Peoples Natural Gas Superfund Site
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UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION VII
901 NORTH 5TH STREET
KANSAS CITY, KANSAS 66101
Dear Interested Citizen,
Enclosed, please find a Fact Sheet that gives an update on the Peoples Natural Gas Superfund
Site in Dubuque, Iowa. The u.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EP A) is conducting the
second Five-Year Review at this site to determine remedy protectiveness.
If you have questions about this site or any other EP A activities, please contact:
Beckie Himes
Community Involvement Coordinator
U.S. EPA - Region 7
901 North 5th Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66101
(913) 551-7003 or toll-free @ 1-800-223-0425
himes.beckie(Q),epa.gov
Enclosure
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Region 7
Iowa
Kansas
Missouri
Nebraska
Fact Sheet
January 2005
Five-Year Review To Beain
Peoples Natural Gas Superfund Site, DuDuque, Iowa
Introduction
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The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) conducts regular five-year
reviews on Superfund sites where
cleanups have been conducted. These
reviews are required by the Superfund
law [42 U.S.C. § 9521 (c)]. EPA Region 7
has started the second five-year review of
the Peoples Natural Gas site in Dubuque,
Dubuque County, Iowa.
Site Background
The site is the location of a former coal
gasification plant which manufactured gas
from approximately the 1930s to 1954.
Production ceased when natural gas was
introduced to the community. During the
operation of the plant, waste products,
such as coal tar were generated and
disposed at the site. The coal tar
contained several hazardous substances
that contaminated the soil and
groundwater at the site. Volatile organic
compounds, such as benzene, and
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
were present in the soil and groundwater
at levels that could harm people if they
were to come into contact with them.
The site occupies approximately five
acres and is located between East 11th
Street and Kerper Boulevard,
approximately one-fourth mile east of
downtown Dubuque in an industrial area
near the Mississippi River. The city of
Dubuque owns the eastern portion of the
site and operates a public works garage
on the property. Highway 51 was
constructed on the western portion of the
site after contaminated soil was removed
and treated off site.
Following the completion of a remedial
investigation and feasibility study, and an
opportunity for public comment on the
proposed remedy for the site, the EPA
presented the selected remedy in a
Record of Decision (ROD). The selected
remedy included the following actions:
excavation and treatment of
contaminated soil and coal tar;
extraction and treatment of
contaminated groundwater in the silty
sand and alluvial aquifers; and
in-situ bioremediation of contaminated
soil and groundwater;
During the design of the groundwater
extraction and treatment system, it was
determined that extracting water from the
deeper of the two aquifers (the alluvial
aquifer) would result in contamination
being pulled down from the more heavily
contaminated silty sand aquifer. The
ROD was modified, through an
Explanation of Significant Differences, to
provide for monitoring, rather than
extraction, of groundwater from the
alluvial aquifer.
In December 1992, a Consent Decree
was finalized with Midwest Gas (currently
known as MidAmerican Energy
Company), Enron Corporation, the city of
Dubuque, and the Iowa Department of
Transportation. They agreed to design
and perform the site cleanup.
MidAmerican Energy has conducted the
work at the site. Excavation and
treatment of contaminated soil and coal
tar was completed in 1998. Extraction
and treatment of groundwater began in
1996. The system was shut down in 2003
due to probiems with the operation of the
system. Studies are underway to
determine the best approach for dealing
. with the contaminated groundwater. The
in-situ bioremediation system operated
from October 2000 through October 2002.
Periodic monitoring of groundwater in the
silty sand and alluvial aquifers continues.
Five-Year Review
The first five-year review was conducted
in 2000. The site was found to be
protective of human health and the
environment.
During this five-year review, the EPA will
inspect the site and study site information
to determine whether the remedy
continues to be protective. We
encourage the community to tell us about
site conditions or any concerns.
At the end of the review, a final report will
be prepared and will be available in the
site information repositories. The goal is
to complete the review and report by
March 2005.
Additional Information
Detailed site information is available at
the following locations:
EPA Records Center
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, Kansas
Carnegie-Stout Public Library
11th and Bluff
Dubuque, iowa
If you have questions or need more
information on the Peoples Natural Gas
Superfund site or the five-year review
process, please contact:
Beckie Himes
Community Involvement Coordinator
U.S. EPA Region 7
901 North 5th Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
(913) 551-7003
Toll Free: (800) 223-0425
E-mail: himes.beckie(ã)eDa.aov
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