Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack On the Confirmation of Dr. Basil Gooden as USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27, 2024 – Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack offered the following statement upon the Senate’s confirmation of Dr. Basil Gooden as U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Rural Development.
Biden-Harris Administration Announces $74 Million WIFIA Loan to Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency in Santa Cruz
SAN FRANCISCO – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced two Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans totaling $74 million to the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency in Santa Cruz County, California. EPA’s loan will support alternative water supply projects to reduce the demand for groundwater.
“Investing in local water infrastructure is one of the best bets a community can make to secure a climate resilient future,” said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Office of Water Bruno Pigott. “Santa Cruz will see firsthand the benefits of EPA’s work to invest in America while creating 500-plus jobs and saving millions of dollars for the community.
In drought-stricken regions, water utilities look for ways to ensure water supplies are resilient. The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency’s Water Sustainability Projects are improving system resilience by investing this WIFIA loan into projects that will provide alternative surface water supplies and reduce demand on the existing groundwater supply by nearly 25% by 2040. They will achieve this by modifying a naturally occurring lake to create a new seasonal surface water source that will be treated and distributed to customers to offset groundwater demand during the summer months and upgrade the existing filter plant and construct a pump station, recharge basin, and associated pipeline. This project will divert water from nearby shallow lake systems, called sloughs, through recharge basins into shallow aquifers. The recharged water will be provided to agricultural customers for irrigation purposes.
“The closing of these two WIFIA loans provides PV Water with the funding necessary to complete the College Lake Project and partially fund the Watsonville Slough System Project, two important water supply projects that will help PV Water achieve sustainable groundwater resources,” said Pajaro Valley Water Board Chair, Amy Newell.
Since its creation, EPA’s WIFIA program has announced nearly $20 billion in financing to support over $43 billion in water infrastructure projects that are strengthening drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure while creating over 140,000 jobs.
The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency is utilizing the financial flexibilities available with WIFIA loans to help keep rates affordable. By financing its projects with WIFIA loans, they will save $24 million and create over 500 jobs.
Learn more about EPA’s WIFIA Program and water infrastructure investments under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Background
Established by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, the WIFIA program is a federal loan program administered by EPA. The WIFIA program aims to accelerate investment in the nation’s water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance for regionally and nationally significant projects. The WIFIA program has an active pipeline of pending applications for projects that will result in billions of dollars in water infrastructure investment and thousands of jobs.EPA made the seventh round of WIFIA financing available and is currently accepting letters of interest for WIFIA and SWIFIA loans. $6.5 billion is available through WIFIA, and $1 billion is available through SWIFIA, which is a loan program exclusively for State infrastructure financing authority borrowers. EPA is currently accepting letters of interest for WIFIA and SWIFIA loans. Learn more about submitting a letter of interest for a WIFIA loan.In addition to WIFIA loans, there are many federal funding resources available for communities and utilities to improve vital water and wastewater resources. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides a historic $50 billion investment in upgrading critical water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure.
Learn about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
“Investing in local water infrastructure is one of the best bets a community can make to secure a climate resilient future,” said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Office of Water Bruno Pigott. “Santa Cruz will see firsthand the benefits of EPA’s work to invest in America while creating 500-plus jobs and saving millions of dollars for the community.
In drought-stricken regions, water utilities look for ways to ensure water supplies are resilient. The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency’s Water Sustainability Projects are improving system resilience by investing this WIFIA loan into projects that will provide alternative surface water supplies and reduce demand on the existing groundwater supply by nearly 25% by 2040. They will achieve this by modifying a naturally occurring lake to create a new seasonal surface water source that will be treated and distributed to customers to offset groundwater demand during the summer months and upgrade the existing filter plant and construct a pump station, recharge basin, and associated pipeline. This project will divert water from nearby shallow lake systems, called sloughs, through recharge basins into shallow aquifers. The recharged water will be provided to agricultural customers for irrigation purposes.
“The closing of these two WIFIA loans provides PV Water with the funding necessary to complete the College Lake Project and partially fund the Watsonville Slough System Project, two important water supply projects that will help PV Water achieve sustainable groundwater resources,” said Pajaro Valley Water Board Chair, Amy Newell.
Since its creation, EPA’s WIFIA program has announced nearly $20 billion in financing to support over $43 billion in water infrastructure projects that are strengthening drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure while creating over 140,000 jobs.
The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency is utilizing the financial flexibilities available with WIFIA loans to help keep rates affordable. By financing its projects with WIFIA loans, they will save $24 million and create over 500 jobs.
Learn more about EPA’s WIFIA Program and water infrastructure investments under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Background
Established by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, the WIFIA program is a federal loan program administered by EPA. The WIFIA program aims to accelerate investment in the nation’s water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance for regionally and nationally significant projects. The WIFIA program has an active pipeline of pending applications for projects that will result in billions of dollars in water infrastructure investment and thousands of jobs.EPA made the seventh round of WIFIA financing available and is currently accepting letters of interest for WIFIA and SWIFIA loans. $6.5 billion is available through WIFIA, and $1 billion is available through SWIFIA, which is a loan program exclusively for State infrastructure financing authority borrowers. EPA is currently accepting letters of interest for WIFIA and SWIFIA loans. Learn more about submitting a letter of interest for a WIFIA loan.In addition to WIFIA loans, there are many federal funding resources available for communities and utilities to improve vital water and wastewater resources. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides a historic $50 billion investment in upgrading critical water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure.
Learn about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
EPA Announces New Cleanup Projects in Kansas as Part of Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda
LENEXA, KAN. (FEB. 27, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a third and final wave of over $1 billion for cleanup projects at more than 100 Superfund sites across the country, as part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda.
This funding is made possible by the president’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will launch new cleanup projects at 25 Superfund sites, including the Cherokee County Superfund Site in Kansas.
“This historic investment into our communities from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will provide additional funding for the cleanup project at the Cherokee County Superfund Site in southeast Kansas,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. “Historic mine waste in the area has contaminated residential and non-residential areas. Cleaning up this site is essential to protecting the health of our communities and the environment.”
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds have been and continue to be important building blocks to improving the health and quality of drinking water for all Kansans,” said Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Janet Stanek. “The investment in the cleanup at Kansas sites is crucial to improving a sustainable water infrastructure across the state.”
Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding announced today, the Cherokee County Superfund Site will have additional funding to continue cleanup projects. The site is a part of the larger, regional mining area known as the Tri-State Mining District. Years of widespread lead and zinc mining have created mine tailings covering over 4,000 acres. The mine tailings have contaminated residential and non-residential soils, surface water, sediment, and groundwater with lead, zinc, and cadmium. Site work is designated to nine operable units with varying work statuses.
In addition to the Cherokee County site and 25 new cleanups announced, today’s investment supports continued construction at a number of other Superfund sites across Kansas:
In Wichita, at the 57th and North Broadway Streets Superfund Site, EPA is moving toward the remedial action phase and will install a groundwater extraction/treatment system to treat a contaminated groundwater plume.
In Caney, at the Caney Residential Yards Superfund Site, remedial project managers are currently working with community members to gain access to residential properties to facilitate sampling for lead in residential soils and, if a property qualifies, commence with residential property remediation.
In Great Bend, at the Plating Inc. Superfund Site, work recently began to address a 2-mile-long groundwater plume that was contaminated with hexavalent chromium. The source of the contaminant plume was from leaking in-ground plating baths and an outside air vent that discharged chrome particulates onto the ground.
Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining, and present risks to human health and the well-being of local communities in urban, suburban, and rural areas.
“After three rounds of investments, EPA is delivering on President Biden’s full promise to invest in cleaning up America’s most contaminated Superfund sites,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “This final round of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has made it possible for EPA to initiate clean ups at every single Superfund site where construction work is ready to begin. This is an incredible milestone in our efforts to clean up and protect communities, deliver local jobs, enhance economic activity, and improve people’s lives for years to come.”
Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the president’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed over $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. Thanks to President Biden’s commitment to addressing legacy pollution and improving public health, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years, while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
EPA is committed to continue carrying out this work, advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within 3 miles of a Superfund site. These investments are restoring the health and economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, over 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns, based on data from EPA’s EJScreen.
The historic investment made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law strengthens every part of the Superfund Program, making a dramatic difference in EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment. In addition to funding cleanup construction work, this investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate the essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and to ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2023, EPA continued to fund Superfund pre-construction activities, such as remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement at double pre-Bipartisan Infrastructure Law levels.
In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERLCA), commonly known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
View a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects.
View highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites.
Learn more about EPA’s Superfund Program.
# # #
Learn more about EPA Region 7
View all Region 7 news releases
Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter: @EPARegion7
This funding is made possible by the president’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will launch new cleanup projects at 25 Superfund sites, including the Cherokee County Superfund Site in Kansas.
“This historic investment into our communities from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will provide additional funding for the cleanup project at the Cherokee County Superfund Site in southeast Kansas,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. “Historic mine waste in the area has contaminated residential and non-residential areas. Cleaning up this site is essential to protecting the health of our communities and the environment.”
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds have been and continue to be important building blocks to improving the health and quality of drinking water for all Kansans,” said Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Janet Stanek. “The investment in the cleanup at Kansas sites is crucial to improving a sustainable water infrastructure across the state.”
Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding announced today, the Cherokee County Superfund Site will have additional funding to continue cleanup projects. The site is a part of the larger, regional mining area known as the Tri-State Mining District. Years of widespread lead and zinc mining have created mine tailings covering over 4,000 acres. The mine tailings have contaminated residential and non-residential soils, surface water, sediment, and groundwater with lead, zinc, and cadmium. Site work is designated to nine operable units with varying work statuses.
In addition to the Cherokee County site and 25 new cleanups announced, today’s investment supports continued construction at a number of other Superfund sites across Kansas:
In Wichita, at the 57th and North Broadway Streets Superfund Site, EPA is moving toward the remedial action phase and will install a groundwater extraction/treatment system to treat a contaminated groundwater plume.
In Caney, at the Caney Residential Yards Superfund Site, remedial project managers are currently working with community members to gain access to residential properties to facilitate sampling for lead in residential soils and, if a property qualifies, commence with residential property remediation.
In Great Bend, at the Plating Inc. Superfund Site, work recently began to address a 2-mile-long groundwater plume that was contaminated with hexavalent chromium. The source of the contaminant plume was from leaking in-ground plating baths and an outside air vent that discharged chrome particulates onto the ground.
Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining, and present risks to human health and the well-being of local communities in urban, suburban, and rural areas.
“After three rounds of investments, EPA is delivering on President Biden’s full promise to invest in cleaning up America’s most contaminated Superfund sites,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “This final round of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has made it possible for EPA to initiate clean ups at every single Superfund site where construction work is ready to begin. This is an incredible milestone in our efforts to clean up and protect communities, deliver local jobs, enhance economic activity, and improve people’s lives for years to come.”
Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the president’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed over $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. Thanks to President Biden’s commitment to addressing legacy pollution and improving public health, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years, while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
EPA is committed to continue carrying out this work, advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within 3 miles of a Superfund site. These investments are restoring the health and economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, over 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns, based on data from EPA’s EJScreen.
The historic investment made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law strengthens every part of the Superfund Program, making a dramatic difference in EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment. In addition to funding cleanup construction work, this investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate the essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and to ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2023, EPA continued to fund Superfund pre-construction activities, such as remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement at double pre-Bipartisan Infrastructure Law levels.
In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERLCA), commonly known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
View a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects.
View highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites.
Learn more about EPA’s Superfund Program.
# # #
Learn more about EPA Region 7
View all Region 7 news releases
Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter: @EPARegion7
Biden-Harris Administration announces over $1 billion to start new cleanup projects and continue work at 100 Superfund sites across the country
WASHINGTON — Today, Feb. 27, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a third and final wave of more than $1 billion for cleanup projects at more than 100 Superfund sites across the country as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This funding is made possible by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will launch new cleanup projects at 25 Superfund sites and continue other cleanups at over 85 Superfund sites.
Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills and mining, and can harm the health and well-being of local communities in urban and rural areas. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site.
Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed more than $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. Thanks to President Biden’s commitment to addressing legacy pollution and improving public health, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
“After three rounds of investments, EPA is delivering on President Biden’s full promise to invest in cleaning up America’s most contaminated Superfund sites,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “This final round of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has made it possible for EPA to initiate clean ups at every single Superfund site where construction work is ready to begin. This is an incredible milestone in our efforts to clean up and protect communities, deliver local jobs, enhance economic activity, and improve people’s lives for years to come.”
“Every American deserves clean air to breathe and access to clean land and water, no matter their zip code. That’s why as Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, I worked tirelessly with my colleagues on and off the committee to craft the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which included billions of dollars for the Superfund program,” said Senator Tom Carper, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “I’m pleased to see EPA announce over $1 billion of that funding today for more than 100 of our nation’s most contaminated sites – helping communities across the country clean up legacy pollution and protect public health all while supporting local economies.”
“Superfund sites threaten public and environmental health across the country, but with today’s announcement, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is continuing to deliver on the promise we made to clean up backlogged sites and give our communities the peace of mind they deserve,” said Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “For dozens of communities, today’s funding is a welcome assurance that help is on the way. I appreciate the Biden Administration’s commitment to transforming communities that have been impacted by toxic contamination and applaud EPA for moving swiftly to put the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s resources to work.”
Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding announced today, a number of new cleanup projects will move forward, including:
At the East Helena Superfund site in East Helena, Montana, funds will advance critical cleanup of soil and groundwater contamination caused by more than a century of smelting lead, zinc, and other metals at the former ASARCO facility.
At the US Finishing/Cone Mills Superfund site in Greenville, South Carolina, funds will support the completion of cleanup work at the site by treating contaminated groundwater, paving the way for the site’s return to productive use as mixed-use development (commercial and residential) through a unique public-private partnership with the state of South Carolina and landowners.
At the Standard Chlorine of Delaware Inc. Superfund site in New Castle, Delaware, funds will go toward excavation and treatment of wetland soils and sediment contaminated through historical industrial activities and spills outside of the former chemical manufacturing plant.
At the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine Superfund site in Lake County, California, funds will address mining waste to help ensure the long term protection of residential areas and make on-site mine areas safe for limited use by Elem Indian Colony residents for hunting, fishing, foraging, and transit to nearby lands.
At the Iron King Mine/Humboldt Smelter Superfund site in Dewey-Humbolt, Arizona, funding will protect the community from mining and smelting waste by cleaning up additional residential properties and permanently consolidating the contaminated waste.
EPA is committed to advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.
President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is restoring the health and economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. The historic investment made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law strengthens every part of the Superfund program, making a dramatic difference in EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment. In addition to funding cleanup construction work, the investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and to ensure communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2023, EPA continued to fund Superfund pre-construction activities such as remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement at double pre-Bipartisan Infrastructure Law levels.
In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERLCA), known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
To see a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, visit EPA’s Superfund webpage.
To see highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding website.
For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, visit EPA’s Superfund website.
Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills and mining, and can harm the health and well-being of local communities in urban and rural areas. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site.
Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed more than $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. Thanks to President Biden’s commitment to addressing legacy pollution and improving public health, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
“After three rounds of investments, EPA is delivering on President Biden’s full promise to invest in cleaning up America’s most contaminated Superfund sites,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “This final round of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has made it possible for EPA to initiate clean ups at every single Superfund site where construction work is ready to begin. This is an incredible milestone in our efforts to clean up and protect communities, deliver local jobs, enhance economic activity, and improve people’s lives for years to come.”
“Every American deserves clean air to breathe and access to clean land and water, no matter their zip code. That’s why as Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, I worked tirelessly with my colleagues on and off the committee to craft the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which included billions of dollars for the Superfund program,” said Senator Tom Carper, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “I’m pleased to see EPA announce over $1 billion of that funding today for more than 100 of our nation’s most contaminated sites – helping communities across the country clean up legacy pollution and protect public health all while supporting local economies.”
“Superfund sites threaten public and environmental health across the country, but with today’s announcement, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is continuing to deliver on the promise we made to clean up backlogged sites and give our communities the peace of mind they deserve,” said Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “For dozens of communities, today’s funding is a welcome assurance that help is on the way. I appreciate the Biden Administration’s commitment to transforming communities that have been impacted by toxic contamination and applaud EPA for moving swiftly to put the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s resources to work.”
Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding announced today, a number of new cleanup projects will move forward, including:
At the East Helena Superfund site in East Helena, Montana, funds will advance critical cleanup of soil and groundwater contamination caused by more than a century of smelting lead, zinc, and other metals at the former ASARCO facility.
At the US Finishing/Cone Mills Superfund site in Greenville, South Carolina, funds will support the completion of cleanup work at the site by treating contaminated groundwater, paving the way for the site’s return to productive use as mixed-use development (commercial and residential) through a unique public-private partnership with the state of South Carolina and landowners.
At the Standard Chlorine of Delaware Inc. Superfund site in New Castle, Delaware, funds will go toward excavation and treatment of wetland soils and sediment contaminated through historical industrial activities and spills outside of the former chemical manufacturing plant.
At the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine Superfund site in Lake County, California, funds will address mining waste to help ensure the long term protection of residential areas and make on-site mine areas safe for limited use by Elem Indian Colony residents for hunting, fishing, foraging, and transit to nearby lands.
At the Iron King Mine/Humboldt Smelter Superfund site in Dewey-Humbolt, Arizona, funding will protect the community from mining and smelting waste by cleaning up additional residential properties and permanently consolidating the contaminated waste.
EPA is committed to advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.
President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is restoring the health and economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. The historic investment made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law strengthens every part of the Superfund program, making a dramatic difference in EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment. In addition to funding cleanup construction work, the investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and to ensure communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2023, EPA continued to fund Superfund pre-construction activities such as remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement at double pre-Bipartisan Infrastructure Law levels.
In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERLCA), known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
To see a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, visit EPA’s Superfund webpage.
To see highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding website.
For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, visit EPA’s Superfund website.
EPA announces new cleanup projects in Arizona as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda
San Francisco, CA— Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a third and final wave of more than $1 billion for cleanup projects at over 100 Superfund sites nationwide as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This funding is made possible by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will launch new cleanup projects at 25 Superfund sites nationwide, including Arizona’s Iron King Mine – Humboldt Smelter Superfund Site in Dewey-Humbolt.
“Thanks to unprecedented funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is delivering significant investment to achieving the goal of long-term protection for communities living closest to contaminated sites,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “With our Superfund cleanups we are taking firm action to protect the health, safety, and environment of communities throughout Arizona and the Pacific Southwest.”
“Our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to address critical needs in Arizona, including by making investments to protect public health and the environment,” said U.S. Senator Mark Kelly. “When we were negotiating the infrastructure law, one of my priorities was addressing the cleanup of abandoned mine sites in my state. This is going to protect Yavapai County residents from waste and contamination.”
“The historic investment I secured from my bipartisan infrastructure law will clean up the hazardous waste impacting the Dewey-Humboldt community – ensuring our state remains a safe, healthy place to call home for generations to come,” said U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will enable the EPA to fund further cleanup at the Iron King Mine – Humboldt Smelter Superfund Site in Dewey-Humbolt, Arizona. This funding is crucial to safeguard the community from mining and smelting waste by supporting the cleanup of additional residential properties and permanently consolidating the contaminated waste on-site. The Iron King Mine operated from the early 1900s to 1970, leaving behind four million cubic yards of mine tailings and approximately one million cubic yards of waste rock and contaminated soils. Some of the tailings at the site are still exposed and susceptible to erosion. The smelter operated from the late 1800s to about 1937, leaving behind over 750,000 cubic yards of mine tailings, waste dross, slag, and contaminated soils. The site's mine tailings contain high levels of arsenic and lead, with arsenic being a known carcinogen and lead exposure causing damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development in children, learning and behavior problems, and hearing and speech problems.
Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining and can harm the health and well-being of local communities in urban and rural areas.
Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed over $2 billion for cleanup activities at over 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
EPA is committed to continuing this work, advancing environmental justice, and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site. These investments are restoring the health and economic vitality of communities exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.
To see a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, visit EPA’s Superfund webpage.
To see highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding website.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
“Thanks to unprecedented funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is delivering significant investment to achieving the goal of long-term protection for communities living closest to contaminated sites,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “With our Superfund cleanups we are taking firm action to protect the health, safety, and environment of communities throughout Arizona and the Pacific Southwest.”
“Our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to address critical needs in Arizona, including by making investments to protect public health and the environment,” said U.S. Senator Mark Kelly. “When we were negotiating the infrastructure law, one of my priorities was addressing the cleanup of abandoned mine sites in my state. This is going to protect Yavapai County residents from waste and contamination.”
“The historic investment I secured from my bipartisan infrastructure law will clean up the hazardous waste impacting the Dewey-Humboldt community – ensuring our state remains a safe, healthy place to call home for generations to come,” said U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will enable the EPA to fund further cleanup at the Iron King Mine – Humboldt Smelter Superfund Site in Dewey-Humbolt, Arizona. This funding is crucial to safeguard the community from mining and smelting waste by supporting the cleanup of additional residential properties and permanently consolidating the contaminated waste on-site. The Iron King Mine operated from the early 1900s to 1970, leaving behind four million cubic yards of mine tailings and approximately one million cubic yards of waste rock and contaminated soils. Some of the tailings at the site are still exposed and susceptible to erosion. The smelter operated from the late 1800s to about 1937, leaving behind over 750,000 cubic yards of mine tailings, waste dross, slag, and contaminated soils. The site's mine tailings contain high levels of arsenic and lead, with arsenic being a known carcinogen and lead exposure causing damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development in children, learning and behavior problems, and hearing and speech problems.
Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining and can harm the health and well-being of local communities in urban and rural areas.
Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed over $2 billion for cleanup activities at over 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
EPA is committed to continuing this work, advancing environmental justice, and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site. These investments are restoring the health and economic vitality of communities exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.
To see a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, visit EPA’s Superfund webpage.
To see highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding website.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
EPA Announces Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funds for Cleanup at Tutu Wellfields in St. Thomas, USVI
NEW YORK - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the Tutu Wellfield in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands is among the over 100 sites across the country getting more than $1 billion for cleanup projects as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This funding is made possible by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will launch new cleanup projects at 25 Superfund sites and continue other cleanups at over 85 Superfund sites.
Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills and mining, and can harm the health and well-being of local communities in urban and rural areas. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site.
"While we have addressed much of the risk posed by Tutu Wellfields, this funding will help us complete the job by addressing more recently discovered contamination that is spreading slowly over time,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This investment in America and in the U.S. Virgin Islands builds on the historic progress we have already made in recent years to ensure that communities living near the most serious uncontrolled, or abandoned contaminated sites get the protections they deserve.”
"Today marks a historic moment for the U.S. Virgin Islands as we celebrate the inclusion of the Tutu Wellfield in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law championed by President Biden. This legislation is a beacon of hope, promising to breathe new life into our environmental restoration efforts. With this law, USEPA is poised to launch critical cleanup projects at 25 Superfund sites, including the Tutu Wellfield, and continue ongoing efforts at over 85 Superfund sites. Our commitment to safeguarding our land, water, and air is unwavering, and this funding will empower us to address contamination, restore ecosystems, and protect public health,” said U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Bryan. “I extend my deepest gratitude to President Biden and his administration, and all those who worked tirelessly to make this legislation a reality. Let us move forward with purpose, knowing that our actions today shape the legacy we leave behind. The U.S. Virgin Islands is ready to lead the way toward a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future."
“President Biden’s vision of making major investments to build resilience against climate change continues to come to fruition here in our territory with another award from the Inflation Reduction Act. The Tutu Wellfield in St. Thomas has long posed significant environmental hazards due to its industrial contamination, and I commend the EPA for identifying it for action,” said Representative Stacey Plaskett. “We know that there are other sites like this one across our territory and it is my hope that this will be one of many EPA funding awards for much needed environmental remediation in the Virgin Islands.”
The Tutu Wellfield site is located in the Anna’s Retreat section of St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands. The site was used for textile manufacturing and industrial-scale dry cleaning from 1969-1978. Industrial waste, including spent dry-cleaning waste, drums, and floor drain discharge were released from the site and contaminated groundwater with chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs), including Trichloroethylene (TCE), Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and vinyl chloride. EPA constructed a groundwater treatment facility in 2004 to address contaminated groundwater. In 2018, EPA determined that this system needed to be expanded and enhanced.
EPA BIL funding will be used to expand the existing groundwater pump and treat system to include additional wells and upgrade all existing treatment equipment to accommodate additional flow rates and address the source of contamination more efficiently. The work to expand and enhance the system is estimated to cost about $14 million.
Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed more than $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. Thanks President Biden’s commitment to addressing legacy pollution and improving public health, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
EPA is committed to advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.
President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is restoring the health and economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. The historic investment made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law strengthens every part of the Superfund program, making a dramatic difference in EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment. In addition to funding cleanup construction work, the investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and to ensure communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2023, EPA continued to fund Superfund pre-construction activities such as remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement at double pre-Bipartisan Infrastructure Law levels.
In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERLCA), known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
To see a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, visit EPA’s Superfund webpage.
To see highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding website.
For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, visit EPA’s Superfund website.
Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.
24-17
Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills and mining, and can harm the health and well-being of local communities in urban and rural areas. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site.
"While we have addressed much of the risk posed by Tutu Wellfields, this funding will help us complete the job by addressing more recently discovered contamination that is spreading slowly over time,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This investment in America and in the U.S. Virgin Islands builds on the historic progress we have already made in recent years to ensure that communities living near the most serious uncontrolled, or abandoned contaminated sites get the protections they deserve.”
"Today marks a historic moment for the U.S. Virgin Islands as we celebrate the inclusion of the Tutu Wellfield in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law championed by President Biden. This legislation is a beacon of hope, promising to breathe new life into our environmental restoration efforts. With this law, USEPA is poised to launch critical cleanup projects at 25 Superfund sites, including the Tutu Wellfield, and continue ongoing efforts at over 85 Superfund sites. Our commitment to safeguarding our land, water, and air is unwavering, and this funding will empower us to address contamination, restore ecosystems, and protect public health,” said U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Bryan. “I extend my deepest gratitude to President Biden and his administration, and all those who worked tirelessly to make this legislation a reality. Let us move forward with purpose, knowing that our actions today shape the legacy we leave behind. The U.S. Virgin Islands is ready to lead the way toward a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future."
“President Biden’s vision of making major investments to build resilience against climate change continues to come to fruition here in our territory with another award from the Inflation Reduction Act. The Tutu Wellfield in St. Thomas has long posed significant environmental hazards due to its industrial contamination, and I commend the EPA for identifying it for action,” said Representative Stacey Plaskett. “We know that there are other sites like this one across our territory and it is my hope that this will be one of many EPA funding awards for much needed environmental remediation in the Virgin Islands.”
The Tutu Wellfield site is located in the Anna’s Retreat section of St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands. The site was used for textile manufacturing and industrial-scale dry cleaning from 1969-1978. Industrial waste, including spent dry-cleaning waste, drums, and floor drain discharge were released from the site and contaminated groundwater with chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs), including Trichloroethylene (TCE), Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and vinyl chloride. EPA constructed a groundwater treatment facility in 2004 to address contaminated groundwater. In 2018, EPA determined that this system needed to be expanded and enhanced.
EPA BIL funding will be used to expand the existing groundwater pump and treat system to include additional wells and upgrade all existing treatment equipment to accommodate additional flow rates and address the source of contamination more efficiently. The work to expand and enhance the system is estimated to cost about $14 million.
Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed more than $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. Thanks President Biden’s commitment to addressing legacy pollution and improving public health, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
EPA is committed to advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.
President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is restoring the health and economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. The historic investment made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law strengthens every part of the Superfund program, making a dramatic difference in EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment. In addition to funding cleanup construction work, the investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and to ensure communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2023, EPA continued to fund Superfund pre-construction activities such as remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement at double pre-Bipartisan Infrastructure Law levels.
In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERLCA), known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
To see a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, visit EPA’s Superfund webpage.
To see highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding website.
For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, visit EPA’s Superfund website.
Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.
24-17
$40 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding announced for East Helena yard cleanups
EAST HELENA, Mont. --Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a third and final wave of more than $1 billion new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding for cleanup projects at more than 100 Superfund sites across the country. As part of today’s announcement, the East Helena Superfund site will receive $40 million for the cleanup of residential yards contaminated by lead from the ASARCO smelter formerly located adjacent to the city.
The funding comes after the recent finalization of an Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD) document for the Site which amended the 2009 Record of Decision (ROD) to reduce soil-lead cleanup levels in East Helena from 500 ppm to 400 ppm. The previous cleanup trigger, 1,000 ppm, was also removed in the ESD. With this BIL funding, alongside an additional $10 million in existing settlement funds, cleanups in East Helena targeting residential yards with greater than 400 ppm soil-lead contamination will begin this summer.
“Funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has been a game-changer for so many communities across the United States,” said EPA Region 8 Administrator KC Becker. “Protecting kids and families from lead exposure where they live, work and play is a top EPA priority. With this funding, EPA’s Site team can quickly mobilize to remove lead from affected yards in East Helena.”
“Contamination, especially lead contamination, can have a devastating impact on communities – and I know for a fact that folks in East Helena are concerned about all the possible contaminants leftover from the old smelter,” said Senator Jon Tester. “I’m proud to have secured this funding from my bipartisan infrastructure law, and I’ll continue to work to ensure this site is cleaned up safely and effectively.”
“The city is excited that the EPA is continuing to show concern for the residents of East Helena,” said East Helena Mayor Kelly Harris. “East Helena is a great place to live and to raise a family—we value our people and our community, and it is great to see more funding and more cleanups on the way.”
"Montana DEQ is excited by EPA’s announcement that funding has been secured for additional residential yard cleanups in East Helena,” said DEQ Waste Management and Remediation Division Administrator Amy Steinmetz. “This vital work will have a lasting positive impact on the community."
Previous cleanup efforts under the 2009 ROD led to the remediation of hundreds of yards in East Helena, which involved the removal and replacement of residential soils contaminated by more than one hundred years of smelting lead, zinc and other metals by the former ASARCO plant.
Funds directed at East Helena through this BIL disbursement will support new residential yard cleanups for properties with soil-lead content between 400 ppm and 1,000 ppm which, under previous plans, did not qualify for cleanup. EPA will host an information session at East Helena City Hall from 9-10 a.m. on Monday, March 11 to discuss cleanup plans and timelines. Those unable to attend the morning session are welcome to drop in any time on Monday for open office hours to discuss cleanup plans and ask questions.
Today’s investment, part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, delivers $1 billion in funds to more than 100 Superfund sites across the country to both launch new cleanups and continue existing cleanup efforts. Previous waves of funding totaled more than $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priority List (NPL) in the United States. Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
EPA is committed to continuing to carry out this work advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.
More information on today’s announcement and sites receiving funding.
Highlights from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites.
More information on the East Helena Superfund site.
The funding comes after the recent finalization of an Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD) document for the Site which amended the 2009 Record of Decision (ROD) to reduce soil-lead cleanup levels in East Helena from 500 ppm to 400 ppm. The previous cleanup trigger, 1,000 ppm, was also removed in the ESD. With this BIL funding, alongside an additional $10 million in existing settlement funds, cleanups in East Helena targeting residential yards with greater than 400 ppm soil-lead contamination will begin this summer.
“Funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has been a game-changer for so many communities across the United States,” said EPA Region 8 Administrator KC Becker. “Protecting kids and families from lead exposure where they live, work and play is a top EPA priority. With this funding, EPA’s Site team can quickly mobilize to remove lead from affected yards in East Helena.”
“Contamination, especially lead contamination, can have a devastating impact on communities – and I know for a fact that folks in East Helena are concerned about all the possible contaminants leftover from the old smelter,” said Senator Jon Tester. “I’m proud to have secured this funding from my bipartisan infrastructure law, and I’ll continue to work to ensure this site is cleaned up safely and effectively.”
“The city is excited that the EPA is continuing to show concern for the residents of East Helena,” said East Helena Mayor Kelly Harris. “East Helena is a great place to live and to raise a family—we value our people and our community, and it is great to see more funding and more cleanups on the way.”
"Montana DEQ is excited by EPA’s announcement that funding has been secured for additional residential yard cleanups in East Helena,” said DEQ Waste Management and Remediation Division Administrator Amy Steinmetz. “This vital work will have a lasting positive impact on the community."
Previous cleanup efforts under the 2009 ROD led to the remediation of hundreds of yards in East Helena, which involved the removal and replacement of residential soils contaminated by more than one hundred years of smelting lead, zinc and other metals by the former ASARCO plant.
Funds directed at East Helena through this BIL disbursement will support new residential yard cleanups for properties with soil-lead content between 400 ppm and 1,000 ppm which, under previous plans, did not qualify for cleanup. EPA will host an information session at East Helena City Hall from 9-10 a.m. on Monday, March 11 to discuss cleanup plans and timelines. Those unable to attend the morning session are welcome to drop in any time on Monday for open office hours to discuss cleanup plans and ask questions.
Today’s investment, part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, delivers $1 billion in funds to more than 100 Superfund sites across the country to both launch new cleanups and continue existing cleanup efforts. Previous waves of funding totaled more than $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priority List (NPL) in the United States. Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
EPA is committed to continuing to carry out this work advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.
More information on today’s announcement and sites receiving funding.
Highlights from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites.
More information on the East Helena Superfund site.
EPA Announces Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funds for Cleanups at Two Superfund Sites in New York
NEW YORK - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that two New York Superfund sites are among the over 100 sites across the country getting more than $1 billion for cleanup projects as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This funding is made possible by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will launch new cleanup projects at 25 Superfund sites and continue other cleanups at over 85 Superfund sites. The New York Superfund sites included are the Old Roosevelt Field Contaminated Groundwater Area Site in Garden City and a portion of the Onondaga Lake Superfund site near Syracuse.
Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills and mining, and can harm the health and well-being of local communities in urban and rural areas. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site.
“People living in New York have seen firsthand how transformative the Superfund program can be for communities,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This investment in America and in New York builds on the historic progress we have already made in recent years to ensure that communities living near the most serious uncontrolled, or abandoned contaminated sites get the protections they deserve.”
“Syracuse and the communities surrounding Onondaga Lake have seen firsthand how transformative the Superfund program can be. Onondaga Lake was once one of the most polluted lakes in the country, but because of decades of work by activists and the strengthened federal environmental laws, the waterways are the cleanest they have been in nearly a century, but there is still much more to be done. Today, thanks to our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, approximately $23 million in federal funding will flow to jumpstart the cleanup of the Ley Creek portion of the Onondaga Lake Superfund site – while the EPA continues work to hold polluters accountable,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “Our work is far from finished, but kick starting the cleanup of these long-polluted sites and waterways exactly what the Superfund funding I fought to supercharge in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was mean to do. I am proud to deliver this federal funding so that cleanup for Central NY can finally get underway and vow to continue to fight for the resources needed to protect our beautiful Central New York waterways.”
“This is a critical investment that will help clean up dangerous and widespread contaminants in New York’s groundwater and waterways,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “I’m proud that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is providing this funding, which will help clean up contamination at Roosevelt Field and Onondaga Lake. I will continue working with the Biden administration to address legacy pollution and to improve public health for all.”
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, “Thanks to our strong partnership with U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan and EPA Regional Administrator 2 Lisa Garcia, New York State continues to benefit from investments under the Biden Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to cleanup former industrial sites in communities across the state. The significant funding announced today bolsters New York’s extensive and ongoing cleanup efforts in communities historically overburdened by environmental pollution, advancing a path to a cleaner environment and protection of the heath of New Yorkers for generations to come.”
The Old Roosevelt Field Contaminated Groundwater Area Site is located on the former location of the Roosevelt Field airfield in Garden City, Nassau County, New York. Roosevelt Field was used for aviation from 1911 to 1951. It is likely that chlorinated solvents were used at Roosevelt Field during and after World War II. Trichloroethylene (TCE) and Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) were detected in the Village of Garden City in several public water supply wells in the late 1970s and early 1980s. All residences and commercial buildings within the site are now connected to public water supplies that are treated to meet drinking water standards.
EPA BIL funding will be used to address groundwater contamination at the Old Roosevelt Field Contaminated Groundwater site by pumping the water to the surface, treating it and discharging to a basin. This work is estimated to cost about $13 million.
The 4.6-square mile Onondaga Lake site is located northwest of Syracuse in New York. Its shoreline borders Syracuse, as well as the towns of Geddes and Salina and villages of Solvay and Liverpool. The site includes the lake and seven tributaries, as well as several land-based sources of contamination. Industries around Onondaga Lake have discharged pollutants and sewage into the lake for more than 100 years. To facilitate coordination of the various investigations and cleanup activities being conducted by EPA and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation in and on the shorelines of the lake and several of its tributaries, 11 subsites have been created for the site. The Ley Creek Deferred Media portion of the General Motors–Inland Fisher Guide subsite includes Ley Creek and its floodplains from the former General Motors facility to the Route 11 bridge.
The EPA BIL funding will be used to address soil on the floodplains and sediment in Ley Creek that are contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and metals. The work will include excavating, disposing of and backfilling about 144,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil from the floodplains and excavating and disposing of about 9,600 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from the bottom of Ley Creek. The BIL funding will pay for approximately $23 million worth of cleanup work to get the action started as EPA continues to engage with responsible parties.
Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed more than $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. Thanks President Biden’s commitment to addressing legacy pollution and improving public health, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
EPA is committed to advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.
President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is restoring the health and economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. The historic investment made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law strengthens every part of the Superfund program, making a dramatic difference in EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment. In addition to funding cleanup construction work, the investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and to ensure communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2023, EPA continued to fund Superfund pre-construction activities such as remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement at double pre-Bipartisan Infrastructure Law levels.
In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERLCA), known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
To see a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, visit EPA’s Superfund webpage.
To see highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding website.
For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, visit EPA’s Superfund website.
Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.
24-15
Thousands of contaminated sites exist nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or otherwise improperly managed. These sites can include toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills and mining, and can harm the health and well-being of local communities in urban and rural areas. More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site.
“People living in New York have seen firsthand how transformative the Superfund program can be for communities,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This investment in America and in New York builds on the historic progress we have already made in recent years to ensure that communities living near the most serious uncontrolled, or abandoned contaminated sites get the protections they deserve.”
“Syracuse and the communities surrounding Onondaga Lake have seen firsthand how transformative the Superfund program can be. Onondaga Lake was once one of the most polluted lakes in the country, but because of decades of work by activists and the strengthened federal environmental laws, the waterways are the cleanest they have been in nearly a century, but there is still much more to be done. Today, thanks to our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, approximately $23 million in federal funding will flow to jumpstart the cleanup of the Ley Creek portion of the Onondaga Lake Superfund site – while the EPA continues work to hold polluters accountable,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “Our work is far from finished, but kick starting the cleanup of these long-polluted sites and waterways exactly what the Superfund funding I fought to supercharge in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was mean to do. I am proud to deliver this federal funding so that cleanup for Central NY can finally get underway and vow to continue to fight for the resources needed to protect our beautiful Central New York waterways.”
“This is a critical investment that will help clean up dangerous and widespread contaminants in New York’s groundwater and waterways,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “I’m proud that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is providing this funding, which will help clean up contamination at Roosevelt Field and Onondaga Lake. I will continue working with the Biden administration to address legacy pollution and to improve public health for all.”
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, “Thanks to our strong partnership with U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan and EPA Regional Administrator 2 Lisa Garcia, New York State continues to benefit from investments under the Biden Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to cleanup former industrial sites in communities across the state. The significant funding announced today bolsters New York’s extensive and ongoing cleanup efforts in communities historically overburdened by environmental pollution, advancing a path to a cleaner environment and protection of the heath of New Yorkers for generations to come.”
The Old Roosevelt Field Contaminated Groundwater Area Site is located on the former location of the Roosevelt Field airfield in Garden City, Nassau County, New York. Roosevelt Field was used for aviation from 1911 to 1951. It is likely that chlorinated solvents were used at Roosevelt Field during and after World War II. Trichloroethylene (TCE) and Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) were detected in the Village of Garden City in several public water supply wells in the late 1970s and early 1980s. All residences and commercial buildings within the site are now connected to public water supplies that are treated to meet drinking water standards.
EPA BIL funding will be used to address groundwater contamination at the Old Roosevelt Field Contaminated Groundwater site by pumping the water to the surface, treating it and discharging to a basin. This work is estimated to cost about $13 million.
The 4.6-square mile Onondaga Lake site is located northwest of Syracuse in New York. Its shoreline borders Syracuse, as well as the towns of Geddes and Salina and villages of Solvay and Liverpool. The site includes the lake and seven tributaries, as well as several land-based sources of contamination. Industries around Onondaga Lake have discharged pollutants and sewage into the lake for more than 100 years. To facilitate coordination of the various investigations and cleanup activities being conducted by EPA and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation in and on the shorelines of the lake and several of its tributaries, 11 subsites have been created for the site. The Ley Creek Deferred Media portion of the General Motors–Inland Fisher Guide subsite includes Ley Creek and its floodplains from the former General Motors facility to the Route 11 bridge.
The EPA BIL funding will be used to address soil on the floodplains and sediment in Ley Creek that are contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and metals. The work will include excavating, disposing of and backfilling about 144,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil from the floodplains and excavating and disposing of about 9,600 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from the bottom of Ley Creek. The BIL funding will pay for approximately $23 million worth of cleanup work to get the action started as EPA continues to engage with responsible parties.
Today’s investment is the final wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, EPA has deployed more than $2 billion for cleanup activities at more than 150 Superfund National Priorities List sites. Thanks President Biden’s commitment to addressing legacy pollution and improving public health, EPA has been able to provide as much funding for cleanup work in the past two years as it did in the previous five years while delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
EPA is committed to advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. Thus far, nearly 80% of the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has gone to sites in communities with potential environmental justice concerns. Out of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, more than 75% are in communities with potential environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN.
President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is restoring the health and economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pervasive legacy pollution. The historic investment made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law strengthens every part of the Superfund program, making a dramatic difference in EPA’s ability to tackle threats to human health and the environment. In addition to funding cleanup construction work, the investment is enabling EPA to increase funding for and accelerate essential work needed to prepare sites for construction and to ensure communities are meaningfully involved in the cleanup process. In 2023, EPA continued to fund Superfund pre-construction activities such as remedial investigations, feasibility studies, remedial designs, and community involvement at double pre-Bipartisan Infrastructure Law levels.
In 1980, Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERLCA), known as Superfund. The law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, EPA steps in to address risks to human health and the environment using funds appropriated by Congress, like the funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
To see a list of the 25 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, visit EPA’s Superfund webpage.
To see highlights from the first two years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding at Superfund sites, visit EPA’s Cleaning Up Superfund Sites: Highlights of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding website.
For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, visit EPA’s Superfund website.
Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.
24-15