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EPA Updates Its National Priorities List of Superfund Sites – One Proposed in Texas

Release Date: 10/19/2010
Contact Information: Dave Bary or Joe Hubbard at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

(Dallas, Texas – October 19, 2010) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) today announced the West County Road 112 Ground Water site near Midland, Texas, has been proposed to the National Priorities List (NPL) of Superfund sites.

The West County Road 112 Ground Water site is a ground water plume of chromium/hexavalent chromium located in a rural area of Midland County immediately to the southwest of the city limits of Midland. The site was identified in April 2009 by a local resident who asked TCEQ to test his private well due to yellow discoloration. Sampling of this well revealed the presence of hexavalent chromium. To date, approximately 234 water wells have been sampled by TCEQ and 46 water wells have concentrations of total chromium above safe levels, and TCEQ has installed water filtration systems at those homes.

“Adding this site to the Superfund list makes federal money available, allowing EPA and TCEQ to achieve our primary goal of protecting public health and the environment,” said EPA Regional Administrator Al Armendariz. “Working together we will clean up this site quickly.”

Until the source of the contamination has been identified and controlled, the ground water plume will continue to contaminate additional private and public water wells. The drinking water wells in the contaminated aquifer are the only source of water for these residents who have been drinking the water and using it for other consumptive purposes.

Other sites proposed to the national cleanup list include the following: Armstrong World Industries, Macon, Georgia; Dwyer Property Ground Water Plume, Elkton, Maryland; Washington County Lead District, Caledonia, Missouri; Horton Iron and Metal, Wilmington, North Carolina; Mansfield Trail Dump, Bryam Township, New Jersey; Milford Contaminated Aquifer, Milford, Ohio; Cabo Rojo Ground Water Contamination, Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico; and Hormigas Ground Water Plume, Caguas, Puerto Rico.

More information on the Superfund National Priorities List is available at: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/current.htm

More about activities in EPA Region 6: https://www.epa.gov/region6

EPA audio file is available at https://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/podcast/oct2010.html