Superfund Sites in Reuse in Minnesota
If you are having trouble viewing the map in your browser, click the 'View larger map' link below
ADRIAN MUNICIPAL WELL FIELD
The Adrian Municipal Well Field Superfund site includes two municipal wells in Adrian, Minnesota. The state of Minnesota closed the contaminated wells and dug two new wells outside the area of contamination in 1984 and 1985. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. Investigations identified nine leaking underground storage tanks as potential contamination sources. In 1989, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency completed cleanup activities. EPA took the site off the NPL in 1992. The well field continues to provide water for the municipal water supply.
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:
ARROWHEAD REFINERY CO.
The 10-acre Arrowhead Refinery Co. Superfund site is in Hermantown, Minnesota. From 1961 to 1977, Arrowhead Refinery Company re-refined oil at a facility on the property. Workers disposed of waste in a wetland and a wastewater ditch. These practices resulted in soil and groundwater contamination. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. The potentially responsible parties worked with EPA and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency on the remedy. Cleanup included removal and proper disposal of sludge, filter cake and contaminated soil. It also included groundwater treatment. In 2010, EPA supported a reuse assessment to help the property owner and local government evaluate reuse opportunities for the site. EPA’s Superfund Redevelopment Program (SRP) provided support for more reuse planning activities, including an interagency working session in 2019. The session helped align regulatory permitting steps, redevelopment goals and site closeout activities. SRP compiled a reference tool that documented cleanup, reuse and institutional control considerations to support the interagency discussions. Parties signed environmental covenants in February 2021 to ensure safe use of the site. In 2021, EPA took the site off the NPL. The site is zoned for industrial and commercial uses. A warehouse is active on the southern part of the 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.
For more information:
BAYTOWN TOWNSHIP GROUND WATER PLUME
The Baytown Township Ground Water Plume Superfund site covers 7 square miles and impacts three aquifers in Washington County, Minnesota. It consists of a contaminated groundwater plume and its source area. From 1940 to 1968, a metalworking facility used the source-area property. Facility activities contaminated groundwater. In 1987, the Minnesota Department of Health found contamination in private wells. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1994. Cleanup activities, managed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, include well-water treatment and treatment of source-area groundwater. Land uses above the groundwater plume include farmland, homes, a commercial building, Lake Elmo Airport and developed areas of the city of Bayport. A convenience store, a meat market and a gas station are located on the source-area property.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 21 people and generated an estimated $910,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
BOISE CASCADE/ONAN CORP./MEDTRONICS, INC.
The 183-acre Boise Cascade/Onan Corp./Medtronics, Inc. Superfund site is in Fridley, Minnesota. From 1921 to 1961, a wood-treating facility was active on-site. In the early 1960s, Onan Corporation purchased 133 acres of the site property. Medtronic Corporation bought the remaining 50 acres to build commercial and industrial manufacturing facilities. In 1979, investigations found toxic chemicals from past wood-treating operations in soil and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. Cleanup included removal of contaminated soil and backfilling with clean soil, containment of remaining contaminated waste and soil, groundwater treatment, and collection and disposal of thousands of gallons of oil. Cleanup finished in 1992. Groundwater monitoring is ongoing. Medtronic Corporation built its office building and parking lot on the western part of the site. Cummins (formerly Onan Corporation) built an office building, manufacturing facility and parking lots on the eastern part of the site. EPA took the site off the NPL in 1995. In 1999, workers found contamination in soil on the Onan property during construction of the Murphy Warehouse Company facility. The potentially responsible parties removed drums and contaminated soil from the area and monitored groundwater for two years. In 2009, investigations by Cummins before building a new generator test cell facility identified soil contamination. Cummins cleaned up the soil and then built the facility. The Murphy Warehouse Company facility has a small, roof-mounted solar array that provides renewable energy for the company’s use. The 11-acre prairie habitat at the on-site business branch includes wildflowers that support pollinators. The area is home to birds, rabbits, deer and foxes. Other businesses on-site include a medical device manufacturer, an electrical equipment manufacturer and a distribution company.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 3 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 3,304 people and generated an estimated $1,164,039,206 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
- Reuse and the Benefit to Community: Boise Cascade/Onan Corp./Medtronics, Inc. (PDF)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
BURLINGTON NORTHERN (BRAINERD/BAXTER PLANT)
The 60-acre Burlington Northern (Brainerd/Baxter Plant) Superfund site is in the cities of Baxter and Brainerd, Minnesota. A rail line that runs east to west divides the site. Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) and previous site users treated rail ties at the site from 1907 to 1985. Wastewater from the wood-treating process went into unlined ponds. This created a sludge that contaminated soil and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup included removal of visibly contaminated soil and sludge, treatment and capping of remaining contaminated soil, and operation of an air injection system to treat groundwater. Soil treatment took place from 1987 to 1994. The air injection system continues to run. In 2014, BNSF, with EPA oversight, completed an evaluation of remaining soil and groundwater contamination. A focused feasibility study to update the remedy and better address current site conditions is ongoing. The rail line remains active 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.
For more information:
EAST BETHEL DEMOLITION LANDFILL
The 60-acre East Bethel Demolition Landfill Superfund site is in East Bethel Township, Minnesota. The landfill covers 27 acres. It accepted demolition debris and other hazardous industrial wastes in the 1970s. In 1981, Anoka County found high levels of contaminants and dissolved metals in the groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. Cleanup actions, managed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA’s) Closed Landfill Program, included groundwater extraction and treatment, a new landfill cap, and active gas venting. EPA took the site off the NPL in 1996. MPCA maintains the site and the plant diversity on the landfill cap. MPCA also planted native grasses on part of the area to enhance wildlife habitat for sandhill cranes. Much of the site is part of the Sandhill Crane Natural Area.
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:
FREEWAY SANITARY LANDFILL
The 150-acre Freeway Sanitary Landfill Superfund site is in Burnsville, Minnesota. The landfill accepted wastes from 1969 to 1990. The wastes included battery casings and aluminum furnace slag. Water passing through the landfill collected contaminants that entered groundwater. Landfill gases are also a concern at the site. In 1984, hazardous chemicals were found in on-site monitoring wells. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA’s) Closed Landfill Program is addressing cleanup. In October 2019, MPCA prepared a Focused Remedial Investigation Report for the area. The report describes the contamination and its risks to human health and the environment. MPCA is now considering options for cleanup. They include building a new landfill on-site for the waste and taking the waste to an off-site landfill for disposal. A commercial waste processing, recycling and hauling facility is in continued use on-site.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 5 people and generated an estimated $6,866,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
FRIDLEY COMMONS PARK WELL FIELD
The 50-acre Fridley Commons Park Well Field Superfund site is in Fridley, Minnesota. It consists of an active well field with eight public wells owned by the city of Fridley. In 1981, the city found contamination in groundwater samples from municipal wells but could not determine the source of the contamination. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1999. Cleanup activities included monitoring groundwater contamination and decommissioning the ninth well, which had the highest level of contamination. Contaminant levels have improved over the years. The ninth well is back in use. In addition to the active well field, Fridley Commons Park is on site. It features three baseball fields, tennis courts, a sledding hill, an open field, a playground, a warming house and parking. Fridley Middle School is also partially on-site. A football field, a soccer field and a track are at the middle school. EPA took the site off the NPL in 2020, after contaminant levels met cleanup goals. The city continues to monitor wells for contaminants to ensure the water remains safe for the community for potable and non-potable uses.
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:
GENERAL MILLS/HENKEL CORP.
The 7-acre General Mills/Henkel Corp. Superfund site is in Minneapolis, Minnesota. General Mills used the area as a food research facility starting in 1930. From 1947 to 1977, it also used the site for chemical research. Waste disposal operations from 1947 to 1962 contaminated soil and groundwater with hazardous chemicals. In 1984, EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL). General Mills, the site’s potentially responsible party, led groundwater treatment and other cleanup activities. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) was the lead agency and oversaw cleanup activities. Vapor intrusion monitoring and prevention at the site and in the surrounding neighborhood are ongoing. A private investment group purchased the site property in 1989. It turned the area into a business incubator to support the startup and growth of local small businesses. In 2012, a real estate company purchased the site. In 2015, EPA recognized MCPA with its State Excellence in Supporting Reuse award. Today, several commercial and industrial small businesses are active on-site.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 23 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 115 people and generated an estimated $9,815,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
JOSLYN MANUFACTURING & SUPPLY CO.
The 30-acre Joslyn Manufacturing & Supply Co. Superfund site is in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. From the 1920s to 1980, several companies ran a wood-treating facility on-site. They put wastes in waste disposal ponds, buried sludge on-site and spilled wood-treating solutions on the ground. These practices contaminated soil and groundwater with organic compounds. Facility activities ended in 1980. EPA led an initial assessment in 1982. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) and started a remedial investigation in 1984. Cleanup with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) oversight took place from 1985 to 1997. Activities included removal, treatment and disposal of contaminated soil for most of the site. More soil cleanup activities for the West Area of the site, selected in 2018, include removal of contaminated soil for off-site disposal as well as some on-site consolidation and capping of the material. Cleanup also includes ongoing groundwater treatment and institutional controls. EPA took parts of the site off the NPL in 2000 and 2002. Cleanup of groundwater and soil in the West Area part of the site started in September 2022. EPA, state agencies and Real Estate Recycling (RER), a company specializing in redevelopment of once-contaminated lands, worked together to support reuse outcomes at the site. RER purchased the property, continued cleanup and developed Twin Lakes Business Park on-site. The project has resulted in the beneficial use of valuable property in the heart of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. It has also helped encourage development nearby. Today, the business park provides 421,000 square feet of commercial and industrial space for a variety of tenants.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 3 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 318 people and generated an estimated $262,065,091 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
- Superfund Site Profile Page
- Beneficial Effects Economic Case Study: Joslyn Manufacturing & Supply Co.
KOCH REFINING CO./N-REN CORP.
The Koch Refining Co./N-Ren Corp. Superfund site is in Rosemount, Minnesota. An oil refinery is active on-site. The 1,200-acre area includes the refinery and a neighboring property. Operations began in 1955. The refinery receives crude oil by pipeline and barge. It then refines the crude oil into gasoline, jet fuel, heating oil, kerosene, diesel fuel, boiler fuel, asphalt, petroleum coke, sulfur, carbon dioxide, butane and propane. Since the early 1970s, spills in the storage tank area have occurred. Investigations found refinery operations contaminated groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. Cleanup took place from 1988 to 2004. It included installation of recovery wells, groundwater gradient control and soil gas extraction. Further studies classified the area as a petroleum release site, so EPA transferred site responsibilities to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. EPA took the area off the NPL in 1995. At that time, the site became a state-lead site under EPA’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act program and Underground Storage Tank program. Groundwater monitoring is ongoing. Owners renamed the business; the oil refinery continues to operate on-site. An active industrial rail yard also remains on-site.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 1,200 people and generated an estimated $1,250,000,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
KOPPERS COKE
The 38-acre Koppers Coke Superfund site is in Saint Paul, Minnesota. From 1917 to 1979, the Koppers Company produced foundry coke and various byproducts such as coal tars and coal tar distillates. Storage and disposal practices, as well as various leaks and spills, resulted in the contamination of soil and groundwater. After a 1978 site investigation identified primary source areas, Koppers Industries, Inc. and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) demolished the facility and removed 20 tanks and over 20,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. At the beginning of cleanup, the Saint Paul Port Authority was developing nearby properties as part of a mixed-use industrial development. The Port Authority saw reuse potential at the site property and acquired it in 1982. With funding from local and state agencies, and oversight from MPCA, the Port Authority cleaned up the site by removing contaminated soil, capping contaminant sources and treating groundwater through bioremediation. Cleanup finished in 1998. Groundwater monitoring is ongoing. The site’s location next to major ongoing industrial and commercial development and transportation infrastructure spurred the Saint Paul Port Authority to position it for redevelopment. In 1980, the Authority redeveloped the site as part of a 218-acre high-tech industrial park called Energy Park. It includes light industrial manufacturing facilities, commercial and office space, and charter schools. A residential area provides more than 780 affordable housing options. Several state government facilities are also on-site.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 12 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 374 people and generated an estimated $257,024,924 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
KURT MANUFACTURING CO.
The 10-acre Kurt Manufacturing Co. Superfund site is in Fridley, Minnesota. Since 1960, Kurt Manufacturing has made machining and metal components on-site. Operators spilled industrial solvents into a drainage pit beneath the company’s metal shavings bin storage. This spill contaminated soil and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. Investigations are ongoing. Kurt Manufacturing continues to operate its precision machining and metal fabrication facility on-site. The company’s die-casting division is also on-site. It provides die-casting solutions for the aerospace industry.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 175 people and generated an estimated $45,558,333 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
LAGRAND SANITARY LANDFILL
The 80-acre LaGrand Sanitary Landfill Superfund site is in LaGrand Township, Minnesota. The landfill covers 5.2 acres. From 1974 to 1984, the landfill accepted municipal and industrial waste. Landfill wastes contaminated groundwater below the landfill. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) addressed the area through the state’s Closed Landfill Program. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1987. Cleanup began in 1992. It included groundwater monitoring, landfill gas venting and landfill cover maintenance. EPA took the site off the NPL in 1997. In 2006, MPCA put in a new landfill cap and gas vents. In 2008, MPCA transferred 3 acres of the site to Runestone Electric for reuse as an electric substation. In 2009, MPCA granted an easement to Great River Energy, an electrical company serving Minnesota and Wisconsin, for electrical power transmission lines to cross part of the site. EPA designated the area as sitewide ready for anticipated use (SWRAU) in 2012. In 2013, MPCA developed a Closed Landfill Use Plan for the site and shared it with Douglas County. The plan covers the area’s status as a closed landfill and potential future use as a solar farm.
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:
LEHILLIER/MANKATO
The 198-acre LeHillier/Mankato Superfund site is in Blue Earth County, Minnesota. The northern part of the site is in the city of Mankato. The southern part of the site is in the unincorporated community of LeHillier. From 1925 to 1960, uncontrolled dumping of hazardous wastes occurred in the LeHillier area. In the early 1980s, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency sampled wells and found volatile organic compound contamination in groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup included groundwater extraction and treatment from 1989 to 1997. It also included proper abandonment of 83 private wells and institutional controls to restrict groundwater use. Operation and maintenance activities are ongoing. A public park is in use in the LeHillier area. It includes soccer fields, pavilions, a campground, a boat landing and three municipal wells. The wells provide about 80% of Mankato’s public water supplies. Other uses on-site include commercial and industrial businesses, homes and a fire station.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 12 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 233 people and generated an estimated $49,653,477 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
LONG PRAIRIE GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION
The Long Prairie Ground Water Contamination Superfund site is in Long Prairie, Minnesota. It consists of a 7,000-square-foot source area and a half-mile-long groundwater plume. A dry-cleaning business was in the source area from 1978 to 1984. Improper waste disposal of a dry-cleaning solvent contaminated soil and groundwater. In 1983, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) found the contamination during an analysis of local water supplies. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. MPCA leads the cleanup under a cooperative multi-site agreement with EPA. About 350 homes affected by the groundwater contamination connected to the public water supply. Cleanup includes soil treatment using soil vapor extraction. It also includes groundwater extraction and treatment using a granular activated carbon system and an air stripper. Cleanup is ongoing. Institutional controls in place limit exposure to contaminated soil and groundwater and protect the remedy.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 3 people and generated an estimated $142,910 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
MACGILLIS & GIBBS CO./BELL LUMBER & POLE CO.
The 68-acre MacGillis & Gibbs Co./Bell Lumber & Pole Co. Superfund site consists of two adjoining properties in New Brighton, Minnesota. Wood-preserving facilities operated on both properties through most of the 20th century. In 1979, an investigation found there was significant contamination of soil and groundwater at the site following a spill of around 5,000 gallons of harmful chemicals. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. Cleanup included stabilization and removal of contaminated soil, biotreatment of contaminated soil, capping of heavily contaminated soils, and groundwater pumping and treatment. Most cleanup activities finished by 2002. For more than two decades, the city of New Brighton (the City) laid the groundwork necessary for the redevelopment of the 25-acre MacGillis & Gibbs property. This effort was part of the City’s plan to revitalize a historic road that was once a main route through the Twin Cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. In 1997, the City, along with state and federal agencies, successfully negotiated a Prospective Purchaser Agreement (PPA) to resolve the City’s liability concerns before its acquisition of the property. A PPA encourages the reuse of Superfund site properties by addressing purchaser and lessee liability concerns. The successful cleanup made possible the development of the 32-acre New Brighton Corporate Park III. Today, the redevelopment project includes manufacturing and distribution businesses, as well as over 70,000 square feet of commercial office space, shops and restaurants, legal and medical services, a post office, and an adjacent 120-unit condominium development.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 11 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 744 people and generated an estimated $154,974,280 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
- Superfund Site Profile Page
- Site Redevelopment Profile: MacGillis & Gibbs Co./Bell Lumber & Pole Co. (PDF)
- Cleanup and Mixed-Use Revitalization in the Twin Cities: The MacGillis & Gibbs Superfund Site Property (PDF)
- MacGillis and Gibbs: A Shining Future for the City of New Brighton
MORRIS ARSENIC DUMP
The Morris Arsenic Dump Superfund site is in Morris, Minnesota. In the early 1940s, Stevens County buried surplus arsenic-based pesticides in a gravel pit on-site. The Minnesota Department of Transportation built a highway through the gravel pit in 1978. After inconclusive groundwater and soil testing, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency requested assistance from EPA. EPA found traces of arsenic in groundwater samples. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. More testing could not determine whether the arsenic in groundwater came from buried pesticides or from arsenic found naturally in the region. Because arsenic concentrations fell within the natural arsenic range for the area, EPA determined that the site did not require cleanup. The levels of arsenic attributable to the site do not pose a health hazard to the public. EPA took the site off the NPL in 1986. Part of U.S. Highway 59 remains in use at the 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.
For more information:
NL INDUSTRIES/TARACORP/GOLDEN AUTO
The NL Industries/Taracorp/Golden Auto Superfund site is in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. A secondary smelter was on-site from 1940 to 1982. It recovered lead from lead plates, battery fragments and lead containers. Waste disposal activities at the smelter and the metal-refining business resulted in high lead levels in the air, soil and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup involved removing contaminated soil, refilling and revegetating the area, cleaning and demolishing buildings, and putting a protective asphalt cover in place. EPA took the area off the NPL in 1998. Long-term groundwater monitoring is ongoing. Today, the Highway 7 Corporate Center is on-site. It includes commercial and industrial spaces used for retail, offices and warehousing. There are four commercial tenants in the office building. Parking, roadway and vegetated areas are also on-site.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 6 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 153 people and generated an estimated $22,088,778 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
NUTTING TRUCK & CASTER CO.
The 8.6-acre Nutting Truck & Caster Co. Superfund site is in Faribault, Minnesota. From 1891 to 1984, the Nutting Truck & Caster Company made and distributed casters, wheels, hand trucks and towline trucks at the site. From 1959 to 1979, the company operated a foundry waste disposal area on-site, using a seepage pit for disposal of waste and sludges. These activities contaminated surface soil. In 1980, the company removed waste materials and contaminated soil from the pit. The company then backfilled and paved the area. In 1984, the company ended its operations. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. EPA delegated authority to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to oversee the cleanup. Follow-on investigations found groundwater contamination resulting from former disposal practices. Cleanup activities included groundwater extraction and treatment. The system operated until 2004. Prairie Avenue Leasing Ltd. owns the site property. It leases it out for commercial and light industrial uses. A cell tower is also on-site. Groundwater monitoring is complete. EPA took the site off the NPL in 2017.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 15 people and generated an estimated $2,220,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
OAKDALE DUMP
The Oakdale Dump Superfund site is in Oakdale, Minnesota. It includes three properties – the 55-acre Abresch property, the 5-acre Brockman property and the 2-acre Eberle property. In the 1940s and 1950s, industrial and non-industrial waste dumping and burning took place on-site. In 1980, a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) investigation found contamination in soils at the properties. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup, led by the MPCA, included the removal of contaminated soil and waste, treatment of soil, and collection and off-site treatment of contaminated water. The site includes wooded areas, wetlands, ponds and a creek. Part of the Brockman property is in commercial reuse. The Eberle property is now a city park. Groundwater treatment is ongoing at the Abresch property. Groundwater monitoring is ongoing across the 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.
For more information:
OLMSTED COUNTY SANITARY LANDFILL
The Olmsted County Sanitary Landfill Superfund site is in Oronoco, Minnesota. The city of Rochester owned and ran a 50-acre landfill on-site starting in 1972. Olmstead County (the county) purchased the property in 1984. The landfill accepted various industrial wastes including electroplating sludge, asbestos, transformers, paint and solvents. Leaks from the landfill contaminated groundwater. In 1983, samples from monitoring wells found volatile organic compounds in groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. The county led investigations from 1989 to 1993 with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) oversight. In 1994, the county capped the landfill and put in a leachate collection system. MPCA’s Closed Landfill Program addressed site risks. EPA took the area off the NPL in 1995. A local model aeronautics club hosts a flying field for model airplanes 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.
For more information:
PERHAM ARSENIC SITE
The Perham Arsenic Superfund site is in Perham, Minnesota. From the 1930s to 1947, manufacturers on-site made an arsenic pesticide to control grasshoppers. Disposal practices contaminated groundwater and soil. In 1971, Hammers Construction Company purchased the site property to build offices and a warehouse. It put in a groundwater well to provide water to the facility. Eleven employees suffered from arsenic poisoning after drinking the contaminated groundwater. In response, the city of Perham extended the public water supply to the facility and capped the well. Cleanup included capping an arsenic burial pit and putting in a groundwater treatment system. The city supplied water to a nearby school and home. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Land use controls protect human health and safety. Continued uses on-site include the offices of Hammers Construction Company as well as the East Otter Tail County Fairground. Hammers Rental Properties owns the eastern part of the site property. Knuttila Financial Services owns the western part of the property. A home mortgage, title company and CrossFit gym are also on-site. Long-term monitoring and groundwater recovery and treatment are ongoing.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 4 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 8 people and generated an estimated $1,577,380 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
PINE BEND SANITARY LANDFILL
The 255-acre Pine Bend Sanitary Landfill Superfund site is in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. It includes the largest landfill in Minnesota. It opened in 1971. Investigations in 1982 and 1983 found groundwater contamination at the site and in several private wells. This contamination resulted from leachate migrating from the landfill. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. The potentially responsible party (PRP) connected all homes to the public water supply and permanently sealed and abandoned private wells. The PRP also put in a cover, a landfill gas collection system, and a surface water and leachate collection system. EPA took the site off the NPL in 1998. Today, a natural gas plant is on-site. It treats biogas collected from the landfill. The biogas goes into the pipeline and can be pulled out for use at fueling stations. The plant is the first renewable natural gas facility in Minnesota. The landfill also remains open. It continues to operate as a municipal solid waste facility in accordance with permit requirements.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 5 people and generated an estimated $1,688,750 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
REILLY TAR & CHEMICAL CORP. (ST. LOUIS PARK PLANT)
The 80-acre Reilly Tar & Chemical Corp. (St. Louis Park Plant) Superfund site is in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. From 1917 to 1982, Republic Creosoting Company, a subsidiary of Reilly Tar & Chemical Corp. (then Reilly Industries) ran a coal tar distillation and wood preserving plant on-site. Its operations contaminated soil and groundwater with creosote and creosote wastes. Contamination affected private wells and municipal groundwater sources. In 1972, the facility was taken apart and sold to the city of St. Louis Park. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. EPA, the state, the city of St. Louis Park and the potentially responsible party (PRP) led cleanup activities from 1984 to 1995. Cleanup included filling the affected wetland with topsoil and putting in on-site storage wells, groundwater extraction and treatment systems, and treatment systems for affected city drinking water wells. In 2002, the city redeveloped part of the site into Louisiana Oaks Park. It includes walking trails, a playground, athletic fields and an events pavilion. Redevelopment also includes condominium and apartment complexes, a commercial building and road improvements. Other road projects include a major improvement to Highway 7. The city of St. Louis Park runs and maintains the site’s groundwater pumping and treatment systems. It also monitors groundwater quality at the site.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 10 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 103 people and generated an estimated $11,018,190 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
SOUTH ANDOVER SITE
The 50-acre South Andover Site Superfund site is in Andover, Minnesota. From 1954 to 1981, waste disposal and salvage facilities were on-site. Storage, disposal and incineration of ink, ink and paint sludge, adhesives, chlorinated and non-chlorinated solvents, and other wastes took place across the site. Spills and waste disposal practices resulted in the contamination of soils and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup included removal and treatment or off-site disposal of contaminated soils. The potentially responsible parties completed cleanup activities in 1994. Institutional controls restrict groundwater use. Groundwater monitoring is ongoing. In 1996 and 1997, the city of Andover bought the site property and led redevelopment efforts. In 1998, EPA took site soils off the NPL. It found that no contaminated soil was left on-site that posed a human health or environmental risk. Today, residential and commercial areas, including a department store, a grocery store, a chain drug store and a small mall, extend from the site onto neighboring properties. Most of this area is known as Andover Station. The pedestrian-oriented development fosters a more walkable and livable community, attracts shoppers and boosts the local tax base.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 15 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 389 people and generated an estimated $72,642,087 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS RESIDENTIAL SOIL CONTAMINATION
The 1,480-acre South Minneapolis Residential Soil Contamination Superfund site is in Minneapolis, Minnesota. From 1938 to 1963, Reade Manufacturing leased the CMC Heartland Site Yard property and ran an arsenic-based pesticide manufacturing facility at the property. During manufacturing, toxic arsenic became airborne. It contaminated soils in surrounding neighborhoods. From 1963 to 1968, U.S. Borax subleased the property from Reade Manufacturing. It made, shipped and stored borate-based herbicides. U.S. Borax’s operations disturbed and dispersed arsenic contamination still present from Reade Manufacturing’s operations. In January 1968, a storage tank containing liquid sodium arsenite burst, releasing about 3,000 gallons of liquid sodium arsenite onto an area of about 1,000 square meters. The area was then covered with sand. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2007. Cleanup included the excavation of contaminated soil and restoration of more than 600 properties. EPA took parts of the site off the NPL in 2019 and 2021, after cleanup finished. Regular reviews of the remedy, including institutional controls, are ongoing. A commercial and light industrial facility are active on-site. Medical and healthcare businesses are also on-site. Other businesses and homes in the area remain in use.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 3 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 117 people and generated an estimated $30,492,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
SOUTHEAST HENNEPIN AREA GROUNDWATER AND VAPOR
The Southeast Hennepin Area Groundwater and Vapor Superfund site is in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It consists of a groundwater plume that is contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from several known and unknown sources. The area contains commercial and industrial businesses that started running in the 1930s. Former and current operations include foundry and outdoor motor manufacturing, metal finishing and dry-cleaning operations that may have used VOCs. A gravel pit also ran in the northern part of the site where possible disposal occurred until about 1977. The site was identified based on sampling at the General Mills/Henkel Corp. (GMH) site, which is adjacent to the site. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has managed site contamination for several years under a variety of state programs. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2022. Site investigations are ongoing. Site uses include homes, commercial and industrial businesses, and churches.
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:
ST. LOUIS RIVER SITE
The 755-acre St. Louis River Superfund site consists of two state Superfund sites: the St. Louis River/Interlake/Duluth Tar (SLRIDT) site and the U.S. Steel site. The sites are near Duluth, Minnesota. Industrial operations at the SLRIDT site started as early as the 1890s, with iron companies active on-site since 1904. Until 1948, tar and chemical companies made substances from iron production byproducts at the SLRIDT site. U.S. Steel ran manufacturing facilities from 1915 to 1979. Past operations and improper waste disposal practices at both sites contaminated soils, sediments, groundwater and the St. Louis River. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984 and gave management authority to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). Cleanup activities at the SLRIDT site included tar and soil removal and dredging and capping of contaminated river sediments. In 2017, MPCA clarified the site boundary to assist with further reuse efforts. MPCA also reconstructed wetland habitats to help fish productivity and health. Duluth city government supported the development of a light industrial park on and around the SLRIDT site. The facility includes light manufacturing, transportation, storage and commercial businesses. Other parts of the SLRIDT site remain undeveloped. Cleanup activities at the U.S. Steel site include building demolition and removal and solidification of large volumes of tar and contaminated soil. EPA, U.S. Steel and MPCA are working on a Great Lakes Legacy Act sediment cleanup and beneficial use improvement for Spirit Lake, a section of the St. Louis River next to the site. The project includes developing a recreational park, bike path and kayak launch, and is expected to be complete in calendar year 2024 or early 2025.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 10 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 143 people and generated an estimated $25,450,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
- Reuse Fact Sheet: St. Louis River/Interlake/Duluth Tar (SLRIDT) portion of the St. Louis River Superfund Site (PDF)
- Reuse Assessment: St. Louis River/Interlake/Duluth Tar Site (2017) (PDF)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
ST. REGIS PAPER CO.
The 163-acre St. Regis Paper Co. Superfund site is on the Leech Lake Band of the Ojibwe Indian Reservation in Cass Lake, Minnesota. The paper company ran a wood-treating facility on-site from the 1950s to the 1980s. Operations contaminated soil, sediments, and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. International Paper (IP) and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF) own most of the site property. The potentially responsible parties (IP and BNSF) are investigating and cleaning up the site with EPA, state and Tribal oversight. Soil cleanup includes replacing contaminated soil with clean fill and vegetation at residential properties and cleaning contaminated indoor dust from homes. A remedy decision for non-residential soils is pending. Groundwater cleanup includes pumping and treating contaminated water. Cleanup is ongoing with additional groundwater investigation over the next few years. Current site uses include residential, commercial, public-service and industrial areas. An active rail line crosses part of the site.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed one person and generated an estimated $113,400 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
UNION SCRAP IRON & METAL CO.
The 10,000-square-foot Union Scrap Iron & Metal Co. Superfund site is in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Union Scrap Iron & Metal Company ran a battery recycling facility on-site from the early 1970s to 1983. Operations and disposal practices contaminated infrastructure, wastes and soil. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. From 1987 to 1989, EPA removed wastes, battery debris and contaminated soil from the site. EPA replaced dug-up areas with clean fill. EPA also decontaminated and demolished site buildings and removed contaminated material from sewer lines. After cleanup, EPA took the area off the NPL in 1991. Today, the site is part of North Washington Industrial Park. A gas station and convenience store with a car wash are on-site.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 7 people and generated an estimated $189,950 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information:
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA (ROSEMOUNT RESEARCH CENTER)
The 5-square-mile University of Minnesota (Rosemount Research Center) Superfund site is in Rosemount, Minnesota. An agricultural research station is on site. A former burn pit run by the University of Minnesota resulted in groundwater contamination. Three university tenants – George’s Used Equipment, Porter Electric and Machine Company, and U.S. Transformed – put wastes in three areas, resulting in soil contamination. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. Cleanup included groundwater treatment, soil treatment and disposal, and extension of a community water supply line. After cleanup, EPA took the site off the NPL in 2001. Today, a University of Minnesota research center is on-site. The site is also part of a larger area known as UMore Park East. Land uses in UMore Park East include agricultural areas and university operations. Construction of a 435-acre residential area in the northern section of UMore Park East is underway.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. EPA did not have further economic details related to this business. For additional information click here.
For more information:
WAITE PARK WELLS
The 200-acre Waite Park Wells Superfund site is in the city of Waite Park and the city of St. Cloud, Minnesota. It includes two main areas – the Electric Machinery area and the Burlington Northern Car Shop area. Past land uses include a gas turbine and electric generator manufacturing facility and a railcar maintenance facility. Facility operations and waste disposal practices resulted in soil and groundwater contamination. In 1986, EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL). The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency led the cleanup. Activities included construction of a treatment facility for the city of Waite Park’s municipal drinking water and ongoing monitoring of drinking water quality. Cleanup at the Electric Machinery area included groundwater extraction and treatment, soil excavation, soil vapor removal, and groundwater monitoring. Cleanup at the Burlington Northern Car Shop area included removal of lagoon and sandblast wastes, construction of an on-site containment facility and groundwater monitoring. The original water treatment plant was replaced with a new and improved facility in 2002. After cleanup, Burlington Northern transferred ownership of 126 acres of the site to the city of Waite Park. Today, site uses include recreation and educational areas such as River’s Edge Park. The park has six baseball fields, a hockey rink, pickleball courts, a splash pad and a playground. The Lake Wobegon Trail also runs next to the site. Funded by a Statewide Health Improvement Partnership grant, construction of the Harold P. Nelson Healthy Living Trail finished in 2011. On the southern edge of the site, the St. Cloud Area Rail Legacy Museum hosts restored railcars that showcase historical industrial operations in Waite Park. Redevelopment on another part of the site includes West River Business Park, which hosts nearly 40 commercial and industrial uses, ranging from medical centers and restaurants to manufacturing plants. A foundry and parts casting business remains active in the former Electric Machinery building.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 29 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 805 people and generated an estimated $152,656,065 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 Waite Park Wells Superfund Site - Operable Unit 2 (PDF)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
WASHINGTON COUNTY LANDFILL
The 25-acre Washington County Landfill Superfund site is in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. The landfill accepted residential, commercial, industrial and demolition wastes from 1969 to 1975. Waste at the unlined landfill contaminated soil and surrounding groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) cleaned up the area under its Closed Landfill Program. Early cleanup actions included groundwater extraction and treatment and provision of safe drinking water to affected homes. From 2010 to 2012, MPCA dug up all landfill waste and placed it in a new triple-lined landfill on-site. The new landfill has leachate and gas control systems. MPCA maintains the landfill. In a 2014 Closed Landfill Use Plan, MPCA identified several potential uses for the cleaned-up site. In 2015, MPCA built a solar energy system on the landfill. It helps power the landfill’s leachate and gas control systems. A fire station is also on the northwest part of the site.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 4 people. For additional information click here.
For more information:
WHITTAKER CORP.
The 7.5-acre Whittaker Corp. Superfund site is in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Beginning in the 1940s, several industrial and manufacturing companies were active on-site. During World War II, a packaging facility for war materials, including antifreeze and oil for the military, was on-site. In the 1950s, operations expanded to include industrial coatings production and steel distribution. Operators stored chemicals in aboveground and underground tanks on-site. Industrial processes generated a variety of wastes. Site operations and waste handling practices resulted in soil and groundwater contamination. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. EPA, the state and the potentially responsible parties took precautionary measures during the cleanup to make sure on-site businesses could remain open. Cleanup included removal of soils, drums and tanks as well as groundwater extraction. After groundwater contaminants met cleanup goals, EPA took the site off the NPL in 1999. Today, commercial and industrial businesses remain active on-site.
Last updated September 2024
As of December 2023, EPA had data on 9 on-site businesses. These businesses employed 56 people and generated an estimated $3,159,290 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.
For more information: