ecosystem service concepts in the developer’s plans could provide additional benefits to the community. The developer plans to build a light industrial complex called the Gary Commercial Center on this part of the site, providing jobs for the surrounding area. The developer plans to incorporate ecosystem service elements into the project’s design and will work with EPA to include recreational green space as part of the development.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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LANE STREET GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION
The 65-acre Lane Street Ground Water Contamination Superfund site is in Elkhart, Indiana. In 2007, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and Elkhart County Health Department found high levels of trichloroethylene and other chlorinated solvents in residential wells in the area. The site is a contaminated groundwater plume underneath industrial, commercial and residential properties. IDEM provided area residents with bottled water in August and September 2007. EPA provided point-of-use and whole-house filters in October and November 2007. In 2008, EPA connected 26 homes in the Lane Street area to the city’s public water supply. At present, most homes and businesses at the site get their water from the public water supply and do not use private wells. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2009. In 2016, EPA selected using naturally occurring microbes to clean up groundwater. EPA is now leading a remedial design investigation to explore potential options for implementing this work. Institutional controls restrict land and groundwater uses. Site uses include commercial and industrial buildings and facilities on the central and northern parts of the site, including several RV manufacturers and dealerships and fabrication businesses. The southern part of the site includes about 29 residential properties.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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LITTLE MISSISSINEWA RIVER
The Little Mississinewa River Superfund site is in Union City, Indiana. It consists of a 7-mile segment of the Little Mississinewa River and its floodplain. Two facilities at the site used PCB oils in their manufacturing processes, contaminating river channel sediments and floodplain soils. The Shelly-Globe facility was a plating facility that also made small motors. The former Westinghouse facility made small engines. EPA did not add the site to the National Priorities List (NPL). It is an NPL-caliber site. EPA addresses it through EPA’s Superfund Alternative Approach. Westinghouse and United Technologies Corporation, the former ultimate parent company of Sheller-Globe Corporation, have been identified as potentially responsible parties (PRPs). With EPA oversight, the PRPs addressed PCB contamination in the Little Mississinewa River from 1999 to 2010. Cleanup included digging up contaminated sediments and soils and taking them off-site for disposal. It also included monitoring and maintenance activities. Current site uses include several churches, a wastewater treatment plant, a business and homes.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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LUSHER STREET GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION
The Lusher Street Ground Water Contamination Superfund site is in Elkhart, Indiana. It covers about 870 acres. It consists of a groundwater plume contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Operations and spills at several industrial manufacturing facilities in the area caused the contamination. EPA first found the contamination during an investigation of the groundwater at a nearby manufacturing facility, whose groundwater contamination did not appear to be connected to any of its operations. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2008. EPA investigated potential contamination sources and evaluated the extent of groundwater contamination and the potential for groundwater vapor in buildings. EPA selected the site’s long-term remedy in 2014. Cleanup activities involved connecting about 72 properties to the public water system and putting vapor intrusion mitigation systems in about 200 area homes and buildings. Investigations of parts of the site and fieldwork are ongoing. Institutional controls are in place. EPA has restricted the use of groundwater for drinking water, required notifying subsurface construction workers of the presence of potentially contaminated groundwater, and required vapor mitigation systems in any new building or significant improvement. Continued uses at the site include residential areas, commercial businesses, industrial manufacturers, religious organizations and public bus lines.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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MAIN STREET WELL FIELD
The 48-acre Main Street Well Field Superfund site is in Elkhart, Indiana. It includes a 15-well municipal well field. The site is the largest of three well fields owned by the city of Elkhart and supplies most drinking water for city residents. In 1983, EPA identified groundwater contamination, likely from nearby industrial operations. The same year, EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL). Under EPA oversight, the site’s potentially responsible parties (PRPs) managed cleanup activities. Cleanup activities included providing an alternate water supply system to the city of Elkhart, the removal of a paint layer from contaminated soils east of the well field, groundwater monitoring and the installation of interceptor wells. In 2001, the city of Elkhart added biking, jogging and walking trails to the area for community use. The city later enhanced the western part of the site. It built the Wellfield Botanic Gardens and added flower gardens, fishponds and artwork to the area. This environmental project established a buffer zone between land and water using native plants. This area provides a habitat for ducks, geese, birds and other wildlife. In 2006, several site PRPs declared bankruptcy. Interim institutional controls are in place. The city and the PRPs continue to monitor groundwater to ensure the continued delivery of safe drinking water to local residents.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 19 people and generated an estimated $820,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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NEAL'S DUMP (SPENCER)
The 1-acre Neal's Dump (Spencer) Superfund site is near Spencer, Indiana. A disposal area for industrial wastes was on-site from 1966 to 1971. Wastes included electrical capacitors, capacitor parts, contaminated rags and sawdust. Disposal activities resulted in the contamination of soil and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. The potentially responsible party (PRP) completed cleanup to residential standards with EPA oversight. Cleanup activities included the removal and off-site disposal of contaminated materials and capacitors. The PRP backfilled and reseeded the excavated areas. EPA took the site off the NPL in 1999. The PRP completed cleanup activities in 2003. The site is a residential backyard; it remains in continued use.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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NORTH 5TH STREET GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION
The North 5th Street Groundwater Contamination Superfund site is in Goshen, Indiana. It consists of a municipal well field and a 15.1-acre comingled groundwater plume. The Goshen Water Utility runs six wells at the North well field. Current and historic use of chlorinated solvents has been documented at more than 67 facilities within one mile of the well field.. Chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) were first detected in the municipal water system in 1993. Four of the six wells at the North well field are contaminated with low levels of CVOCs, principally cis-1,2-Dichloroethene. The state of Indiana referred the site to EPA because it requires further investigation and may require long-term cleanup. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2022. EPA is investigating the nature and extent of contamination as part of the remedial investigation. The state is addressing many of the potential contamination sources. The municipal wells are in continued use. Groundwater is processed at a treatment plant in Goshen to ensure safe consumption prior to distribution.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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NORTH SHORE DRIVE
The 70-acre North Shore Drive Superfund site is in Elkhart, Indiana. In 1966, a concerned citizen contacted the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) with complaints of skin irritation caused by water drawn from a private residential well. IDEM sampled residential wells and subsurface soils from nearby properties. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were found in the residential well samples. Investigations have not been able to identify the source of contamination. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2014. More investigations are underway to determine the nature and extent of contamination and inform the development of the site’s cleanup plan. A neighborhood and two automotive businesses are located at the source area property.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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PIKE AND MULBERRY STREETS PCE PLUME
The Pike and Mulberry Streets PCE Plume Superfund site is in Martinsville, Indiana. A dry cleaning and laundry facility was on site from January 1986 to November 1991. It is the likely primary source of site contamination. In August 1992, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) removed drums from the facility. IDEM oversaw investigations from 1996 to 1999. In 2002, sampling found tetrachloroethylene (PCE) in a city well. The plume of contaminated groundwater covers 38 acres. The city treats the groundwater with activated carbon before providing it to residents for drinking water. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in May 2013. EPA’s remedial investigation identified high levels of contamination in soil vapor in addition to groundwater. The long-term remedy includes in-place chemical reduction to treat groundwater and soil vapor extraction and mitigation to address soil vapor contamination. In 2023, EPA began designing the treatment systems and placed mitigation systems in homes and businesses in the area with elevated levels of soil vapor beneath them. EPA will continue to sample homes and businesses and put in more mitigation systems as needed. In December 2021, the site was among those sites selected by EPA to receive cleanup funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). With this funding, EPA is already initiating work on backlogged remedial construction projects and accelerating cleanups at NPL sites. At the site, this funding will be used to address vapor contamination in homes and businesses near the groundwater plume. Continued uses at the site include residential areas, city and county buildings, and small commercial businesses.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 2 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 4 people and generated an estimated $169,880 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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POER FARM
The 5-acre Poer Farm Superfund site is in a rural area about 3 miles north of Wilkinson, Indiana. From 1973 to 1983, site owners stored drums of solvents and paint resins at the site. Leaking drums resulted in soil contamination. EPA removed all waste and soil from the drum storage areas and disposed of contaminated materials at off-site facilities. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. Because EPA had removed the contamination, no further cleanup was necessary. EPA took the site off the NPL in 1991. Part of the site is now in agricultural reuse, producing hay for livestock.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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PRESTOLITE BATTERY DIVISION
The 18-acre Prestolite Battery Division Superfund site is northeast of Vincennes in Knox County, Indiana. A battery-making facility was on-site from 1945 to 1985. Operators put lead-contaminated sludge and wastewater in a sewer system. Improper waste handling practices and spills contaminated air, soil and surface water. The sewer system leaked wastewater, which contaminated soil and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. Cleanup actions included the removal of lead-contaminated soil and long-term monitoring of groundwater, surface water and sediments. Institutional controls limit site and groundwater use. Evaluations of residential buildings near the site screen for contaminated vapors from groundwater ended in 2022. EPA entered into a Prospective Purchaser Agreement (PPA) with a local real estate developer. A PPA encourages the reuse of Superfund site properties by addressing purchaser and lessee liability concerns. The PPA resulted in commercial redevelopment at the site. Infrastructure next to the site and the area’s location along a high-traffic roadway also encouraged reuse. Businesses on-site today include a home improvement center, several restaurants, two banks, a hotel and a gas station.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 7 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 225 people and generated an estimated $31,272,650 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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REILLY TAR & CHEMICAL CORP. (INDIANAPOLIS PLANT)
The 120-acre Reilly Tar & Chemical Corp. (Indianapolis Plant) Superfund site is in Indianapolis, Indiana. A specialty chemicals production facility has been on-site since the early 1950s. Until 1972, a coal-tar refining and wood treatment facility that used creosote was also at the site. Operators used a trench, a landfill and several pits to dispose of wastes. A lime pond received boiler cooling water. Waste handling practices resulted in groundwater and soil contamination. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. Cleanup involved extracting and treating groundwater, installing a permeable cover for the wood treatment and storage area, removing and treating contaminated soil using soil vapor extraction, and placing a soil cover over solidified coal tar waste. In 2021, EPA updated the groundwater treatment method. The new method involves injecting air into contaminated groundwater to break down the contaminants. In 2024, a proposed Consent Decree would require that the current site owner design and construct the new groundwater treatment remedy and continue operation and maintenance activities for the rest of the cleanup at the site. In 2014, Developer Hanwha Q CELLS opened a 10.8-megawatt solar-energy facility on the southern 43 acres of the site. Maywood Solar Farm is one of the largest utility-scale solar farms on a Superfund site, and the first one to be built in Region 5. It includes nearly 36,000 solar panels. The system is designed to have minimal impact on the integrity of the landfill cover. It sells electricity and environmental credits to a local utility. It offsets annual carbon emissions equivalent to the emissions from about 1,300 homes. In April 2014, EPA Region 5 honored developer Hanwha Q CELLS with the Region’s first-ever RENEW Award in recognition of its commitment to the site’s safe and beneficial reuse. The site remains in continued industrial use.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 2 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 50 people and generated an estimated $32,759,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
- Reuse and the Benefit to Community: A Beneficial Effects Economic Case Study for the Reilly Tar & Chemical Corp. (Indianapolis Plant) Site (PDF)
- Utility-Scale Solar Energy Development: Reilly Tar & Chemical Corp. (Indianapolis Plant) Superfund Site (PDF)
- EPA Region 5 RENEW Award
- Superfund Site Profile Page
SOUTHSIDE SANITARY LANDFILL
The 324-acre Southside Sanitary Landfill Superfund site is in Indianapolis, Indiana. Landfill operations began at the site in 1971. In 1984, sampling identified soil and groundwater contamination from landfilling activities. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. Cleanup included landfill liquid collection and treatment and groundwater monitoring. EPA took the area off the NPL in 1997. Crossroads Greenhouses, one of the largest methane-powered greenhouses in the United States, has captured more than 2.2 million cubic feet of methane gas each day from the site since 1998. Decomposing waste provides all energy used in the 6.5-acre greenhouse. Landfill gas recovery wells and an intricate pipeline system collect and transport methane gas from the site to other facilities. The Rolls Royce Allison Aircraft Engine Plant began obtaining methane gas from the landfill in 1998. The landfill also provides methane gas to large manufacturing facilities in Wayne Township to produce heat and electricity. Because methane burns much cleaner than other fuels, the use of this energy source has reduced the plant’s nitrogen oxide emissions. In 1999, a nine-hole golf course opened on-site. Ecological uses on-site include a small pond and stream. In 2003, the landfill donated land to the Indianapolis School Board for environmental education. Local schoolchildren tour the area as part of their curriculum on landfill science.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 25 people and generated an estimated $12,899,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
- Reuse and the Benefit to Community: Southside Sanitary Landfill (PDF)
- Site Redevelopment Profile: Southside Sanitary Landfill Superfund Site (PDF)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
U.S. SMELTER AND LEAD REFINERY, INC.
The 79-acre U.S. Smelter and Lead Refinery (USS Lead), Inc. Superfund site is in East Chicago, Indiana. A heavy metal smelter and refinery were on-site from 1906 to 1985. A pesticide manufacturer was also active nearby. Their activities resulted in the contamination of soil, onsite and in adjacent residential areas, and groundwater with lead and arsenic. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2009. It has two areas – a residential area and the USS Lead facility property plus site groundwater. The residential area has three zones. Zone 1 is a part of a neighborhood that includes the former Carrie Gosch Elementary School and a former public housing complex run by the East Chicago Housing Authority. Zones 2 and 3 are mostly single-family homes. In 2012, EPA selected cleanup activities for the residential area. Cleanup included removal and off-site disposal of contaminated soil. EPA led in-home cleaning at the housing complex in Zone 1 in 2016. After the relocation of residents, the East Chicago Housing Authority demolished the housing complex in 2018. In 2019, cleanup addressed the former Carrie Gosch Elementary School and an adjacent utility corridor in Zone 1. After soil cleanups and in-home cleanings in Zone 2 and Zone 3, EPA took 671 properties off the NPL in 2020. Also in 2020, the city of East Chicago rezoned Zone 1 from residential use to light industrial use. In 2022, a developer purchased the property to build a warehouse and transportation logistics center. EPA updated the cleanup plan for Zone 1 to reflect the anticipated land use as commercial or light industrial. Soil cleanup in Zone 1 began in 2023 and will finish in 2024. After cleanup, commercial redevelopment of the 50-acre zone will begin. Continued site uses include residential, commercial and industrial areas. The site also hosts public-service uses, including a fire station, churches and a public park. In 2017, EPA hosted a Superfund Job Training Initiative program at the site. Fifteen people graduated, equipped with skills to work on a range of environmental projects, including Superfund cleanups.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 33 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 589 people and generated an estimated $64,183,387 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
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WASTE, INC., LANDFILL
The 32-acre Waste, Inc., Landfill Superfund site is on a former wetland area in Michigan City, Indiana. From 1966 to 1982, the area accepted industrial wastes. Disposal practices contaminated soil, groundwater and sediment near Trail Creek, which borders the landfill and discharges into Lake Michigan. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1987. Cleanup activities included closure of a well, removal and disposal of an underground fuel storage tank, and placement of fish advisory signs along Trail Creek. The cleanup plan also required consolidating waste, lining an active sewer line and putting in a landfill liquid collection system. In 1997, the potentially responsible parties capped the landfill and put in a gas collection system. Landfill gas, surface water and groundwater monitoring are ongoing. After cleanup, EPA took the site off the NPL in 2008. Michigan City owns the property. In May 2021, the locality opened a walking and biking trail extension. It uses the site’s eastern and southern haul roads for recreation. The trail extension is part of a master plan for the Trail Creek Corridor.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
For more information:
- Ready for Reuse: Waste, Inc., Landfill Property (PDF)
- Reuse Assessment: Waste, Inc., Landfill (2012) (PDF)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
WHITEFORD SALES & SERVICE INC./NATIONALEASE
The 11-acre Whiteford Sales & Service Inc./Nationalease Superfund site is in South Bend, Indiana. From 1967 to 1983, a truck washing and degreasing facility was on-site. Wastewater discharged into three dry wells on-site, contaminating soil and groundwater. In 1980, St. Joseph County purchased the site property for use in the planned realignment of an adjacent street and construction of an overpass. In 1983, the county used soil from the site for the new overpass. Engineers found the three dry wells and contaminated soil. The potentially responsible party removed the sludge and surrounding contaminated soil from the wells and disposed of it properly. In 1990, EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL). EPA determined that cleanup had removed all contamination. EPA took the site off the NPL in 1996. Today, a stormwater retention basin is on-site.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.
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