Contact: Sam Brungardt, 651-757-2249
St. Paul, Minn. -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is requesting public comment on two proposed deletions from Minnesota’s State Superfund Priority List (also known as the Permanent List of Priorities, or PLP). The agency’s proposal to amend its list of Superfund sites was published in the “State Register” on June 1, 2010. (See page 1699 at http://www.comm.media.state.mn.us/bookstore/stateregister/34_48.pdf.)
The sites that the MPCA proposes to delete from its list of Superfund sites are DuFours’ Cleaners in Northfield and the Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)/Highway 280 site in Minneapolis. The MPCA has determined that all necessary cleanup actions have been completed at these sites, and they no longer pose a threat to public health or welfare or to the environment.
The DuFours’ Cleaners Site in Northfield was added to the PLP in September 2000. Volatile organic compounds from the dry cleaning facility had contaminated the groundwater, and this contamination was migrating off site and impacting the Cannon River. The MPCA removed underground storage tanks that had leaked the dry cleaning solvents that were used on site, thus removing the source of the groundwater contamination. A soil vapor extraction system was installed to remove the VOCs that remained in the soil at the site. Groundwater and soil vapor monitoring has shown that the levels of contaminants have been reduced to below MPCA cleanup criteria. Institutional controls are in place to restrict access to soils and groundwater on site.
At the ADM/Highway 280 site, buried drums containing linseed oil waste, known as “foots material,” were discovered. Some drums also contained polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated material. The site was added to the PLP in June 1992. Over 1,000 drums, about 20,000 cubic yards of foots material and more than 2,500 tons of contaminated soil were removed from the site. The area was then capped with an approved soil cover, with institutional controls in place to restrict access to the excavation areas. Working with staff from the MPCA’s Voluntary Investigation and Cleanup Program, CSM Investors redeveloped the site. A special well construction area in this portion of Minneapolis and St. Paul ensures that contaminated groundwater from the site will not be used for drinking water.
The MPCA invites the public to submit written comments on these proposed changes to Minnesota’s State Superfund Priority List. Written comments must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. on June 30, 2010. They should be sent to Gary Krueger, Remediation Division, MPCA, 520 Lafayette Road N., Saint Paul, MN 55155-4194.
Anyone may submit a petition to the MPCA Commissioner requesting that the agency’s Citizens’ Board either accept or amend the proposed changes to the Superfund List. Petitions must be received by Gary Krueger by 4:30 p.m. on June 30, 2010. Persons who have questions about the process may call Krueger at 651-757-2509.
