Investigating for Possible Contamination in the East Avenue Study Area
Para ver el sitio web en español, visite Área de estudio de East Ave.
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Background
The East Avenue Study Area (“Study Area”) is located in Erie, Pennsylvania adjacent to the Erie Coke facility. EPA is beginning an investigation to determine if contaminants from Erie Coke have migrated off the facility into the Study Area. EPA is coordinating the investigation of this Study Area with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) activities at the former Erie Coke facility.
The City of Erie became an important port and manufacturing center beginning in the 1800s. From approximately 1833 until 2019, steel and coke production occurred on the Erie Coke Plant property. During that time period, Erie Coke and other industrial facilities released hazardous substances into the air. According to the EPA toxics Release Inventory, through the on-site air stack or by fugitive emissions, the Erie Coke Plant released emissions containing metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that may have been transported into the surrounding community.
The Erie Coke Plant has a long history of violations under Pennsylvania’s environmental laws. These violations resulted in neighborhood complaints about air quality, several Notices of Violations issued by the PADEP, penalty assessments, permit denials, and the negotiation and entry into Consent Decrees and Administrative Orders to address conditions at the facility. Although Erie Coke would be considered the main potential source of contaminants affecting the Study Area, it is possible that there are other sources nearby that may contribute to any contamination that is found. EPA may or may not be able to distinguish the sources. An outline of the EPA Study Area can be seen in the map below.
Complete details and more information about EPA’s Site Investigation are in the 2024 East Area Study Area Field Sampling Plan (PDF). For a summary of EPA’s Site Investigation at the East Avenue Study Area, please see the June 2024 Community Update Fact Sheet (PDF).
EPA held an in-person Public Availability Session on July 18, 2024 at East Middle School. At this session, EPA shared a brief presentation, offered a demonstration on residential soil sampling, answered questions about the upcoming Site Investigation, and featured various agencies as part of a tabling opportunity. The agencies and organizations present during the tabling portion of the session are as follows:
- EPA's Environmental Justice, Community Health, and Environmental Review Division
- The U.S. Department of Justice
- Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
- Erie - Western Pennsylvania Port Authority
- Erie County Redevelopment Authority
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
- Pennsylvania Department of Health
- Erie County Health Department
- The City of Erie and Mayor Joe Schember's office
- Tetra Tech, EPA's contractor for collecting residential soil samples.
The presentation slides (PDF) from the session are available to view online.
Website Table of Contents
This timeline shows the Superfund Remedial Process. It begins by assessing, or investigating, the site for possible contaminants, then once it is listed on the National Priorities List (Superfund), the site is further studied to see which remedy is most feasible in the Characterization stage. In the Selection of Remedy, a plan is decided on and the process moves on into the Cleanup stage. When the cleanup is completed, the process is in the Post-Construction stage where there is regular maintenance of the remedy and thorough reviews conducted by EPA every five years. At every stage, community involvement and planning are integrated into the process to ensure that the end result is aligned with community values and input.