Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Media Contact: Barbara Skoglund, (651) 296-5965 Technical Contact: Gary Krueger, (651) 296-6139 SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) are proposing to update the State Superfund Priority List of releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants. The public may comment on the proposed changes through June 30, 2006. The State Superfund List includes contaminated sites that threaten or potentially threaten public health and the environment. The list is updated as new sites are added or old ones are cleaned up. The MPCA proposes adding five sites and the MDA proposes deleting one. If the proposed changes are approved, 78 sites will be on the State Superfund List. The MPCA proposes the addition of the following five sites: Edina Well Field Site (Hennepin County): The city of Edina detected elevated levels of vinyl chloride in a municipal well in 2004. Preliminary investigations found vinyl chloride, trichloroethene, perchloroethene and cis-dichloroethene in nearby ground water. While Edina has discontinued use of the contaminated well, ground water flow could lead to a larger regional problem. Additional investigation and potential cleanup is needed. Rochester Ground Water Plume (Olmsted County): Tetrachlorethene or perchloroethene, also known as PCE, is in ground water beneath the Masonic Lodge and several businesses at 2002 Second St. S.W. in Rochester. The site formerly contained a dry cleaning facility. There are elevated levels of contaminants in the soil and groundwater and a PCE plume is moving in the direction of a municipal well. The site needs further investigation and potential selection of an appropriate cleanup to prevent contamination of the municipal well. Minnesota Valley Landfill, city of Savage (Scott County): Many organic and inorganic contaminants have been found in the soil, waste and ground water beneath this former dump. It is likely that the contaminated ground water discharges to the Minnesota River. The site needs further investigation and potential cleanup. Hibbing Gas Manufacturing Site (St. Louis County): The soils and ground water at the intersection of Highway 169 and First Avenue in Hibbing are contaminated with coal tar, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), cyanide and other metals. While no buildings remain, a former plant at the site manufactured different gases between 1918 and 1969. The city of Hibbing has asked the state to take over investigation and clean up of the area as it is reaching the required municipal spending cap. Additional investigation and focused feasibility studies are needed to determine the best appropriate remedial action for the site. Esko Ground Water Plume (Carlton County): The shallow ground water beneath the Esko Post Office and surrounding parking lots is contaminated with tetrachloroethene. Nearby drinking wells are contaminated as well. The contamination is moving through the ground water off the site and is spreading deeper into the underlying aquifer. Esko has no public water supply and the community depends on private wells. Additional investigation is needed to determine the most appropriate remedial action for the site. The MDA proposes deletion of the Castle Rock Ground Water Contamination Site (Dakota County) from the State Superfund List: Testing in 1981 identified two residential wells were contaminated with herbicides. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency conducted a limited study in 1987 of the Castle Rock community and the Farmers Mill and Elevator and the Castle Chemical Co. In 1989, MDA staff began investigating the extent of residential well contamination, and the site was added to the State Superfund List in 1990. Five residential wells were replaced in 1994 and contaminated soil and ground water was removed between 1992 and 2004. No further actions are required because MDA staff have determined that the site no longer poses a threat to human health, welfare or the environment. If a responsible party cannot be identified or is unable or unwilling to take appropriate action, listed projects are eligible for funding from the State Environmental Fund for investigation, and selection and implementation of cleanup activities. Funding sources include taxes, waste disposal fees, penalties and monies recovered from responsible parties. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maintains the Federal Superfund List, also known as the National Priorities List. Generally, sites listed on the national list are larger and more complex and pose greater potential risks to human health and the environment than sites listed only on the State Superfund List. Citizens may contact Gary Krueger at the MPCA, (651) 296-6139 or (800) 657-3864, for more information. Written comments on the proposed MPCA additions must be received by Gary Krueger, MPCA, 520 Lafayette Road N., Saint Paul, MN 55155-4194 before 4:30 p.m., June 30, 2006. Written comments on the proposed MDA deletion should be submitted to Robert Anderson, Incident Response Unit, Pesticide and Fertilizer Management Division, MDA, 625 Robert St. N., Saint Paul, MN 55155-2538.