News Releases from Region 04
EPA Proposes Additional $30 Million Cleanup at the Koppers Superfund Site in Charleston, S.C, to Pave Way for Mixed-Use Development
A public meeting will be held on September 28, 2017, and public comments are sought through October 17, 2017
ATLANTA (September 18, 2017) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a plan to conduct additional cleanup at the Koppers Superfund Site in Charleston, S.C. EPA will hold a public meeting to present the proposed plan and answer questions on Thursday, September 28, 2017 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the International Longshoremen’s Association, 1142 Morrison Drive in Charleston. EPA is also soliciting public comments on the plan for 30-days ending on October 17, 2017.
EPA’s proposed cleanup plan presents an amendment to the original remedy, including an estimated $30 million in additional cleanup work on the Koppers site that will be implemented by a consortium of developers under EPA oversight. This additional cleanup work will facilitate the redevelopment of the Koppers site into a new mixed-use community that includes residential and other uses.
The proposed plan identifies changes to the original cleanup that was largely completed in 2003 to be protective under a future commercial/industrial land-use scenario. The Koppers site is a key component of a larger 200+ acre assemblage that the City of Charleston has zoned for a mixed-use brownfield redevelopment project, known as “Magnolia,” that includes commercial/retail use, office use, residential use, hotel use, and civic and park space.
The additional cleanup work under the Proposed Plan involves:
- In-Situ Stabilization and Solidification of creosote in the subsurface of the Old Impoundment Area instead of the ongoing recovery system;
- Installation of a more permanent soil exposure cover to support a change in land use; and
- Replacement of existing drainage ditches with a subterranean storm sewer system consistent with future use.
The proposed plan is posted online at: https://semspub.epa.gov/work/04/11069917.pdf.
The proposed plan and other site-related documents are also available for review at the information repository located in the Charleston County Public Library, 68 Calhoun Street in Charleston.
Written comments may be e-mailed to zeller.craig@epa.gov or mailed to: Craig Zeller, U.S. EPA Region 4, Superfund Division - 11th Floor, 61 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta, GA.
After considering all information received during the public comment period, EPA will consult with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and publish its final plan in a Record of Decision document.
The 102-acre Koppers site is located in the “neck” area of Charleston amid industrial, commercial and residential properties. From 1940 to 1978, Koppers operated a wood-treating facility on approximately 45-acres generally bounded by Milford Street on the north, Braswell Street on the south, the Ashley River on the west and the King Street Extension on the east. The remaining 57-acre portion of the site, located south of Braswell Street, was owned by Ashepoo Phosphate/Fertilizer Works. EPA incorporated these 57-acres into the Koppers Site boundary to investigate historical waste disposal practices and environmental impacts.
More information about the Koppers Superfund Site: www.epa.gov/superfund/koppers-charleston-plant
More information about in-situ stabilization and solidification: https://clu-in.org/download/Citizens/a_citizens_guide_to_solidification_and_stabilization.pdf
Connect with EPA Region 4 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion4
And on Twitter: @EPASoutheast
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