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EPA to Host Annual Meeting: Kerr-McGee Chemical (Columbus) Superfund Site Update

Release Date: 10/25/2011
Contact Information: James Pinkney, (404) 562-9183, pinkney.james@epa.gov

“Now is the ideal time to provide those with a vested interest in the Superfund process with an overview of what we’ve been doing on the community’s behalf since last year’s, public meeting. We also want to talk about the steps ahead and our desire to partner with community members in our decision-making,” said Tonya Whitsett, the site’s community involvement coordinator.

The community meeting will be held on Thursday, October 27, 2011 at the Columbus Municipal Complex (Courtroom), 1501 Main Street, Columbus, MS, from 6:30 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.

Following opening remarks, a public signing ceremony to commemorate the collaborative efforts of the Region 4 Superfund Division, the City of Columbus and the Memphis Town Community Action Group (CAG) to partner in the development of youth leadership. Additionally, the agenda includes a report by the CAG, which serves as a representative body of the community, a Removal Program action overview and a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS, defined below) presentation. The meeting will conclude with a question and answer session.

The Kerr-McGee Chemical (Columbus) Site is comprised of approximately 90 acres, and is located at 2300 North 14^th Avenue in Columbus, Miss. The facility was operational from approximately 1928 to 2003. While operational, Kerr-McGee manufactured pressure-treated railroad products such as wooden cross ties, switch ties, and timbers. The production processes at the site utilized creosote and creosote coal tar solutions to produce pressure-treated wood products. The facility also used pentachlorophenol (PCP) for wood-treating from the 1950s until the mid-1970s.

This meeting honors a commitment to keep the members of the community impacted by the Kerr-McGee Chemical (Columbus) Superfund Site informed. Former, current and future Superfund actions regarding the site do not pertain, in any way, to ongoing or future litigation/legal action related to former site activities. To obtain additional information about the site, the community meeting or the Superfund process, please contact Community Involvement Coordinator Tonya Whitsett, toll-free at (877) 718-3752.