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Recovery Act Funding Accelerates Cleanup, Boosts Economy, Creates Jobs and Helps Protect Human Health at Escambia Treating Company Superfund Site $2.5 million in Recovery Act funds added to cleanup at Escambia Superfund site; Last of Mount Dioxin removed from site

Release Date: 07/08/2009
Contact Information: Davina Marraccini, 404-562-8293, marraccini.davina@epa.gov

(ATLANTA – July 8, 2009) At a ceremony today in Pensacola, Fl., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $2.5 million in new funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) for the Escambia Treating Company Superfund site. The money is helping accelerate the hazardous waste cleanup already underway at the site. It will also jumpstart the local economy by creating jobs in the Pensacola area. This Recovery Act funding is part of the $600 million that Congress appropriated to the Federal Superfund remedial program.

“Today marks an important milestone in the Escambia Superfund site cleanup as we are removing the last of the contaminated soil stockpile known as Mount Dioxin,” said Stan Meiburg, EPA Region 4 Acting Regional Administrator. “The Recovery Act funding has helped speed up the removal of harmful pollutants in this community and will create green jobs and investments.”

“The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has partnered with EPA on this project to ensure that public health and Florida’s natural resources are protected,” said Mary Jean Yon, Director of DEP’s Division of Waste Management. "We are happy to see the progress that has been made to clean up Escambia Treating and look forward to seeing this site be placed back into productive use."

During the ceremony, the last of the dioxin-contaminated soil stockpiled on site was removed and placed in a secure containment cell. ARRA funding will accelerate the ongoing cleanup of off-site properties and more quickly eliminate human exposure to contaminants. By accelerating the cleanup and construction schedule, ARRA funding will make the site available for redevelopment earlier. The county and city are planning to create an industrial park at the site which is expected to support 1,714 new jobs in the area.

The Federal Superfund program was created in 1980 to clean up uncontrolled hazardous waste sites that pose unacceptable risks to human health and the environment. Superfund sites are often found in industrial areas hardest hit by the recession. Superfund cleanups are major construction projects which employ thousands of workers nationwide. The Superfund program is implementing new or expanded cleanup actions at 50 sites around the country and since it began, the program has completed construction of remedies at more than 1,060 of the 1,596 sites on its National Priorities List.

By starting or speeding up cleanup at Superfund sites, Recovery Act funding is also increasing the speed with which these sites are returned to productive use. When the Escambia Superfund site is redeveloped, it will offer significant economic benefits to the local community, including future job creation.

President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on Feb. 17, 2009 and has directed the Recovery Act be implemented with unprecedented transparency and accountability. To that end, the American people can see how every dollar is being invested at www.Recovery.gov.

For more information on the Escambia Treating Company Superfund site, please visit: www.etccleanup.org

For more information on the Superfund program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund