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EPA Proposes Two Texas Sites to Federal Cleanup Priorities List

Release Date: 09/26/2006
Contact Information: Dave Bary or Tressa Tillman at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

(Dallas, Texas – September 26, 2006) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes to add two Texas sites to the federal Superfund National Priorities List (NPL), EPA and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) announced today. Bandera Road Ground Water Plume in Leon Valley and East 67th Street Ground Water Plume in Odessa are the two sites being considered.

“Adding these two sites to the NPL makes federal resources available to help protect the drinking water sources for thousands of Texans,” EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene said.

"The EPA and TCEQ work together on this important program so that these contaminated sites can be remediated as quickly as possible," TCEQ Chairman Kathleen Hartnett White said.

The Bandera Road site is being proposed to the NPL because of the presence of tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) in concentrations above safe drinking water maximum contamination levels within the Edwards Aquifer. The East 67th Street site is being proposed to the NPL because of the presence of PCE, TCE, and cis 1, 2-dichloroethene (cis 1, 2 DCE) in concentrations above safe drinking water maximum contamination levels in public and private drinking water wells. The source of contamination at the respective sites has not yet been identified.

The EPA Superfund program works closely with State agencies to clean and restore uncontrolled contaminated properties.

EPA will seek public comments for 60 days on adding the two sites to the NPL. Comments will be considered as the Agency completes the final decision process. During the public comment period, EPA will continue to develop cleanup plans so that actual work may begin as quickly after NPL listing as possible.

The public comment period will end on November 26, 2006. More information is available on the EPA Web site at epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/index.htm.