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EPA Orders Three Companies to Perform Cleanup Work At Westinghouse Electric Superfund Site In Sharon

Release Date: 5/29/2003
Contact Information: David Sternberg, (215) 814-5548

PHILADELPHIA - The US Environmental Protection Agency has ordered three companies to address contaminated ground water, sediments, and riparian soils at the Westinghouse Electric Superfund site in Sharon, Mercer County, Pa. The order, which becomes effective May 30, requires Viacom, Inc., Winner Development LLC, and AK Steel Corporation to:

• clean about 600 feet of the Wishart Court sewer of debris contaminated by low levels of polychlorinated biphenols (PCBs);

• remove an estimated 4100 cubic yards of contaminated sediments located in the Shenango River between the Clark Street Bridge and the dam at Consumers Water Company;

• remove approximately 300 cubic yards of contaminated riparian soils along the river bank in the same area between the bridge and the water company; and

• install additional ground water monitoring wells, and conduct ground water monitoring.

In addition, EPA has ordered that restrictions be placed on the deeds for the site properties to ensure that they will not be developed for inappropriate uses, such as housing. The order was issued to implement a February 2003 record of decision.

In addition to the work required by the new order, the respondents are currently completing cleanup of onsite soils under a previous administrative order, issued by EPA in September 2000. Also, several large buildings on the site, are undergoing cleanup. Viacom completed the first phase of the building cleanup and, then, sold the buildings to Winner Development. Winner has completed a second phase of building cleanup. It is expected that Winner will begin the third and final phase of the building cleanup in June.

The former Westinghouse Electric Sharon transformer plant (aka Westinghouse Electric Superfund site) is a 58-acre facility which operated from 1922 until 1985. The facility manufactured electrical transformers. Between 1936 and 1976, PCBs and trichlorobenzene were used in some of the transformers produced. Although a release of 6000 gallons of PCBs and trichlorobenzene is known to have occurred in 1984, environmental contamination resulted primarily from historic operational activities. CBS Corporation acquired Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1998. CBS was then acquired by Viacom, Inc., which currently owns only a small portion of the site. The rest of the site is owned by other commercial enterprises, including AK Steel Corporation and Winner Development LLC.