EPA Press Office:

Biden-Harris Administration announces over $1 billion to start new cleanup projects and continue work at 100 Superfund sites across the country

Thanks to this third and final wave of investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is funding all the construction work that is ready to begin at Superfund sites nationwide

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

For further information: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

 EPA Press Office:

Biden-Harris Administration announces additional funds for cleanup of Standard Chlorine Superfund Site in New Castle County, Delaware, as part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is continuing to boost Superfund cleanup efforts

Philadelphia (Feb. 27, 2024) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today 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 including the Standard Chlorine of Delaware Inc. Superfund site in New Castle, Delaware.

“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 funding announcement continues EPA’s historic investment in the remediation of our nation’s most contaminated sites,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “As a result, the legacy pollution at five Superfund sites in the mid-Atlantic will be cleaned up, providing public health protection to several communities in Delaware and Pennsylvania.”   

“Every Delawarean 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 Delaware and the country clean up legacy pollution and protect public health all while supporting local economies.”

“Remediating and reclaiming valuable land will breathe fresh life into communities across our country and help address crucial public health and environmental justice issues,” said U.S. Senator Chris Coons, Co-Chair of the Senate Climate Solutions Caucus. “Here at home, these funds will speed up the years-long transformation of this Superfund site and improve the lives of Delawareans who live in the surrounding area. This is exactly the type of project that the bipartisan infrastructure law was crafted to benefit.”

“It’s critical that we continue to invest in cleaning up Superfund sites for the health and safety of communities across the country, and today’s announcement – made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that I proudly championed in Congress – is helping us do just that right here in Delaware,” said Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester. “Thanks to this new tranche of federal funding, the Environmental Protection Agency, along with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, will have more support at its disposal to advance its clean-up efforts of the Standard Chlorine Superfund site in New Castle, Delaware – helping us address legacy pollution and improve public health in our environmental justice communities.”

“This is another example of how funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – championed by President Biden and our congressional delegation – is addressing long-standing needs in our country,” Gov. John C. Carney said. “In this case, it is continuing the long-term cleanup of a former industrial site near Delaware City that we hope will return to productive use, making a safer and better community for the residents and businesses in the area. We are appreciative of another meaningful infrastructure investment in Delaware.”

“This $45 million investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds issued by the Biden-Harris Administration is critical to the cleanup of this 65-acre Superfund site,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “These funds will advance efforts by EPA and DNREC to address the decades-long impact of chlorobenzene pollution on the adjacent wetlands. The efforts by DNREC to date, including the removal of hazardous chemicals, the installation of a groundwater containment system, and the construction of a cap to limit exposure, have laid a strong foundation for remediation. However, it's clear that there remains a substantial amount of work to ensure the site is returned to productive future use. With the ongoing support of the federal government, we will continue to work to ensure the legacy of this site is one of renewed opportunity for the people, wildlife and the ecosystems along Red Lion Creek and in Delaware.”

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.

At the Standard Chlorine of Delaware Inc. Superfund site, 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.

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.

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. 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 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. 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.

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:  https://www.epa.gov/superfund

For further information: R3press@epa.gov

 EPA Press Release:

EPA Invests $1 Million in New York State Communities Through UAlbany-Led Community Air Monitoring Projects

ALBANY, N.Y.  – Communities in New York’s Capital District and in other areas of New York will get valuable data from two air monitoring projects funded by $1 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under its efforts to invest in communities across America. EPA recently awarded the money to the University at Albany (UAlbany) for two community air quality monitoring projects that will measure and reduce exposure to air pollutants that affect public health. The funding is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic investment of $53.4 million in 132 air monitoring projects in 37 states, funded by the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, to enhance air quality monitoring in communities that are underserved and overburdened by pollution.

To celebrate the awards, EPA joined U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan and other local stakeholders at Giffen Memorial Elementary School, a future air monitoring site in Albany’s South End. UAlbany researchers displayed an example of a low-cost air monitor and led a demonstration of their mobile air monitoring van.

“Air pollution is a serious threat to the health and well-being of millions of Americans, especially those who live in communities that are disproportionately exposed to harmful emissions. The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to investing in community-based solutions that help improve air quality, protect public health, and advance environmental justice,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “These air monitoring projects are examples of how we can partner with local stakeholders to support communities with data and tools they need to address their air quality challenges and achieve their environmental goals.”

Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, “DEC applauds the Biden-Harris Administration, EPA Administrator Michael Regan, and Regional Administrator Lisa Garcia for their continued commitment to improving air quality, combating climate change, and prioritizing environmental justice. The $1 million announced today will complement ongoing efforts like DEC’s successful Community Air Monitoring Initiative to obtain localized data that will help assess the air quality in neighborhoods here in Albany and across the state.” 

“I’m thrilled to celebrate this major federal investment that will enable the University at Albany to conduct critical community air quality monitoring projects here in our Capital Region and across New York State,” Congressman Paul Tonko said. “Ever since I welcomed EPA Administrator Regan to speak with residents and community leaders at Albany’s South End about the importance of addressing inequities and environmental injustice, we’ve been committed to helping alleviate those burdens and build healthier communities. These awards are an example of taking in those important conversations and transforming them into meaningful action. Thanks to our American Rescue Plan and our Inflation Reduction Act, we are making significant strides to ensure that our families have clean air to breathe. I’m grateful to EPA for recognizing this need and taking steps to meet it, and I look forward to the tremendous positive impact these projects will have on our Capital Region communities.”

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said, "When I first became Mayor, I worked tirelessly to secure air monitoring in Albany's South End through a partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. That study showed that our South End neighbors are disproportionately impacted by particulates from truck traffic. The information gleaned from that study was one of the ways we were able to convince large-volume vehicle operators to change their route away from Ezra Prentice and to advocate for a replacement of the Port of Albany road so we can eventually ban truck traffic from Pearl Street. This effort led by Biden-Harris Administration and the EPA in conjunction with SUNY University at Albany and the Albany City School District will help us understand whether our past efforts are still working and identify what additional pollutants - both outdoors and indoors - are present in one of our most historically underserved communities. I applaud President Biden, Vice President Harris, Congressman Tonko, and our state and local partners for engaging in this important project."

“The University at Albany is proud to partner on the EPA’s largest investment for community air monitoring in its history,” said Thenkurussi (Kesh) Kesavadas, UAlbany Vice President for Research & Economic Development. “Air quality is a serious problem that is expected to worsen through climate change. These two projects, led by faculty at our nationally renowned Atmospheric Sciences Research Center and College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering, will play a key role in helping inform policy decisions and protecting vulnerable populations, including those in underserved communities who often experience higher pollution exposure levels.”

"We're excited to be part of this important work that's happening in our community and in the South End in particular," said City School District of Albany Superintendent Joseph Hochreiter. "We're also grateful to the EPA, UAlbany, and our partners in city, state and federal government for their focus on improving air quality for all of us."

In August 2021, Congressman Tonko hosted EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan during a visit to the Capital Regionto highlight a number of key priorities the EPA has championed, including clean water infrastructure and environmental justice. During this tour, the Administrator and Congressman held an environmental justice discussion at Ezra Prentice Homes, where they heard insights from residents and pledged federal action and support for investments in public health protections and pollution reductions in the communities that need them most.

Today’s announcement highlights EPA awards of nearly $500,000 each to two UAlbany projects. The goal of the projects, led by researchers at UAlbany, is to improve air quality and public health across underserved neighborhoods across New York State.

• NY Capital District Communities Air Quality Measurement Network. Working closely with local partners, UAlbany researchers will use low-cost sensors to measure the air quality inside and outside five community schools, such as the Giffen Memorial School, and use a mobile lab to provide accurate measurements. The researchers will analyze the data to estimate people’s exposure to air pollution inside and outside their homes and suggest ways to make the air cleaner and healthier. The project partners are Healthy Schools Network and the City School District of Albany. The project covers five areas: Northeast Albany, South Albany, Northwest Albany, North Troy, and East Schenectady. The air monitors will measure carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone, fine particles and volatile organic compounds.

• Promoting Sustainable Air Quality at Underserved Neighborhoods in New York State. UAlbany researchers will use low-cost sensors to measure the air quality inside and outside people’s homes in underserved neighborhoods in the Capital District, Hudson Valley and Harlem. The researchers will work with community leaders to understand and improve the air quality and public health. The project covers seven areas: South End in Albany, Schenectady, Cohoes, Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, and Harlem in Manhattan. The air monitors will measure black carbon, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, ozone, nitrogen oxides, fine particles, volatile organic compounds, and other air toxics.  

Learn more about these and other winners on EPA’s American Rescue Plan’s Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring Competitive Grant webpage.

Air Monitoring and Air Quality Sensors Grants under the Inflation Reduction Act

The funding EPA announced today is one piece of the overall Inflation Reduction Act approach to improving air monitoring across the country. On Feb. 16, EPA announced the availability of an additional $81 million in funding for eligible air agencies to expand and upgrade the nation’s air quality monitoring networks, as well as approximately $2 million in funding to support state, local, territorial and Tribal agencies in the deployment and operation of air quality sensors in low-income and disadvantaged communities across the United States. Together, these investments will provide critical resources to ensure the sustainability of national air quality monitoring networks, helping protect human health and the environment and ensuring Americans are breathing cleaner air.

EPA encourages eligible entities to apply for funding as soon as possible and no later than April 8, 2024. Details about the application process are available on EPA’s Air Quality and Air Quality Sensors Grants website.

Find out more by visiting EPA’s Air Grants and Funding webpage.  

Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

For further information: Barbara Khan (khan.barbara@epa.gov) 720-595-8698

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Announces Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funds for Cleanup at Tutu Wellfields in St. Thomas, USVI

NEW YORK (February 27, 2024) 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

 EPA Press Office:

EPA Announces Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funds for Cleanups at Three Superfund Sites in New Jersey

NEW YORK (February 27, 2024) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that three New Jersey 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 Jersey Superfund sites included are the Matlack, Inc. site in Woolwich, the Raritan Bay Slag site in Old Bridge Township, and the Roebling Steel site in Florence Township. 

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 Jersey, which has the most Superfund sites in the nation, 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 Jersey 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.”  

“Superfund sites pose serious threats to human health, increasing the risks of cancer, birth defects, and other serious illnesses that fall disproportionately on low-income communities and communities of color,” said Senator Cory Booker. “These cleanup projects will revitalize three Superfund sites in critical need in our state, which has the most Superfund sites in the nation. I’ve championed the cleanup of contaminated sites since I was Mayor of Newark, and I’m proud to work with the Biden-Harris Administration to address contamination and protect our state’s public and environmental health. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering real results by investing in cleaner air, water, and soil for our communities.”

“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 Representative 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.”

“I voted to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law so we could fix the persistent shortcomings in our nation’s infrastructure, including cleanup of hazardous Superfund sites. It is terrific news that this site in Florence Township will now have an influx of critical, federal funding to help complete what has been a decades-long cleanup process. I am proud to see our infrastructure investments continue to come to New Jersey and propel projects like this that desperately need attention. For the health and safety of our communities and environment, we need to continue essential work like this to protect the waterways and ecosystems in and around the Delaware River and across the nation,” said Representative Andy Kim.

“My DEP colleagues and I express our gratitude to the Biden-Harris Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for making these funds available to advance cleanup progress at Superfund sites in Woolwich, Old Bridge and Florence,” said New Jersey Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette. “The President’s Investing In America initiative is really, at its heart, an investment in our communities. With the addition of this round of funding, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has enabled the DEP over the years to leverage more than $80 million in funding on remediation work in other communities across New Jersey, many of which are historically disadvantaged or overburdened. This partnership exemplifies the continued reach of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in bringing positive outcomes to thousands of communities across the nation.”

The Matlack, Inc. site is a 79-acre property along Route 322 in Woolwich, New Jersey. From 1962 to 2001, the site was used for cleaning trucks and tankers that transported various hazardous substances, including flammable and corrosive liquids. The contaminated cleaning solution was put in an unlined lagoon behind the terminal building until 1976. In addition to the lagoon, EPA found contamination was coming from the Drum Disposal Area of the site. Primary contaminants of concern are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including Trichloroethylene (TCE) and Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and various chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs).   

The EPA BIL funding will be used to clean up the Drum Disposal Area of the Matlack site using a thermal treatment technique that will extract contaminant vapors from soil and groundwater. As part of the cleanup, samples will be taken of the soil and groundwater to confirm the treatment worked. This work is estimated to be worth about $30 million. 

The Raritan Bay Slag site is in the Townships of Old Bridge and Sayreville in New Jersey and includes about 1.5 miles of the waterfront of Raritan Bay. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, lead-containing waste slag was deposited along the seawall and jetty sectors of the site. In 2007, elevated concentrations of lead and other metals were identified in soil, water, and sediment. The site is organized into three sectors, which are the Seawall Sector, the Jetty Sector and the Margaret’s Creek Sector. EPA completed a full cleanup of the Margaret’s Creek Sector in September 2018, including restoration of impacted wetland areas. 

The EPA BIL funding will be used to do initial, preparatory and contracting work associated with the Seawall Sector of the Raritan Bay Slag site. The estimated value of this work is $1 million. The future work that the BIL-funded preparation work supports, will include excavation of all source materials and contaminated soil and sediment, sampling and restoration of the areas. 

The 200-acre Roebling Steel Company site, which is next to the Delaware River in Florence Township, New Jersey, was used to manufacture steel products. The site included two inactive sludge lagoons and an abandoned landfill. The soil was contaminated with heavy metals like lead, chromium, and cadmium. The nearby river, creek and wetland sediment were also contaminated with lead, chromium, copper, and hazardous oils and tars. EPA has been cleaning up the site in stages since 1991. EPA has worked to address contaminated structures, soils, sediments, groundwater, and slag contaminated areas across the site. 

In 2022, EPA used BIL funding to monitor groundwater, cap a portion of the site, and decontaminate, demolish, and conduct historic mitigation of remaining buildings on site. The funds announced today will be applied to cap the remaining 100 acres of the site, including a slag area. The cap will include stormwater drainage and an access road for maintenance. EPA will apply approximately $2 million to initiate the new phase of work.  

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.  

24-16

 EPA Press Office:

Biden-Harris Administration announces new cleanup projects in Pennsylvania as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is continuing to boost Superfund cleanup efforts across Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA— 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, including four in Pennsylvania.  

 “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 funding announcement continues EPA’s historic investment in the remediation of our nation’s most contaminated sites,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “As a result, the legacy pollution at five Superfund sites in the mid-Atlantic will be cleaned up, providing public health protection to several communities in Delaware and Pennsylvania.” 

 

“When we clean up toxins and waste in Pennsylvania communities, we’re investing not only in their health and safety, but their economic security and potential,” said U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). “By cleaning up these Superfund sites, the infrastructure law is delivering cleaner air and water to Pennsylvania families and economic opportunity and revitalization throughout the Commonwealth.” 

“Accelerating these cleanups will improve the environment in Pennsylvania and restore economic vitality to the communities where these sites are located,” said Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Interim Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. “The infusion of resources from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will further eliminate the legacy pollution at these sites and make these communities whole, resulting in healthier communities and a better Pennsylvania.”  

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. 

 

Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding announced today, four cleanup projects in Pennsylvania will start. 

• At the Jackson Ceramix, Inc. site in Jefferson County, funds will go towards the excavation and disposal of soil and sediment contaminated with lead. The contamination is from past industrial and manufacturing activities at the site. After the excavation, there will be a site-wide wetland restoration. 

• At the Salford Quarry site in Montgomery County, EPA will be working to contain buried waste that has historically impacted groundwater using a perimeter wall below the surface and an impermeable cap.  

• At the Valmont TCE site in Luzerne County, funds will be used for thermal remediation to remove contamination from below the ground surface using heat. The chemicals will be collected as vapors and then destroyed. 

• At the Baghurst Drive site in Montgomery County, funding will be used to conduct remediation of contaminated groundwater. The cleanup technology will heat up the soil and bedrock to a temperature that will volatilize and capture contaminants. This will remove the source of contamination to groundwater and be the first step in restoring groundwater to drinking water conditions. 

•  

In addition to the new cleanups announced, today’s investment supports continued construction at a number of Superfund sites across Pennsylvania.  

• At the Crossley Farm Superfund site in Berks County, funds are enhancing groundwater treatment. The funding involves pumping contaminated groundwater to a treatment plant on the site, and improvements to the current plant. The water that will be treated is from a highly contaminated area known as the source area.   

• At the North Penn Area 6 site in Montgomery County, initial BIL funding was used to complete excavation and disposal of contaminated soil, place new clean backfill, and restore the JW Rex property in just over 1 year.  The continued clean-up work at the JW Rex property will help to accelerate the total remediation efforts at the North Penn Area 6 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. 

 

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. 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 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. 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.  

 

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.  

 

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