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Louisiana industrial sites declared ‘Ready for Reuse’

Release Date: 01/24/2007
Contact Information: Dave Bary or Tressa Tillman at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

(Dallas, Texas – January 24, 2007) Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) issued “ready for reuse” determinations to two Louisiana facilities, CS Metals of Louisiana, LLC, and Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc.

The “ready for reuse” determinations verify that environmental conditions at the properties are protective of human health and the environment for their current and future commercial and industrial uses.

“EPA and LDEQ are committed to turning problem properties back into community and economic assets,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene said. “Cleaning up past contamination clears the way so that businesses and neighborhoods can make the most of future opportunities.”

A “ready for reuse” determination provides, in a straightforward manner, specific information about a site, including the nature and extent of contamination, the cleanup work performed, and the status of the property with respect to federal and state requirements.

The LDEQ has championed the “ready for reuse” determination as a vehicle to encourage prompt, protective cleanup and reuse of previously contaminated sites. “It is an honor to add these two companies to the growing list of other facilities in Louisiana that have successfully participated in and completed this joint state and federal Ready for Reuse Program,” said LDEQ Deputy Secretary Karen Gautreaux. “We have made the Ready for Reuse Program an integral part of our remediation process to achieve productive economic and environmental benefits. Louisiana and DEQ are leaders in this innovative program. Today is an example of why. We are recognizing two local companies that have, by their cooperation and participation with DEQ and EPA, given old industrial sites new life under the land revitalization program.”

CS Metals of Louisiana, LLC, formerly operated a 52-acre metals recovery facility in Convent, La. The facility was used to recover elemental metals from used catalyst from the refining and petrochemical industries. The facility ceased operations in 2004. In October 2006, CS Metals completed an accelerated closure and cleanup effort for the facility under LDEQ’s Voluntary Remediation Program. The property will soon be transferred to its former owner, Occidental Chemical Corporation, for continued industrial use.

Syngenta Crop Protection’s St. Gabriel, La., facility manufactures and formulates pesticides and specialty chemicals. “Ready for reuse” determinations were issued for two parcels on the facility where former effluent impoundments were located. Syngenta successfully completed closure and post-closure activities on these parcels and constructed a calcium chloride production facility on one of them via a joint venture with EcoProducts Solutions, Inc. The new facility is designed to convert approximately 230,000 tons per year of former hazardous waste to a high demand petroleum production product, and eliminates the discharge of calcium chloride to the Mississippi River from Syngenta’s permitted wastewater treatment system.

“The Ready for Reuse Program provided CS Metals the means to accelerate closure activities for the facility and demonstrate that the property was ready for future industrial use,” said Kenneth Massett, prior site manager for CS Metals’ closed Convent facility. “The accelerated closure of the facility was necessary to meet contractual requirements for the sale of the property and to limit CS Metals’ future environmental liabilities. The Ready for Reuse Program made it possible to successfully close the facility and sell the property within two years of ceasing operations.”

“This land revitalization and waste minimization achievement is just one of the many pollution prevention and waste minimization initiatives developed at the site over the years,” said Syngenta plant manager Ralph Caddell. “We are proud of our commitment to protect the environment. This recognition demonstrates that commitment to the community we live and work in.”

More information on the “ready for reuse” determinations for CS Metals and Syngenta is available at www.epa.gov/region6/ready4reuse/index.htm or www.deq.louisiana.gov/portal/tabid/129/Default.aspx.

To learn more about activities in EPA Region 6, please visit www.epa.gov/region6.