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EPA Proposes Compass Plaza Well TCE Site for Superfund's National Priorities List

Release Date: 09/15/2011
Contact Information: Ben Washburn, (913) 551-7364, [email protected]

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., Sept. 15, 2011) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing its proposal to add the Compass Plaza Well TCE Site to the federal Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). An NPL listing notifies the public that EPA believes a site requires further study and possible cleanup under EPA's Superfund program.

The Compass Plaza Well TCE Site consists of contaminated ground water that has contaminated domestic and irrigation wells. The site includes a small cluster of wells in Greene County, Mo., near Compass Plaza, a commercial area of Rogersville. Following routine public drinking water monitoring by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), trichloroethylene (TCE) was detected in the Compass Plaza strip mall drinking water well and at two nearby public wells.

TCE is used in industrial solvents and degreasers as well as household products such as correction fluids, paints, paint removers, adhesives, rug cleaners, metal cleaners and spot removers.

People can be exposed to TCE by breathing contaminated air at home or in the workplace; by drinking, swimming or showering in contaminated water; or through contact with contaminated soil. Industrial emissions of TCE stem mostly from metal degreasing plants and steel pipe and tube manufacturing.

Adding this site to the National Priorities List will make the site eligible for federal funds to comprehensively investigate and address site contamination. These funds also guarantee the public an opportunity to fully participate in cleanup decisions.

The EPA Headquarters website maintains documents which support the Agency's proposal to add the site to the NPL. With the proposal of this site to the NPL, a 60-day comment period begins during which EPA solicits public input regarding this action. The comment period is open from Sept. 16 to Nov. 15, 2011. Comments may be submitted online by using docket number EPA-HQ-SFUND-2011-0648 and following the instructions given at www.regulations.gov.