Mattheissen & Hegeler Superfund Site COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN

October 2016 Contents

Section 1 INTRODUCTION...... 1

Section 2 COMMUNITY CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS...... 3

Section 3 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT GOALS AND ACTIVITIES...... 5

Section 4 THE COMMUNITY...... 11

Section 5 THE SITE...... 17

APPENDICES Appendix A – Glossary – Initials – Acronyms: Lists the definition of key words, initials and acronyms (words are in bold throughout the document). Appendix B – Community Resources: Identifies places where community members can find more information about the site and the public meeting location recommended by people interviewed. Appendix C – List of Contacts: Provides a list of federal, state, and local agencies and interested groups. Appendix D – Community Engagement and the Superfund Process: Gives an overview of the step-by-step process U.S. EPA follows to determine the best way to clean up a contaminated site and opportunities for community involvement throughout the process. Appendix E – Fact Sheets: Includes U.S. EPA fact sheets.

i Section 1 INTRODUCTION This section describes the purpose of this CIP and present’s U.S. EPA’ community WHAT IS A CIP? outreach goals. A Community Involvement Plan, or CIP is a The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency prepared “living” document that will evolve as activities at this Revised Community Involvement Plan to inform, the site continue and input is received from the engage and support the community affected by the community. The CIP identifies the community’s Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Company Superfund site issues, needs, and concerns, as well as specific located in the city of LaSalle, LaSalle County, Ill. This activities, outreach products, and programs EPA revised plan is an update of the 2005 CIP for the M&H will use to address the community’s concerns. Superfund site. It is a flexible guide for EPA’s communications with community residents, businesses and The original CIP developed in 2005 noted the following organizations. primary concerns:

• What are the contaminants at the site This updated CIP describes U.S. EPA’s plan for addressing • Could the contaminants be in the air concerns and keeping residents informed and involved in cleanup activities at the site. We will use this • What is the potential effect of the contamination on document as a guide to involve and communicate with the Little Vermilion and Illinois rivers residents, businesses and local government officials in • Potential impact on the fish in the rivers LaSalle and Peru.

• Will slag remaining on the site If you are interested in submitting comments or have questions or suggestions concerning the CIP, please • Lack of communication contact:

• What, if any, impact does the site have on drinking Teresa Jones water, gardens and property values Community Involvement Coordinator U.S. EPA Region 5 (SI-7J) Our community involvement effort is committed to 77 W. Jackson Blvd. promoting effective and meaningful communication Chicago, IL 60604-3507 between the public and the Agency. We always want 312-886-0725 to make sure the community’s current concerns and [email protected] information needs are taken into account. Effective community involvement can be beneficial to both the community and the Agency. It gives community members a better understanding of the Superfund The role of the CIC is to make sure the community process and provides opportunities for the public to is meaningfully engaged in site activities. be heard during the decision-making process. When the public is involved it results in a better outcome for everyone. Words appearing in boldface are defined in Appendix A.

1 Brief Site Overview The 227-acre M&H Zinc site of La Salle and Peru Illinois. the site that contain metals such as cadmium, copper, A primary zinc smelting and rolling facility operated on chromium, lead, nickel and zinc. Contamination from the site from 1858 to 1978. Former smelting and rolling the former smelting processes have also been found in processes produced pollution that remains on site. samples collected from the surrounding residential area. Environmental concerns include slag waste piles across See Section 5, The Site, for more detailed information. Community Engagement is Essential to the Success of Superfund Ongoing input and involvement by the community is of a cleanup. Information can help identify any problems essential to our efforts to provide effective community associated with the cleanup, where contamination engagement. We have learned that the Agency’s might still remain and how people may still be exposed decision-making ability is enhanced by actively seeking to the contamination and perhaps sources of the input and information from the community. EPA contamination. encourages community members to be involved at all phases of the cleanup. Residents, business owners and local government officials may be able to provide valuable information about a site and the effectiveness

EPA’s community outreach program objectives • Assist the public in understanding EPA’s Superfund regulations and the community’s role in the cleanup process. • Give the public accurate and understandable information in a timely manner and an accessible fashion. • Ensure adequate time and opportunity for public input and for that input to be considered in EPA’s decision making process. • Respect and fully consider public input.

2 Section 2 COMMUNITY CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS This section summarizes what community members are concerned about, the questions they asked and what they told U.S. EPA. Community Issues and Concerns U.S. EPA held a public meeting in October 2015 to to sample yards. A question was also asked if U.S. EPA discuss and present cleanup alternatives for the site. intended to test every residence in LaSalle, Ill. Based on comments from residents that there was not enough notice given about the meeting and that other Residents also want to make sure the parks, play areas, people would have attended, U.S. EPA held a second schools, community gardens and other properties are public meeting in December 2015. Some of the same being sampled and will be cleaned up if needed. “You concerns expressed in 2004 were discussed in 2015 such have to sample everything.” as what contaminants are at the site, health concerns, airborne dust, property values, the slag pile and Gardens and vegetables gardening. Concerns raised during the 2015 meetings Many people expressed concern about eating vegetables are summarized below. from their gardens and wanted to know if it was safe. Airborne dust Complex sites like this one are often broken down Concern was expressed about contaminated dust being into smaller, manageable sections called operable released when digging up the contaminated soil. units, or OUs. Property values People said they were concerned about their property Site contaminants values and being associated with a Superfund site. It was Residents wanted to know more information about the stated that all sampling should be done before creating risks of the contaminants at the site, specifically lead the perception that all residents in the area are part of and arsenic. People asked how high the lead and arsenic the Superfund site. A realtor asked what his liability was levels have to be before you take immediate action since for disclosure of contamination at homes in the area. there are 50 out of the 185 homes already above the level. Information needs Several people stated that they needed more Site boundary information about the site, specifically sampling results, Several people asked if there is a definite site boundary site boundaries and the cost of the project before they established for the residential area. They wanted to know could make an informed decision about cleanup options. how far north, west, south and east U.S. EPA was going

Note to readers: Please be cautioned that the statements made and the opinions and concerns expressed during the public meetings and summarized in this section may not be factually correct or based on valid information.

3 A worker sprays water on a building to help reduce the dust from demolition at the Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc site. Health concerns Community outreach A few people stated that there is a large instance of Residents said some people did not get the information multiple sclerosis, or MS, and cancer in the area and about the public meetings, specifically neighbors on the wanted to know if it could be from the site. One woman north side of LaSalle in the wooded area. said her father-in-law and husband used to work at Carus Chemical Company. Her father-in-law died from cancer. Her dog had cancer from pesticides. She wondered if this cancer has come from the site. Another resident said that the type of cancer is a specific cancer called melanoma tumor, it’s behind the eye. Cleveland Clinic says it’s one in a million and she knows of two people and Dr. Pode knows of seven that have it. Her dad was one that died from it and he worked at M&H for 32 years. Worker protection A resident expressed concern over worker protection and asked if there are protocols for this level of exposure to city workers and construction workers. What happens if they are digging a foundation for a house in a highly contaminated area. Are you testing everywhere? What happens if you miss a spot and you go away and someone is digging in contaminated dirt?

4 Section 3 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT GOALS AND ACTIVITIES This section highlights U.S. EPA’s goals, activities and timeline for conducting site-specific activities to keep residents and local officials informed and involved. It also provides a history of community involvement activities at the site. When establishing the objectives for a site-specific • Engage and collaborate with LaSalle and Peru city community involvement program, we consider officials and community leaders. several factors, including federal requirements that assess the nature and extent of known or perceived site • Monitor citizen interest in the Site and respond contaminants and known community concerns and accordingly. requests. • Keep the community well informed of ongoing and To be effective, our community involvement program is planned site activities. designed to meet the community’s need to know, give • Explain technical site activities and findings in an information in a timely manner and accommodate the understandable format for residents. community’s interests and its willingness to participate in decision-making processes. We must also share • Get public input on key decisions. information in non-technical language the public can understand. • Modify planned activities, when necessary and appropriate, based on community input. To meet the needs of the community and to respond to information obtained from community interviews • Regularly update U.S. EPA’s website to provide useful conducted in August 2004 and the 2015 public information for the community. meetings, U.S. EPA has established the objectives • Hold public meetings at locations that are accessible outlined below for our community involvement efforts. by all residents of the community. We will update and revise these objectives as necessary following additional community interviews and input. Specific Community Involvement Activities U.S. EPA will continue to implement or will begin questions about the site. For technical site issues, Ms. to implement the activities described below to Jones coordinates with U.S. EPA’s remedial project meaningfully and actively engage the community as manager for the site, Demaree Collier. cleanup progresses at the Site. Through these activities, it is our goal to inform, involve and engage the community U.S. EPA will include current contact information on during site cleanup decisions and efforts. As the needs of all written and electronic information and will notify the community changes, we will modify the community the community of any contact information changes. involvement strategies to address those changes. • Establish a toll-free number for residents to ask • Maintain point of contact. Teresa Jones is the questions and receive information. Ms. Jones (ext. primary liaison between U.S. EPA and the LaSalle and 60725) and Ms. Collier (ext. 60214) are located in the Peru communities. Ms. Jones serves as the point of Chicago office and can be reached using the toll- contact for community members and fields general free number listed on page 6. Ask for them by name

5 officials and to add new people interested in site activities. The EPA has designated two people as primary site contacts for local residents: U.S. EPA uses the site mailing list to distribute written information such as fact sheets and meeting Teresa Jones notifications. This is a way to ensure that those Community Involvement Coordinator who do not have access to the Internet or other 312-886-0725 information sources still have a way to receive [email protected] information directly about the site and are notified Demaree Collier about important meetings. The mailing list is for U.S. Remedial Project Manager EPA use only and is not shared with outside entities. 312-886-0214 If a community member is interested in being placed [email protected] on the mailing list they can contact Teresa Jones, CIC.

They can also be reached weekdays toll-free at • Prepare and distribute fact sheets and site 800-621-8431 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. updates. U.S. EPA will prepare fact sheets, letters and site updates summarizing current information about the site and describing upcoming activities. We will or use the telephone extensions listed above. You distribute these fact sheets, letters and updates can call this number as questions or concerns arise to those on the site mailing and e-mail lists. These instead of waiting for a public meeting or to receive documents are written in non-technical language written information. We provide this toll-free number and typically done to coincide with important site periodically in local newspaper advertisements and activities. include it in all fact sheets and all other U.S. EPA U.S. EPA uses these types of documents to give the communications with the public. community detailed information in a relatively quick, • Maintain communication with local officials, simple and easy-to-understand manner. In addition agencies and community residents. U.S. EPA to being shared with individuals on the site mailing interviewed local officials from the city of LaSalle. list, fact sheets and site updates are also placed in They indicated they would like to be contacted with the information repository and posted on U.S. EPA’s updated site information on a periodic basis so that website: www.epa.gov/superfund/matthiessen- they can update their constituents. We will continue hegeler-zinc. to share information with local officials throughout • Establish and maintain a site-specific information the remainder of the cleanup process. repository. U.S. EPA has set up a local information • Share site information on the Internet. We repository for the site at the following location: will share information on site activities and past LaSalle Public Library communications on the following U.S. EPA website. 305 Marquette St. The website will be updated as events occur: www. LaSalle, IL 61301 epa.gov/superfund/matthiessen-hegeler-zinc. 815-223-2341 • Update and maintain the site mailing list. U.S. • The repository is a reference collection of site EPA has established a mailing list of local residents, information available to the public for reading and organizations, businesses and officials for the site. photocopying. Documents include fact sheets, This list will be used for mailing fact sheets, site technical reports, the CIP, general Superfund updates, invitations to public meetings and events information and other documents. We add new and other site-related information mailed to the documents about the site as the documents become community. We will update the list regularly to available. Information repositories give residents reflect address changes and changes in elected local access to site information in forms that can

6 be easily read and photocopied for future use. News releases allow U.S. EPA to reach large An online information repository is also available audiences quickly. They will also be posted on U.S. on the site’s web page www.epa.gov/superfund/ EPA’s website, www.epa.gov/superfund/matthiessen- matthiessen-hegeler-zinc for the community to hegeler-zinc. We typically publish news releases access information electronically. and public notices to announce major events such as comment periods, public meetings and major • Establish and maintain the administrative milestones such as the selection of a cleanup plan. record. A copy of the Administrative Record for the M&H site can be found at the LaSalle Public Library We will issue news releases and public notices as and at the U.S. EPA Region 5 Superfund Record site activities progress. Copies of the news releases Center in Chicago (see Appendix B). U.S. EPA will and public notices will also be available in the site update the Administrative Record as necessary. The information repository. Administrative Record gives residents a paper trail of all documents U.S. EPA relied on, or considered, to • Assist the community in forming a community reach decisions about the Superfund site cleanup. advisory group. A CAG is made up of local residents and provides a formal mechanism for community • Conduct public meetings and information members to have a voice in decisions. We encourage sessions. A public meeting is an opportunity for U.S. the formation of CAGs. CAGs are eligible for technical EPA to present specific information and a proposed assistance and funding to help residents more fully course of action. Agency staff is available to share understand the technical aspects of environmental information and answer questions. A public meeting investigations, sampling data and interpretation of is not a formal public hearing where testimony is results and potential health risks. CAGs assist us in received. Instead, it might be a meeting to exchange making decisions on how to clean up sites. More information or comments. In addition, U.S. EPA information on CAGs can be found at www.epa.gov/ may hold information sessions where residents can superfund/community/cag. We may hold a meeting meet U.S. EPA experts one-on-one to discuss the to present information on how to form a CAG. activities at the site. Either type of meeting allows community members an opportunity to express their • Evaluate community involvement and outreach concerns and ask questions of U.S. EPA, state or local efforts and make adjustments as warranted. This government officials. Public meetings or information CIP was designed to consider site- and community- sessions can be held at various times throughout the specific factors as well as to comply with federal cleanup process. A meeting is typically scheduled requirements. Community concerns, the objectives when there are technical milestones or the of the community involvement program for the site community has expressed an interest in having a and specific activities to address these concerns meeting. in the original CIP produced in 2005 were based to a large extent on information obtained during We will consider conducting additional meetings at interviews with local residents and officials. We different times and different locations throughout recognize that changes in areas such as community the community to give all residents an opportunity perceptions, information needs and population to attend as needed. demographics can occur over time and that such changes may necessitate a revised approach to • Write and distribute news releases and conducting community involvement activities. For public notices. U.S. EPA will prepare and release this reason as well as to determine whether the announcements to the local newspaper such as activities in this plan are achieving their intended LaSalle News Tribune and the Peoria Journal Star to objectives, we will conduct periodic reviews share information about events such as significant to determine whether additional activities are site investigation findings, completion of major warranted or whether changes to current methods milestones, significant scheduling information and of activities outlined in the plan are necessary. As other pertinent site-related information. the needs of the community changes, U.S. EPA will

7 modify the community involvement strategies to A Community Advisory Group is made up of address them in a CIP revision. Based on what we representatives of diverse community interests. learned about community concerns that remain and Its purpose is to provide a public forum for information needs at meetings held in 2015, we are community members to present and discuss their modifying the original CIP from 2005 by developing needs and concerns related to the Superfund this revised CIP to respond to those needs. decision-making process. A CAG can assist EPA The graphic on the next page presents the status of in making better decisions on how to clean up a activities outlined above. site. It offers EPA a unique opportunity to hear-and seriously consider-community preferences for site cleanup. However, the existence of a CAG does not eliminate the need for the Agency to keep the community informed about plans and decisions throughout the Superfund process.

8 Status of Community Involvement Activities Community involvement activities Status

Maintain point of contact Teresa Jones  312-886-0725 [email protected] Establish a toll-free number  800-621-8431, Ext. 60725

Conduct community interviews and develop In Process Community Involvement Plan

Maintain communication with local officials, Ongoing agencies and community residents www.epa.gov/superfund/ Share site information on the Internet matthiessen-hegeler-zinc  Update as needed Update and maintain site mailing list  Completed - update as needed

Prepare and distribute fact sheets and Prepare as needed site updates 

LaSalle Public Library Establish and maintain a site-specific information  305 Marquette St., LaSalle repository Update as needed

LaSalle Public Library Establish and maintain the administrative record  305 Marquette St., LaSalle Update as needed Conduct public meetings and information As requested by the community sessions 

Write and distribute news releases and public Ongoing notices

Assist the community in forming a community Not yet started advisory group

Evaluate community involvement and outreach Ongoing efforts and make adjustments as warranted

9 Community Involvement Efforts The following is a list of past community involvement site and announcing a public comment period and activities at the site: public meeting on the cleanup options.

• 1995 - Illinois EPA prepared a fact sheet explaining • October 5 – December 12, 2015 - Held a public the sample results and discussed site activities and comment period on the proposed cleanup options. held a public meeting in LaSalle to discuss sample results and next steps. • December 3, 2015 – Held a public meeting to discuss the proposed cleanup options for the site. A U.S. EPA conducted the following activities at the site: transcript of the meeting was taken.

• June 2001 - Prepared a press release announcing • February 2016 – Mailed sampling results to the proposal of the site to be placed on the National residents. Priorities List. • September 2016 –Developed this revised CIP for the • June 14-August 13, 2001 - Held a public comment site. period on the site being proposed for the NPL.

• September 2003 - Prepared a press release announcing the placement of the site on the National Priorities List.

• August 17-18, 2004 - Conducted community interviews with area residents and officials.

• August 2004 – Established the site information repository at the LaSalle Public Library.

• August 2004 – Established a web page for the site.

• December 2004 –Distributed a fact sheet in December 2004, soliciting residents’ opinions and concerns about the M&H site.

• February 2005 – Completed the original CIP.

• October 2006 –Mailed out requests for access agreements to sample properties.

• September 2015 – Prepared and distributed a fact sheet explaining the cleanup options for the site and announcing a public comment period and public meeting on the cleanup options.

• October 20, 2015 – Held a public meeting to discuss the proposed cleanup options for the site. A transcript of the meeting was taken.

• November 2015 - EPA prepared and redistributed a fact sheet explaining the cleanup options for the

10 Section 4 THE COMMUNITY This section describes the composition of the city of LaSalle, city of Peru and LaSalle County Illinois. LaSalle Community Profile LaSalle is located in LaSalle County, Illinois, at the In the mid-1850s, LaSalle started taking advantage of the intersection of Interstates 39 and 80. It encompasses coal that lied beneath most of the city and in 1856, the an area of about 11.76 square miles, spanning from the LaSalle Coal Mining Co. completed the first mine shaft. In Illinois River to Interstate 80. 1858, mining school graduates from Germany, Frederick Matthiessen and Edward Hegeler, traveled to the United States and chose LaSalle as the location for the country’s first zinc smelting plant. Before the plant came into operation, all the zinc used in the U.S. was imported. Within ten years of the plant opening, Matthiessen and Hegeler Zinc Works became the largest producer of zinc in the country, and one of the largest in the world.

Lock No. 14 of the Illinois and Michigan Canal.

The city of LaSalle is named after Rene-Robert Cavelier Sieur de LaSalle, who began exploration of the area in 1678. Settlers began moving into the Illinois Valley in the early 1800s and LaSalle County was established in 1831. The town of LaSalle was platted in 1838 with construction of the 96-mile long Illinois & Michigan Canal completed in 1848. The canal connected Lake Michigan to the Illinois River, with Chicago becoming the eastern end and LaSalle the western end. Many of the first LaSalle residents were canal workers and shopkeepers who sold supplies to workers. Activity in the area boomed after the canal was officially opened in 1848 and the population of LaSalle continued to grow (Sources: http://www.lasalle-il.gov/content/history- 16201094224am.aspx, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ LaSalle,_Illinois). The Matthiessen and Hegeler Zinc Works plant.

11 The Matthiessen and Hegeler families were heavily involved in developing the community and assisted in establishing many industries in the area. Frederick Matthiessen served as the Mayor of LaSalle from 1886-1895 and donated thousands of dollars to help build the city’s sewer system, electric light plant, and numerous roads and bridges. He was a generous public donor and opened most of his estate, named Deer Park, to the public and charged a nominal entrance fee that went to charity. The property was named Matthiessen State Park in 1943 in his honor.

After the end of Prohibition Frederick Matthiessen Edward Hegeler in 1933, illegal gambling and related businesses flourished in LaSalle, supporting food, tobacco, liquor, and lodging businesses in the city. The city became known as “Little Reno” and people traveled from Chicago for a night of fun at one of the city’s many clubs. They arrived in such large numbers that many of the city streets became standing-room only. The city’s 60-80 saloons served as the town’s primary commercial enterprises until a federal raid on the major liquor and gambling house ended the era in 1953 (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ LaSalle,_Illinois).

LaSalle has continued to develop and today it is home to a revitalized downtown district, various community festivals and arts events, quality public schools, a state- of-the-art-library, and many tourist activities. LaSalle Governmental Structure LaSalle is organized under a Mayor-Aldermanic form of government. Eight alderman from four wards make up the City Council. The City Council meets every other Monday in the council chambers at 7:00 p.m. See Appendix C for a list of current city officials.

City Hall houses offices for LaSalle’s Mayor, City Clerk, and other city officials and departments.

12 Peru Community Profile Peru is located in LaSalle County, Illinois, on the Illinois The Western Clock Company, trademarked as “Westclox,” River and three miles west of the intersection of was a major employer for residents in both Peru and Interstates 39 and 80. It encompasses an area of about LaSalle, starting in the late 1800s. The company served 8.9 square miles and along with its twin city, LaSalle, as a model for workers’ benefits, offering life insurance, makes up the core of the Illinois Valley. a safety committee, a shortened work week, a company park, and housing for workers. When the clock factory The first white settler in Peru was John Hays who, with closed in Peru in 1980, the population in both Peru and his wife, four sons and one daughter, came here from LaSalle dropped (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Tennessee in 1830. They built a cabin near the present Peru,_Illinois#Clock_City_.281884.E2.80.931980.29). site of the Peru Products Company, and farmed a piece of land on the river bank. In 1851, Peru was incorporated Today, Peru is home to several business districts, a as a city. For ten years they ran a ferry across the river, hospital that serves the Illinois Valley, the Peru mall, and near the spot which later became the mouth of the is close to many tourist attractions like Starved Rock canal. The street, now called Adam, which runs from State Park. Fourth to Water Streets, just west of the present Lincoln School, was in Peru’s early days called Ferry Street, Peru Governmental Structure which would seem to show that it led to the ferry. Due The town is headed by a mayor and eight alderman to its position on the Illinois River, Peru quickly became to make up the City Council. Two alderman represent a busy steamboat port. Major transportation routes each of Peru’s four wards. The City Council meets every and coal mining also helped Peru rise to its status as an other Monday in the council chambers at 7:00 p.m. See industrial center (Source: https://archive.org/stream/ Appendix C for a list of current city officials. peruillinoiscent00peru/peruillinoiscent00peru_djvu.txt).

Former Westclox factory. City Hall houses offices for Peru’s Mayor, City Clerk, and other city officials and departments.

13 LaSalle County Community Profile LaSalle County, Illinois is located in North Central Illinois, LaSalle County is home to many visitor attractions like 60 miles southwest of Chicago. It encompasses an area Starved Rock State Park, historic mansions, festivals and of about 1,135 square miles and both the Illinois and Fox boat tours. Rivers flow through the county. LaSalle County Governmental Structure Rene-Robert Cavelier Sieur de LaSalle, for whom the county is named, first explored the area in the 1600s. The county is headed by a County Board Chairman People began settling the area in the early 19th century, and 29 County Board Members. Each Board Member forming LaSalle County in 1831. These settlers were represents one of the county’s districts. The County primarily descendants of English Puritans from New Board meets once a month at the LaSalle County England. In the late 1800s, Irish and German migrants Courthouse. See Appendix C for a list of current city moved into the county from other Midwest states. officials.

The county has strong ties to President Abraham Lincoln. The famous Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858 took place in Ottawa. Several Underground Railroad sites were located in the county leading up the American Civil War as well (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaSalle_ County,_Illinois).

Statue depicting the Lincoln-Douglas debates in Ottawa, Illinois.

14 Demographics Using information from www.census.gov, the following graphs show that the population in LaSalle, Peru and Lake County is predominantly white alone (April 2010 Census data).

The median age of residents, households and education levels of each of these three communites are compared in the following graphs (April 2010 Census data).

Area Demographics 100% LaSalle 90% Peru 80% LaSalle County 70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0% White Alone Black or African Asian Alone American Indian Some Other Two or More Hispanic or American Alone or Alaskan Native Race Races Latino of Any Alone Race

15 Median Resident Age 46

44

42

40 45.3 38 41 AGE IN YEARS 36 38.9

34 LaSalle Peru LaSalle County Photo by Catherine Scott Catherine by Photo

Household Income ‐2014

$57,166 $48,689 $51,232 $42,456

LaSalle Peru LaSalle County State of Illinois

16 Section 5 THE SITE This section describes the M&H Zinc site and summarizes the history of activities at the site.

Location and Site Features The Mattheissen and Hegeler Zinc site is a 180-acre inactive zinc smelting and rolling facility on the east side of LaSalle that operated from about 1858 to 1978. The Little Vermilion River borders the site to the east, with residential properties on the other sides. The site is enclosed by a chain-link fence. Also part of the site is Carus Chemical Co. which is an active manufacturing company.

Environmental concerns include slag waste piles across the site which contain metals such as cadmium, copper, chromium, lead, nickel and zinc. Contamination from the former smelting processes has been found in samples collected from the surrounding residential area. Following immediate actions to protect human health and the environment, investigations and cleanup planning are ongoing. Site Background Complex sites like this one are often broken down into smaller, manageable sections called operable units, or OUs. At this site, OU1 consists of the Carus Chemical Corp. and a large slag pile, while OU2 consists of the former Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co. and the surrounding residential area (see the map on the right).

Site Map

17 OU1 Site characteristics what is now designated as OU1, primarily in an upland area between the Carus facility and the river. The OU1 covers about 47 acres and includes the southern resultant slag pile covers an area of approximately 17.7 portion of the site and the Little Vermilion River next to acres and stands approximately 80 to 90 feet tall. the site. Carus Chemical Corp. operates a facility on the location that produces potassium permanganate and Carus did not own the slag pile area when the zinc other specialty chemicals. A large slag pile generated smelting was being done. from smelting operations on OU2 is mostly located on the Carus property. History Carus Corp. makes specialty chemicals in its facility in OU1, which is independent of the former Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co. facilities.

Carus began operations in 1915, manufacturing potassium permanganate products for water purification and wastewater treatment. The company has added other products to its manufacturing operations over time.

From 1858 to 1961, sinter and slag from the smelting operations at OU2 were placed at various locations on This material is called sinter, which along with debris and abandoned structures, remains at the former smelting site. OU2 Site characteristics History OU2 covers around 180 acres that includes the industrial The Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co. operated a zinc portion of the former Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co. smelter at the OU2 portion of the site from 1858 until property as well as the nearly 5,000 properties in the 1961. The company added a rolling mill to its operations surrounding residential area in the LaSalle/Peru area. The in 1866 to produce zinc sheets. This process included a smelting plant ceased operations in 2000. furnace that used producer gas as fuel. Any sulfur dioxide generated was recovered and converted into sulfuric LaSalle obtains all its drinking water from a cluster of four acid and stored in on-site tanks. wells located three-quarters of a mile south of the site, with the nearest municipal well approximately 3,700 feet For a few years during the early 1950s, an ammonium south of the location. There is a wetland about 2 miles sulfate fertilizer plant operated at OU2. Coal mining also upstream of the site on the river. Also, the Lake DePue occurred on OU2 until 1937, and two mining shafts (one State Fish and Wildlife Area and the Spring Lake Heron vertical and one horizontal) still remain at the site. Zinc Colony, which provides breeding habitat for the state- smelting ceased in 1961, and sulfuric acid manufacturing endangered great egret, are about 15 miles downstream halted in 1968 when Matthiessen & Hegeler declared of the site. These areas are not affected by any site bankruptcy. Only basic rolling mill operations took place activities. at OU2 from 1968 until 1978.

In 1980, Fred and Cynthia Carus purchased the 12-acre rolling mill tract of land, which became home to the

18 LaSalle Rolling Mill Inc. The mill made penny blanks The table below outlines the operations and timeline of for the U.S. Mint until 2000, when the company ceased activities at each OU. operations and declared bankruptcy.

OU1 – Carus Chemical 1915 – present Production of potassium permanganate OU2 – Former Matthiessen and Hegeler Zinc Company 1858 – 1961 Zinc smelting operations 1886 – 1978 Produced zinc sheets (Rolling Mill) 1858 – 1937 Mined coal 1858 – 1968 Manufactured sulfuric acid 1950s Produced ammonia sulfate fertilizer 1980 – 2000 Produced penny blanks for U.S. Mint (Rolling Mill)

History and Cleanup Progress In 1993, Illinois EPA collected three sediment samples In 1995, Illinois EPA prepared a fact sheet explaining the from the Little Vermilion River, seven on-site soil and sample results and discussed site activities and held a 13 off-site soil samples for a preliminary evaluation public meeting in LaSalle to discuss sample results and of possible effects of past M&H operations and in next steps. preparation for scoring the site for possible inclusion on the National Priorities List or NPL. The NPL is U.S. EPA’s list The Illinois Department of Public Health collected of the most serious hazardous waste sites in the United additional off-site soil samples from different locations States. These samples were significantly higher in metals in 1999. According to IDPH, levels of metals in these than background samples collected in areas not affected samples did not pose a health risk from long-term or by past operations of the M&H facility. Zinc was elevated short-term exposure. Concentrations of some chemicals significantly in all samples, and cadmium and lead were in the IDPH samples, however, did exceed screening significantly elevated in all but one sample. Other metals levels set by the Illinois EPA and warranted further were also found at elevated levels. On-site samples also investigation of off-site soils. showed low levels of a variety of other contaminants U.S. EPA and Illinois EPA proposed the site for the NPL in including pesticides, PCBs, solvents and chemicals found June 2001. The site was placed on the NPL in September in oil and coal. 2003 because of the widespread slag across the site that The site is private property and surrounded by a fence, has metal contamination, including arsenic and lead. In and residents are strongly urged against trespassing 2003, EPA oversaw an emergency removal action at the on the site due to the chemicals and physical hazards LaSalle Rolling Mill portion of OU2 to clean up chemicals found on the site. The off-site soil samples collected associated with the old plating line and removed the by the Illinois EPA in 1993 showed elevated levels of waste and various other chemicals from storage tanks metals. The Illinois EPA at that time determined that that remained after the mill ceased metal rolling activity. concentrations found did not pose a health risk from In September 2006, EPA entered into an Administrative short-term exposure but that more information needed Settlement and Agreement on Order of Consent, or to be gathered to determine if there may be a risk from ASAOC with Carus, one of the potentially responsible long-term exposure. parties at the Site. Under the ASAOC, Carus conducted the RI/FS work at OU1 and U.S. EPA conducted the

19 RI/FS work at OU2. The ASAOC required a single, the Superfund Technical Assessment and Response comprehensive RI Report, Risk Assessment Report, and Team (START) contractor to conduct another removal FS Report for the Site. The RI work at the Site began in assessment at the Site. The assessment activities 2007. included investigating unknown chemicals in a former laboratory building, conducting asbestos sampling at From 2007 to 2009, Carus sampled soil, slag, multiple buildings and investigating unknown oil in groundwater, surface water, sediment and air in OU1. For sewer drains. the investigations conducted at OU2, U.S. EPA sampled soils, building materials, debris piles, groundwater, In 2009, EPA issued a Unilateral Administrative Order surface water and air during the period 2007-2010. to Frederick L. Carus and LaSalle Acres, Inc. for the removal of asbestos-containing material, cadmium In response to asbestos being encountered during the and zinc at and around the rolling mill building and RI around the rolling mill, or OU2, in 2008 EPA tasked demolition of a former chemical laboratory building. Current Status U.S. EPA has sampled numerous properties in the area and has plans to clean up contaminated soil at the M&H Zinc site and in the surrounding residential area. This soil is contaminated mostly with metals. Under its proposed cleanup plan, U.S. EPA plans to dig up contaminated soil and put it into what the Agency calls a “containment cell” on the former smelter site.

U.S. EPA prepared a proposed plan and held public meetings in 2015 to explain the proposed cleanup alternatives. A copy of the proposed plan fact sheet is in Appendix E. Many of the questions and concerns raised are summarized in Section 2.

20 APPENDIX A Glossary – Initials – Acronyms

Administrative Order on Consent. A legal agreement Community. An interacting population of various signed by U.S. EPA and an individual, business or other types of individuals, or species, in a common location; a entity through which the violator agrees to pay for neighborhood or specific area where people live. correction of violations, take the required corrective or cleanup actions or refrain from an activity. It describes Community Engagement. The process of involving the actions to be taken, may be subject to a comment communities in all phases of the cleanup process. period, applies to civil actions, and can be enforced in Communities are asked to provide input on how the court. Unlike a consent decree, an administrative order cleanup will be conducted and how it may affect on consent does not have to be approved by a judge. community plans and goals. See also Community Involvement. Administrative Record. The body of documents that forms the basis for the selection of a particular response Community Involvement. The term used by U.S. EPA at a site. For example, the Administrative Record for to identify its process for engaging in dialogue and remedy selection includes all documents that were collaboration with communities affected by Superfund considered or relied upon to select the remedy through sites. The U.S. EPA community involvement approach the record of decision. is founded in the belief that people have a right to know what the Agency is doing in their community Administrative Settlement and Agreement on Order and to have a say in it. Its purpose is to give people of Consent. An agreement with a PRP to perform the opportunity to become involved in the Agency’s activities outlined in a statement of work. activities and to help shape the decisions that are made.

AOC. See Administrative Order of Consent. Community Involvement Coordinator. The U.S. EPA official whose lead responsibility is to involve and inform ASAOC. See Administrative Settlement and the public about the Superfund process and response Adminstrative Order of Consent. actions in accordance with the interactive community involvement requirements set forth in the National Oil CERCLA. See Comprehensive Environmental Response, and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan. Compensation and Liability Act. Community Involvement Plan. A plan that outlines CIC. See Community Involvement Coordinator. specific community involvement activities that occur during the investigation and cleanup at the site. The CIP. See Community Involvement Plan. CIP outlines how U.S. EPA will keep the public informed of work at the site and the ways in which residents can Cleanup. Actions taken to deal with a release or threat review and comment on decisions that may affect the of release of a hazardous substance that could affect final actions at the site. The document is available in the humans and/or the environment. The term “cleanup” site’s information repository maintained by U.S. EPA. is sometimes used interchangeably with the terms The CIP may be modified as necessary to respond to “remedial action,” “remediation,” “removal action,” changes in community concerns, information needs and “response action,” or “corrective action.” activities.

A-1 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Information Repository. A file containing current Compensation, and Liability Act. A federal law information, technical reports and reference documents passed in 1980 and modified in 1986 by the Superfund regarding a site. The information repository usually is Amendments and Reauthorization Act. Commonly located in a public building convenient for local residents known as Superfund, CERCLA is intended to protect such as a public school, town hall or library. people’s health and the environment by investigating and cleaning up abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous National Priorities List. U.S. EPA’s list of serious waste sites. Under the program, U.S. EPA can either: uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites identified for possible long-term cleanup under • Pay for site cleanup when parties responsible for the Superfund. The list is based primarily on the score a site contamination cannot be located or are unwilling or receives from the Hazard Ranking System. U.S. EPA is unable to do the work; or required to update the National Priorities List at least once a year. • Take legal action to force parties responsible for site contamination to clean up the site or pay back the NPL. See National Priorities List. federal government for the cost of the cleanup. PA/SI. See Preliminary Assessment and Site Contaminant. Any physical, chemical, biological or Investigation. radiological substance or matter that has an adverse effect on air, water or soil. Potassium Permanganate. Chemical used in the water treatment industry . Contamination. Introduction into water, air and soil of microorganisms, chemicals, toxic substances, wastes or Potentially Responsible Parties. Any individual wastewater in a concentration that makes the medium or organization—including owners, operators, unfit for its next intended use. Also applies to surfaces of transporters or generators—potentially responsible for, objects, buildings and various household use products. or contributing to, a spill or other contamination at a Superfund site. Feasibility Study. Analysis of the practicality of a proposal—e.g., a description and analysis of potential Preliminary Assessment and Site Investigation. The cleanup alternatives for a site such as one on the PA/SI is the process of collecting and reviewing available National Priorities List. The feasibility study usually information about a known or suspected hazardous recommends selection of a cost-effective alternative. waste site or release. The PA/SI usually includes a visit to It usually starts as soon as the remedial investigation is the site. under way; together, they are commonly referred to as the remedial investigation/feasibility study. Proposed Plan. A plan for a site cleanup that is available to the public for comment. Hazardous Waste. Byproducts that can pose a substantial or potential hazard to human health or the PRP. See Potentially Responsible Parties. environment when improperly managed. Hazardous wastes usually possess at least one of four characteristics Public Comment Period. A formal opportunity for (ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity or toxicity) or appear community members to review and contribute written on special U.S. EPA lists. comments on various U.S. EPA documents or actions.

A-2 Public Meeting. Formal public sessions that are Responsiveness Summary. A summary of oral and/or characterized by a presentation to the public followed by written public comments received by U.S. EPA during a question-and-answer session. Formal public meetings a comment period on key U.S. EPA documents and U.S. may involve the use of a court reporter and the issuance EPA’s responses to those comments. of transcripts. Formal public meetings are required only for the proposed plan and Record of Decision RI/FS. See Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study. amendments. ROD. See Record of Decision Public. The community or people in general or a part or section of the community grouped because of a common Sinter. Material that is formed from heating certain interest or activity. substances containing metal.

Record of Decision. A ROD is a legal, technical and Slag. A stony waste matter separated from metals during public document that explains which cleanup alternative the smelting or refining of ore. will be used at a Superfund NPL site. The ROD is based on information and technical analysis generated during Sulfuric Acid. A very strong chemical that is corrosive. the remedial investigation and feasibility study and Corrosive means it can cause severe burns and tissue consideration of public comments and community damage when it comes into contact with the skin. concerns. Superfund. The program operated under the legislative RD/RA. See Remedial Design/Remedial Action. authority of CERCLA that funds and carries out U.S. EPA solid waste emergency and long-term removal and Remedial Design/Remedial Action. Remedial design is a remedial activities. These activities include establishing phase in the CERCLA response process in which technical the National Priorities List, investigating sites for inclusion drawings are developed for the chosen remedy, costs on the list, determining their priority and conducting for implementing the remedy are estimated and roles and/or supervising cleanup and other remedial actions. and responsibilities of U.S. EPA, states and contractors are determined. During the remedial action phase, the Unilateral Administrative Order. A legal document remedy is implemented generally by a contractor, with directing the PRP to take corrective action or refrain from oversight and inspection conducted by U.S. EPA, the state an activity. It describes the violations and actions to be or both. taken, and can be enforced in court.

Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study. A study designed to collect the data necessary to determine the nature and extent of contamination at a site. The second part of a two-part study called an RI/FS. The feasibility study involves identifying and evaluating the most appropriate technical approaches to addressing contamination problems at a site. Alternatives are evaluated for their effectiveness in protecting human health and the environment.

Remedial Project Manager. The U.S. EPA official who is the technical lead on a project.

A-3 APPENDIX B Information Repository, Administrative Record, Web- sites and Public Meeting Locations Local Information Repository LaSalle Public Library 305 Marquette St. LaSalle, IL 61301 815-223-2341

Official Information Repository EPA Region 5 Superfund Record Center Room 711, 7th Floor Ralph Metcalfe Federal Building 77 W. Jackson Blvd. Chicago, IL 60604 www.epa.gov/reg5sfun/sfd/foia/sf-records-center.html

EPA Site Web Page www.epa.gov/superfund/matthiessen-hegeler-zinc

Possible Meeting Locations LaSalle Public Library 305 Marquette St. LaSalle, IL 61301 815-223-2341

City Hall City of LaSalle 745 Second St. LaSalle, Illinois 61301 815-223-0077

LaSalle Peru Township High School 541 Chartres St. LaSalle, Illinois 61301 815-223-1721

B-1 APPENDIX C List of Contacts (information is current as of September 2016)

EPA Region 5 Project Contacts Teresa Jones Demaree Collier Community Involvement Coordinator Remedial Project Manager Superfund Division (SI-7J) Superfund Division (SR-6J) 77 W. Jackson Blvd. 77 W. Jackson Blvd. Chicago, IL 60604-3590 Chicago, IL 60604-3590 312-886-0725 312-886-0214 800-621-8431, ext. 36196 800-621-8431, ext. 60214 [email protected] [email protected] Illinois EPA Project Contact Michael Haggitt 1021 North Grand Ave. East Environmental Protection Engineer Springfield, IL 62794 Illinois EPA 217-558-1989 Bureau of Land, DRM/FSRS/FFU [email protected] Federal Elected Officials Senator Richard Durbin Representative Adam Kinzinger 230 S. Dearborn St, Suite 3892 628 Columbus St. #507 Chicago, IL 60604 Ottawa, IL 61350 312-353-4952 815-431-9271

711 Hart Senate Building 1221 Longworth HOB Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515 202-224-2152 202-225-3635 https://www.durbin.senate.gov/contact/email http://kinzinger.house.gov/contact/ Senator Mark Kirk 230 S. Dearborn St, Suite 3900 Chicago, IL 60604 312-886-2117

524 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 202-224-2854 https://www.kirk.senate.gov/?p=contact

C-1 State Elected Officials Governor Bruce Rauner State Senator Sue Rezin State of Illinois District 38 207 Statehouse 103 Fifth St. Springfield, IL 62706 Peru, IL 61354 217-782-0244 815-220-8720 http://www.illinois.gov/gov/contactus/Pages/default. http://www.senatorrezin.com/Contact/Contact-Form aspx State Representative Frank Mautino District 76 221 St. Paul St. Spring Valley, IL 61362 815-664-2714 [email protected] Local Officials

City of LaSalle 745 Second St. Carrie Brown LaSalle, IL 61301 City Clerk 218-828-2307 815-223-0077 Jeff Grove [email protected] Mayor Brian Brown 218-828-2308 City Engineer [email protected] 815-223-7041 [email protected] City of LaSalle Council

James ‘Diz’ Demes John ‘Doc’ Lavieri First Ward Alderman Third Ward Alderman 815-224-3754 815-252-3888 Jim Bacidore John Duncan, Sr. First Ward Alderman Third Ward Alderman 815-223-9357 815-223-0111 Jerry Reynolds Mark Schneider Second Ward Alderman Fourth Ward Alderman 815-252-3888 815-303-1582 Tom Ptak T. ‘Boo’ Herndon Second Ward Alderman Fourth Ward Alderman 815-228-3491 815-224-4291

C-2 City of Peru 1901 4th St. Dave Bartley Peru, IL 61354 City Clerk Scott J. Harl 815-223-0061 Mayor [email protected] 815-223-1148 [email protected] City Council

Becky Mueller David Waldorf First Ward Third Ward 815-343-3558 815-224-4889 [email protected] [email protected] Tony Ferrari Mike Sapienza First Ward Third Ward 815-224-2368 815-223-0913 [email protected] [email protected] Tom Payton David Potthoff Second Ward Fourth Ward 815-252-2729 815-223-7904 [email protected] [email protected] Mike Radtke Jim Lukosus Second Ward Fourth Ward 815-434-8099 815-223-1307 [email protected] [email protected]

C-3 LaSalle County 707 East Etna Road Ottawa, IL 61350 LaSalle County Board

Jerry L. Hicks, Chairman Steve Tuftie, District 15 815-434-8242 815-792-8009 JoAnn Carretto, County Clerk Russell Boe, District 16 815-434-8203 815-433-0184 Steve Abel, District 1 Lou Anne Carretto, District 17 815-539-7534 815-433-3753 Joanne McNally, District 2 815-539-7011 Tom Walsh, District 18 815-434-6750 David Zielke, District 3 815-495-9424 Douglas Trager, District 19 Allen E. Erbrederis, District 4 815-434-3609 815-498-9675 Thomas Thrush, District 20 Cathy Owens, District 5 815-433-4562 815-786-3075 Brian Dose, District 21 Chuck Borchsenius, District 6 815-343-7472 815-496-2417 E. “Mike” Weiss, District 22 Gary Small, District 7 815-434-3696 815-667-4562 Robert Lee, District 23 Jill Bernal, District 8 815-252-6139 815-223-9429 Randy Freeman, District 24 Joe Oscepinski, Jr., District 9 815-257-3266 815-223-6749 Jerry Myers, District 25 Larry Butkus, District 10 815-672-4728 815-223-8221 Scott Orban, District 26 Joseph Savitch, District 11 815-672-4728 815-223-7622 Walter Roach, Jr., District 27 Joseph Savitch, District 11 815-672-2424 815-223-7622 Norman Sedlock, District 28 Mike Kasap, District 12 815-672-2115 815-223-8360 Elmer Walter, District 29 Sandi Billard, District 13 815-434-3696 815-883-8828 Tina Busch, District 14 815-442-3480

C-4 Newspapers LaSalle News Tribune The Times 426 2nd St. 110 West Jefferson St. LaSalle, IL 61301 Ottawa, IL 61350 815-223-3200 815-433-2000 http://newstrib.com/index.asp http://www.mywebtimes.com/ Peoria Journal Star 1 News Plaza Peoria, IL 61643 309-686-3000 http://www.pjstar.com/ Radio Stations WLPO/WAJK WALS 1 Broadcast Lane Studstill Media Oglesby, IL 61348 3905 Progress Blvd. 815-223-3100 Peru, IL 61354 http://www.classichits1039wlpo.com/contact-us/ 815-224-2100 http://www.993wajk.com/ http://www.walls102.com/ WNIW/WNIJ WCMY Northern Public Radio News Room 801 N. First St. 216 W. LaFayette DeKalb, IL 60115 Ottawa, IL 61350 815-753-9000 815-434-6050 http://northernpublicradio.org/contact-us http://www.1430wcmy.com/ Television Stations WMAQ – Channel 5 (Chicago) WMBD TV – Channel 31 (CBS Affiliate) http://www.nbc5.com/ 3131 N. University St. WEEK TV/WHOI – Channel 25 (NBC Affiliate) Peoria, IL 61604 Attn: News Director 309-688-3131 2907 Springfield Rd. http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/contact-us East Peoria, IL 61611 WYZZ TV – Channel 28 (Fox Affiliate) 309-698-2525 3131 N. University St. http://www.cinewsnow.com/ Peoria, IL 61604 WTVP-TV – Channel 47 (PBS Affiliate) 309-688-3131 Attn: News Director http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/contact-us 101 State St. WGN – Channel 9 (Chicago) Peoria, IL 61602 http://wgntv.com/ 309-677-4747 WLS – Channel 7 (Chicago) http://abc7chicago.com/ WBBM – Channel 2 (Chicago) http://chicago.cbslocal.com/

C-5 APPENDIX D Community Engagement and the Superfund Process

Superfund is an environmental cleanup program enabled by a federal law enacted in 1980 known as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, also called Superfund. In 1986, another law, the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) reauthorized CERCLA to continue Superfund cleanup activities. The CERCLA law gives EPA the authority to require those parties responsible for creating hazardous waste sites to clean up those sites or to reimburse the government if EPA cleans up the site. EPA compels responsible parties to clean up hazardous waste sites through administrative orders, consent decrees and other legal settlements. EPA is authorized to enforce the Superfund laws within Indian reservations, in all 50 states and in U.S. territories. Superfund site identification, monitoring and response activities are coordinated with state, tribal and territorial environmental protection or waste management agencies.

There are several steps involved in cleaning up a contaminated site. Once EPA has been made aware of a contaminated site from individual citizens, local, tribal or state agencies or others, EPA follows a step-by-step process (see Exhibit 1 on the next page) to determine the best way to clean up the site and protect human health and the environment.

If the site poses an immediate threat to public health or the environment, EPA can intervene with an emergency response action. The goal of EPA’s Emergency Response and Removal Program is to protect the public and the environment from immediate threats posed by the release or discharge of hazardous substances.

The Superfund program encourages active dialogue between communities affected by the release of hazardous substances and all of the agencies responsible for carrying out or overseeing cleanup actions. EPA considers community involvement to be an important part of the Superfund program and opportunities for community involvement occur throughout the process. At each step in the process, there are opportunities for various levels of community involvement. (See Exhibit 2 on page 3 of this Appendix.)

Visit these EPA websites for more information on the Superfund process. Superfund: www.epa.gov/superfund Cleanup Process: www.epa.gov/superfund/cleanup/index.htm Community Involvement: www.epa.gov/superfund/community/index.htm

D-1 Exhibit 1: Superfund Process Steps. Legend PA/SI Preliminary Assessment/Site Investigation NPL Listing National Priorities List RI/FS Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study ROD Record of Decision RD/RA Remedial Design/Remedial Action NPL Deletion National Priorities List Deletion Note: These steps are defined in Appendix A – Glossary - Initials - Acronyms.

D-2 Superfund Community Involvement Process Steps Opportunities • Gather historical site condition information to • Provide any information you have about the site determine if further investigation is needed Preliminary to the EPA • Use Hazard Ranking System to evaluate risks Assessment/Site Inspection

• Publish notice in Federal Register and local media • Read information about EPA’s proposal to list the site announcing proposed listing and public comment National • Contact EPA for questions or additional information period Priorities List • If concerned, submit comments during the Public • Once listed, EPA publishes notice in Federal Register Process Comment period and responds to comments

• Determines the nature and extent of contamination, Remedial • Consider forming a Community Advisory Group and evaluates human health and ecological risk applying for a Technical Assistance Grant Investigation/ • Participate in public meetings Feasibility Study • Contact community involvement coordinator with questions

• Presents the cleanup alternatives and is issued for • Read proposed plan a 30-day public comment period Proposed • Participate in public meetings Plan • Visit Information Repository

• Contains the selected remedy for a site and the • Read the ROD for site cleanup Responsiveness Summary which provides • Participate in public events or visit the information responses to all comments received during the Record of Decision repository public comment period • Contact site CIC with questions

• Includes preparing for and doing the bulk of the • Learn about the final design cleanup at the site Remedial Design/ • Work through your CAG, TAG or Technical Assistance • Final design is developed Services for Communities provider for information Remedial Action • Attend meetings and site visits • Contact CIC with questions

• Any necessary physical construction has been • Attend meetings and site visits completed (even though final cleanup levels may Construction • Contact CIC with questions not have been reached) Completion

• Ensures that Superfund cleanups provide • Work through your CAG, TAG or TASC provider for long-term protection of human health and Post-Construction information environment • Visit the site or arrange a site tour through EPA • Monitoring continues Completion • Contact CIC with questions

• All site work completed • Read EPA’s proposal and Responsiveness Summary • EPA requests comments on upcoming deletion of NPL • Read the final deletion report site from NPL list • Plan a community event to celebrate deletion Deletion from NPL

After site is clean: • Work with EPA and neighbors to plan the • EPA works with community to help return site to redevelopment productive use Reuse • Explore EPA’s tools and resources • EPA will ensure that any land use restrictions • Be supportive of redevelopment plans once they’ve continue to be met been agreed upon

Exhibit 2. Community Involvement Opportunities During the Superfund Process

D-3 APPENDIX E Fact Sheets

E-1 United States EPA Seeking Your Opinion Environmental Protection United States Agency Environmental Protection Agency About Polluted Site Region 5 Office of Public Affairs (P-19J) 77 W. Jackson Blvd. FIRST CLASS Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Site Chicago, IL 60604 LaSalle, Illinois December 2004

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED To learn more about concerns and issues regarding the Matthieson & Talk to us Hegeler Zinc site, EPA is seeking your views about the subject. If you If you are interested in the site, we are interested in the site we would like to talk with you. Please contact would like to talk with you. To set EPA Community Involvement Coordinator Yolanda Bouchee to set up an up an appointment, please contact: appointment. Yolanda Bouchee In an effort to start collecting information about the site, EPA spent two days EPA Community Involvement in LaSalle speaking to residents and local officials. During these community Coordinator interviews, EPA asked residents and city and county officials about issues 77 W. Jackson Blvd. related to the site’s contamination and cleanup, the community involvement Chicago, Ill. process, and how the community involvement process could be improved. MATTHIESSEN & HEGELER ZINC SITE: (312) 353-3209 The meetings indicated varying levels of knowledge about the site and EPA Seeking Your Opinion About Polluted Site [email protected] former operations. The residents with whom we spoke have lived in the area from one and a half to 48 years. Residents who have lived there the longest This fact sheet is printed on paper made of recycled fibers. Site-related documents naturally had the highest level of awareness about the site. In fact, several may be reviewed at: EPA Region 5 Records Center 77 W. Jackson Blvd., 7th Floor Chicago LaSalle Public Library Do you want to receive information about M& H Zinc? What type of media (for example, newspaper, Internet, 305 Marquette St. Do you have a preference about how information about radio) do you rely on for information about the site? M&H Zinc is delivered? Most residents indicated that the LaSalle Daily News On the Web: All interviewees would like to receive more information Tribune was their main source of information. The Peoria http://www.epa.gov about the site. Most preferred to receive newsletters or Journal Star (local section) is another paper read by the http://www.epa.gov/region5 letters. majority of those interviewed. Although newspapers were identified as a good way to Others rely primarily on area television and radio dispense information, most felt mail was better to insure stations for their local information. WLPO-AM was the the information was not missed. Posting information radio station suggested by most as a potential source of about the site online and e-mail delivery of information information about the site. were also suggested. Do you feel the site has received adequate coverage by the local/regional media? Do you share the opinions summarized above? Most residents and officials did not remember any media Do you want to share additional coverage. information with us? Some residents had seen articles in the local media but it Call Yolanda Bouchee at (312) 353-3209 had been some time ago.

Location map: Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc of them remember when the site was operating. However, The manufacture of sulfuric acid was discontinued in risk from long-term exposure. Illinois Department of • What’s been coming from the Carus Chemical even the long-time residents and local officials indicated 1968, and from 1968 until closing in 1978 the facility only Public Health collected additional off-site soil samples Co. since the late 1960’s? Could whatever’s been that the site has received minimal coverage in the local did rolling operations. from different locations in 1999 and determined that the released from Carus Chemical have caused allergies, media and also indicated a relatively low interest in the contamination did not pose a health risk from long-term or respiratory problems and trouble with growing grass? After the bankruptcy, the Matthiessen and Hegeler situation. None of the residents had contacted government short-term exposure. Concentrations of some chemicals property was sold at auction in 1979. • Is the state testing above and below the Little officials about the site, and likewise none of the officials in the samples, however, did exceed safe levels set by Vermilion River? How far down does the contamina- have heard from local residents about the issue. In 1993, Illinois EPA collected sediment (mud) and soil Illinois EPA and warrant further investigation of off-site tion go? Is the slag next to the Little Vermilion River samples from the Little Vermilion River and the site. soils. The level of interest in the area varied. While all dangerous? Should we be concerned with the white This was done for a preliminary evaluation of possible interviewees want to be kept on the mailing list, less than powder seen on the surface and the green water in effects of past Matthiessen and Hegeler operations and Who will pay for the cleanup? half of them indicated an interest in attending meetings. the river? in preparation for scoring the site for inclusion on the Under the Superfund law, potentially responsible parties If meetings are held, however, City Hall and the local How long have you been aware of the contamination/ National Priorities List of EPA Superfund sites. These include past and present owners and operators of a site. library were picked out as the best locations for such impending cleanup at M&H Zinc? samples were much higher in metal concentrations than EPA has entered into negotiations with the PRPs for the events. In advance of meetings, announcements should be background samples collected in areas not affected M&H site. If negotiations are unsuccessful, then money Long-time residents were well aware of the site, however, advertised in the LaSalle News Tribune and possibly the by past operations of the facility. Zinc was elevated from the Superfund could be used to conduct a remedial most didn’t know any specifics concerning contamination/ local section of the Peoria Journal Star. Residents said significantly in all samples, and cadmium and lead were investigation. The purpose of this investigation would be cleanup at the site. Newer residents knew nothing about radio announcements should air on WLPO particularly greatly elevated in all but one sample. Other metals were to determine the nature and extent of contamination and the situation. during the morning hours. also found at high levels. On-site samples also showed any risks that contamination might pose to human health Are you aware of the site’s public involvement process? low levels of a variety of other contaminants including and the environment. Background If yes, what are your perceptions of it? pesticides, PCBs, solvents and chemicals found in oil and The Matthiessen and Hegeler Zinc site is a 160-acre coal. What we heard Most were not aware of any public involvement inactive zinc smelting and rolling facility that operated The questions EPA asked residents and a summary of their concerning the site. from about 1858 to 1978. The site is located on the east The site is private property and surrounded by a fence, and responses follows. side of LaSalle and is bordered by the Little Vermilion residents are strongly urged against trespassing due to the Have you had contact with government officials about River on the east, with residential properties surrounding chemicals and physical hazards found on the property. Are you aware of contamination at the former M&H Zinc? the remainder of the area. The site is enclosed by a chain- Matthiessen and Hegeler Zinc site? Illinois EPA held a public meeting in LaSalle to discuss link fence. The southern portion of the property contains Residents had not had contact with government officials sample results in 1995. an active specialty chemicals firm, Carus Chemical, and Many residents had first-hand knowledge of activities at about the site. the site as they were living in the area at the time of its the now-closed LaSalle Rolling Mills plant. The former The off-site soil samples collected by Illinois EPA in 1993 Do you feel that local, state and federal officials operation. Those who were familiar with the site knew smelting and rolling processes produced pollution that showed elevated levels of metals. Illinois EPA at that time (including EPA) have been responsive to your that it had produced zinc. Most individuals were aware remains on the site. Environmental concerns include a 6- determined that concentrations found did not pose a health concerns? that the property currently contains a chemical company. acre slag waste pile containing metals such as cadmium, risk from short-term exposure but that more information Opinions varied on how much pollution was associated According to the mayor of LaSalle, EPA has been keeping copper, chromium, lead, nickel and zinc. Runoff from the needed to be gathered to determine if there may be a piles washes directly into the river, and sediment samples with the site, with several individuals remembering that him informed of activities at the site. children used to play on the slag piles. Those new to the from the river bottom indicate elevated levels of these How frequently do you believe meetings should be held metals. What is the NPL? area were unaware of the prior operations at the site, nor were they aware of any potential pollution associated with in the community to discuss activities at M&H Zinc? The National Priorities List or NPL is a record Site history the site. Residents expressed mixed opinions on public meetings of polluted sites that have had known releases to discuss site activities. Several individuals indicated M&H Zinc began operations in 1858 and stopped in or threatened releases of hazardous substances, What are your concerns about the contamination at they would attend meetings and think that others would as 1978 after declaring bankruptcy. During the 120 years pollutants or contaminants. The NPL guides EPA in M&H Zinc? well. One person suggested the meetings should cover the of the company’s existence it produced slab zinc, sulfuric determining which sites warrant further investigation Concerns were raised about the site=s impact on residential proposed remediation and time frame. Others indicated acid and ammonium sulfate fertilizer. These processes and may be eligible for Superfund cleanup money. property values and about the time frame of the cleanup. they would not attend and they did not think that people resulted in the release of airborne particles containing Identified sites are ranked using a “hazard ranking would come to such meetings. cadmium, lead, zinc and other chemicals. Additional system,” and those that score the highest are placed Residents also asked the following questions about the manufacturing operations occurred in conjunction with on the NPL. In June 2001 the M&H site was site that will be addressed as further investigation is Do you have location preference(s) for the meetings? the smelting process. A gas plant was operated on the proposed for the NPL by EPA and Illinois EPA. completed: site in the early years to manufacture fuel for the Hegeler Following the proposal, a public comment period was The Library Community Room and the City Council • What contaminants were found on the site? furnace. Coal was mined on the site until 1937. During held, and in September 2003 EPA officially placed the Chamber at City Hall were the locations suggested for the 1950s, the company produced ammonium sulfate site on the NPL. • Is airborne pollution a problem? public meetings. fertilizer. In 1961, the company stopped smelting zinc. • Is fishing in the Illinois River affected?

2 3 of them remember when the site was operating. However, The manufacture of sulfuric acid was discontinued in risk from long-term exposure. Illinois Department of • What’s been coming from the Carus Chemical even the long-time residents and local officials indicated 1968, and from 1968 until closing in 1978 the facility only Public Health collected additional off-site soil samples Co. since the late 1960’s? Could whatever’s been that the site has received minimal coverage in the local did rolling operations. from different locations in 1999 and determined that the released from Carus Chemical have caused allergies, media and also indicated a relatively low interest in the contamination did not pose a health risk from long-term or respiratory problems and trouble with growing grass? After the bankruptcy, the Matthiessen and Hegeler situation. None of the residents had contacted government short-term exposure. Concentrations of some chemicals property was sold at auction in 1979. • Is the state testing above and below the Little officials about the site, and likewise none of the officials in the samples, however, did exceed safe levels set by Vermilion River? How far down does the contamina- have heard from local residents about the issue. In 1993, Illinois EPA collected sediment (mud) and soil Illinois EPA and warrant further investigation of off-site tion go? Is the slag next to the Little Vermilion River samples from the Little Vermilion River and the site. soils. The level of interest in the area varied. While all dangerous? Should we be concerned with the white This was done for a preliminary evaluation of possible interviewees want to be kept on the mailing list, less than powder seen on the surface and the green water in effects of past Matthiessen and Hegeler operations and Who will pay for the cleanup? half of them indicated an interest in attending meetings. the river? in preparation for scoring the site for inclusion on the Under the Superfund law, potentially responsible parties If meetings are held, however, City Hall and the local How long have you been aware of the contamination/ National Priorities List of EPA Superfund sites. These include past and present owners and operators of a site. library were picked out as the best locations for such impending cleanup at M&H Zinc? samples were much higher in metal concentrations than EPA has entered into negotiations with the PRPs for the events. In advance of meetings, announcements should be background samples collected in areas not affected M&H site. If negotiations are unsuccessful, then money Long-time residents were well aware of the site, however, advertised in the LaSalle News Tribune and possibly the by past operations of the facility. Zinc was elevated from the Superfund could be used to conduct a remedial most didn’t know any specifics concerning contamination/ local section of the Peoria Journal Star. Residents said significantly in all samples, and cadmium and lead were investigation. The purpose of this investigation would be cleanup at the site. Newer residents knew nothing about radio announcements should air on WLPO particularly greatly elevated in all but one sample. Other metals were to determine the nature and extent of contamination and the situation. during the morning hours. also found at high levels. On-site samples also showed any risks that contamination might pose to human health Are you aware of the site’s public involvement process? low levels of a variety of other contaminants including and the environment. Background If yes, what are your perceptions of it? pesticides, PCBs, solvents and chemicals found in oil and The Matthiessen and Hegeler Zinc site is a 160-acre coal. What we heard Most were not aware of any public involvement inactive zinc smelting and rolling facility that operated The questions EPA asked residents and a summary of their concerning the site. from about 1858 to 1978. The site is located on the east The site is private property and surrounded by a fence, and responses follows. side of LaSalle and is bordered by the Little Vermilion residents are strongly urged against trespassing due to the Have you had contact with government officials about River on the east, with residential properties surrounding chemicals and physical hazards found on the property. Are you aware of contamination at the former M&H Zinc? the remainder of the area. The site is enclosed by a chain- Matthiessen and Hegeler Zinc site? Illinois EPA held a public meeting in LaSalle to discuss link fence. The southern portion of the property contains Residents had not had contact with government officials sample results in 1995. an active specialty chemicals firm, Carus Chemical, and Many residents had first-hand knowledge of activities at about the site. the site as they were living in the area at the time of its the now-closed LaSalle Rolling Mills plant. The former The off-site soil samples collected by Illinois EPA in 1993 Do you feel that local, state and federal officials operation. Those who were familiar with the site knew smelting and rolling processes produced pollution that showed elevated levels of metals. Illinois EPA at that time (including EPA) have been responsive to your that it had produced zinc. Most individuals were aware remains on the site. Environmental concerns include a 6- determined that concentrations found did not pose a health concerns? that the property currently contains a chemical company. acre slag waste pile containing metals such as cadmium, risk from short-term exposure but that more information Opinions varied on how much pollution was associated According to the mayor of LaSalle, EPA has been keeping copper, chromium, lead, nickel and zinc. Runoff from the needed to be gathered to determine if there may be a piles washes directly into the river, and sediment samples with the site, with several individuals remembering that him informed of activities at the site. children used to play on the slag piles. Those new to the from the river bottom indicate elevated levels of these How frequently do you believe meetings should be held metals. What is the NPL? area were unaware of the prior operations at the site, nor were they aware of any potential pollution associated with in the community to discuss activities at M&H Zinc? The National Priorities List or NPL is a record Site history the site. Residents expressed mixed opinions on public meetings of polluted sites that have had known releases to discuss site activities. Several individuals indicated M&H Zinc began operations in 1858 and stopped in or threatened releases of hazardous substances, What are your concerns about the contamination at they would attend meetings and think that others would as 1978 after declaring bankruptcy. During the 120 years pollutants or contaminants. The NPL guides EPA in M&H Zinc? well. One person suggested the meetings should cover the of the company’s existence it produced slab zinc, sulfuric determining which sites warrant further investigation Concerns were raised about the site=s impact on residential proposed remediation and time frame. Others indicated acid and ammonium sulfate fertilizer. These processes and may be eligible for Superfund cleanup money. property values and about the time frame of the cleanup. they would not attend and they did not think that people resulted in the release of airborne particles containing Identified sites are ranked using a “hazard ranking would come to such meetings. cadmium, lead, zinc and other chemicals. Additional system,” and those that score the highest are placed Residents also asked the following questions about the manufacturing operations occurred in conjunction with on the NPL. In June 2001 the M&H site was site that will be addressed as further investigation is Do you have location preference(s) for the meetings? the smelting process. A gas plant was operated on the proposed for the NPL by EPA and Illinois EPA. completed: site in the early years to manufacture fuel for the Hegeler Following the proposal, a public comment period was The Library Community Room and the City Council • What contaminants were found on the site? furnace. Coal was mined on the site until 1937. During held, and in September 2003 EPA officially placed the Chamber at City Hall were the locations suggested for the 1950s, the company produced ammonium sulfate site on the NPL. • Is airborne pollution a problem? public meetings. fertilizer. In 1961, the company stopped smelting zinc. • Is fishing in the Illinois River affected?

2 3 United States EPA Seeking Your Opinion Environmental Protection United States Agency Environmental Protection Agency About Polluted Site Region 5 Office of Public Affairs (P-19J) 77 W. Jackson Blvd. FIRST CLASS Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Site Chicago, IL 60604 LaSalle, Illinois December 2004

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED To learn more about concerns and issues regarding the Matthieson & Talk to us Hegeler Zinc site, EPA is seeking your views about the subject. If you If you are interested in the site, we are interested in the site we would like to talk with you. Please contact would like to talk with you. To set EPA Community Involvement Coordinator Yolanda Bouchee to set up an up an appointment, please contact: appointment. Yolanda Bouchee In an effort to start collecting information about the site, EPA spent two days EPA Community Involvement in LaSalle speaking to residents and local officials. During these community Coordinator interviews, EPA asked residents and city and county officials about issues 77 W. Jackson Blvd. related to the site’s contamination and cleanup, the community involvement Chicago, Ill. process, and how the community involvement process could be improved. MATTHIESSEN & HEGELER ZINC SITE: (312) 353-3209 The meetings indicated varying levels of knowledge about the site and EPA Seeking Your Opinion About Polluted Site [email protected] former operations. The residents with whom we spoke have lived in the area from one and a half to 48 years. Residents who have lived there the longest This fact sheet is printed on paper made of recycled fibers. Site-related documents naturally had the highest level of awareness about the site. In fact, several may be reviewed at: EPA Region 5 Records Center 77 W. Jackson Blvd., 7th Floor Chicago LaSalle Public Library Do you want to receive information about M& H Zinc? What type of media (for example, newspaper, Internet, 305 Marquette St. Do you have a preference about how information about radio) do you rely on for information about the site? M&H Zinc is delivered? Most residents indicated that the LaSalle Daily News On the Web: All interviewees would like to receive more information Tribune was their main source of information. The Peoria www.epa.gov about the site. Most preferred to receive newsletters or Journal Star (local section) is another paper read by the www.epa.gov/region5 letters. majority of those interviewed. Although newspapers were identified as a good way to Others rely primarily on area television and radio dispense information, most felt mail was better to insure stations for their local information. WLPO-AM was the the information was not missed. Posting information radio station suggested by most as a potential source of about the site online and e-mail delivery of information information about the site. were also suggested. Do you feel the site has received adequate coverage by the local/regional media? Do you share the opinions summarized above? Most residents and officials did not remember any media Do you want to share additional coverage. information with us? Some residents had seen articles in the local media but it Call Yolanda Bouchee at (312) 353-3209 had been some time ago.

Location map: Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc EPA Proposes Cleanup Plan EPA Proposes Soil Cleanup Plan At Former Zinc Smelter for Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Site LaSalle, Illinois September 2015

Share your opinion Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Site EPA invites your comments on the

LaSalle, Illinois proposed cleanup plan for the

Matthiessen & Hegeler site. (details inside) . The public comment period is Oct. 5 –

Attend an information session and public meeting to find out more about the Nov. 2. There are several ways to recommended cleanup plan and to provide your comments to EPA. comment:

x Orally or in writing at the public meeting. Tuesday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m. x Fill out and mail the enclosed LaSalle Peru Township High School comment form, or submit it at the 541 Chartres St. meeting. x LaSalle By fax to Teresa Jones at 312-692-2007 x By email to Teresa Jones at [email protected]

Read the proposed plan You may review the detailed cleanup

plan at the information repository: A worker sprays water on a building to help reduce the dust from demolition at the

Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc site.

EPA Proposes Cleanup Plan for Contaminated Soil Contaminated for Plan Cleanup Proposes EPA LaSalle Public Library, 305 Marquette

St., LaSalle; U.S. EPA Record Center, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to clean up contaminated soil MATTHIESSEN & HEGELER ZINC SITE: SITE: ZINC HEGELER & MATTHIESSEN th 77 W. Jackson Blvd., 7 Floor, Chicago; at the Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc site and in the surrounding residential area. or for more information please search for This soil is contaminated mostly with metals. U.S. EPA plans to dig up Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc online at contaminated soil and put it into what EPA calls a “containment cell” on the www.epa.gov. former smelter site.

Public meeting Complex sites like this one are often broken down into smaller manageable EPA encourages you to attend the public sections called operable units, or OUs. At this site, OU1 consists of the Carus Chemical Corp. and a large slag pile, while OU2 consists of the former meeting, Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. at LaSalle Peru Township High School, Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co. and the surrounding residential area. EPA has 1 541 Chartres St., LaSalle. identified its recommended cleanup alternatives for each OU.

EPA will accept oral comments at the Before making a final decision, U.S. EPA will hold a public meeting and seek public meeting. A court reporter will comments from the public (see box, left). The Agency, in consultation with the record all oral comments. Illinois EPA, may select a different cleanup alternative based on public comments, so your opinion is important. See a list of EPA contacts on Page 3.

1Section 117(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA known as the Superfund law) requires publication of a notice and a proposed plan. It also requires a public comment period and the opportunity for a public meeting. This fact sheet summarizes the technical written proposed plan and other site-related environmental reports that can be viewed at the LaSalle Public Library, 305 Marquette St., LaSalle; and the U.S. EPA office in Chicago.

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OU1 site characteristics OU1 history OU1 covers approximately 47 acres and includes the Carus Corp. makes specialty chemicals in its southern portion of the site and the Little Vermilion River facility in OU1, which is independent of the adjacent to the site. Carus Chemical Corp. operates a former Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co. facilities. facility on the site that produces potassium permanganate and other specialty chemicals. A large slag pile generated Carus began operations in 1915, manufacturing from smelting operations on OU2 is mostly located on the potassium permanganate products for water Carus property. purification and wastewater treatment. The company has added other products to its OU2 site characteristics manufacturing operations over time. OU2 covers approximately 180 acres that includes the industrial portion of the former Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc From 1858 to 1961, sinter and slag from the Co. property, as well as the nearly 5,000 properties in the smelting operations at OU2 were placed at surrounding residential area in the LaSalle/Peru area. The various locations on what is now designated as smelting plant ceased operations in 2000. OU1, primarily in an upland area between the

Carus facility and the river. The resultant slag pile LaSalle obtains all its drinking water from a cluster of four covers an area of approximately 17.7 acres and wells located three-quarters of a mile south of the site, with stands approximately 80 to 90 feet tall. the nearest municipal well approximately 3,700 feet south The various parts of the Matthiessen & Hegeler site can be seen here. of the site. There is a wetland approximately two miles Carus did not own the slag pile area during the upstream of the site on the river. Also, the Lake DePue OU2 zinc smelting operational period.

State Fish and Wildlife Area and the Spring Lake Heron Colony, which provides breeding habitat for the state- endangered great egret, are about 15 miles downstream of the site.

Nature and extent of contamination The site was placed on the National Priorities List in September 2003 because of the widespread slag across the site that has metals contamination, including arsenic and lead. The NPL is a list of the nation’s most hazardous waste areas and are eligible for cleanup under the Superfund program.

Human health risks People who could be exposed to Matthiessen & Hegeler pollutants in the soil include residents in the surrounding community, employees of Carus Chemical, utility workers and construction workers at the site, children playing in the area, and people walking through the site.

Experts found there were no significant adverse effects on the overall health of the ecological community in the Little Vermillion River. The various parts of the Matthiessen & Hegeler site can be seen here.

The recommended cleanup alternatives in the proposed plan are designed to protect people and the environment from these potential health threats. A worker inspects an old pipe extending above the ground within the former zinc smelting plant.

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How do the alternatives compare? Minimize or reduce the potential for someone to ingest, EPA’s recommended cleanup alternatives OU2 history U.S. EPA compared each alternative against seven of the inhale or touch soil that contains metals, PCBs, PAHs or OU1: Carus Plant Area The Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co. operated a zinc nine evaluation criteria (see comparison chart, Page 5) asbestos. Alternative 6 — Soil Cover. Approximately 4,600 cubic smelter at the OU2 portion of the site from 1858 and selected its recommended alternative. State and yards of contaminated soil across the area would be dug until 1961. The company added a rolling mill to its community acceptance will be evaluated after a review Off-Site Residential Area: Prevent people from up and removed with an engineered soil cover installed operations in 1866 to produce zinc sheets. This of public comments on the proposed plan. ingesting, inhaling or touching affected soil at residential to isolate Carus workers from the soil. Cost: $1.67 process included a furnace that used producer gas as properties that contains contaminants of concern. million fuel. Any sulfur dioxide generated was recovered

Summary of cleanup goals and converted into sulfuric acid and stored in on-site OU1: Slag Pile Area U.S. EPA has several objectives for this cleanup. They Next steps tanks. Before making a final decision, U.S. EPA will review all Alternative 6 — Soil Cover. An estimated 50,000 cubic were developed while the alternatives were being comments from the public. The Agency will respond to yards of engineered soil, 18 inches thick, would be evaluated and include the following: For a few years during the early 1950s, an the comments and make those responses available in the placed to cover the slag pile and prevent people from ammonium sulfate fertilizer plant operated at OU2. final decision document. U.S. EPA could change its being exposed. Cost: $7.1 million OU1 Coal mining also occurred on OU2 until 1937, and recommended cleanup plan based on public comments Minimize or reduce the potential for someone to ingest, two mining shafts (one vertical and one horizontal) and its consultation with Illinois EPA. Alternative 15—Sloping and Benching + Plantings + inhale, or touch contaminants in affected parts of the still remain at the site. Zinc smelting ceased in 1961, Revetments at the Toe of the Slope + Best Management Carus Plant Area and the Slag Pile Area that could be and sulfuric acid manufacturing halted in 1968, The Agency will announce its final cleanup plan in a Practices. harmful to human health. when Matthiessen & Hegeler declared bankruptcy. local newspaper advertisement. Copies of the final plan Vegetation would be removed from the slag pile, which Only basic rolling mill operations took place at OU2 will be available at the LaSalle Public Library, in the would then be excavated, sloped and benched along the Reduce surface water runoff and erosion of material from 1968 until 1978. EPA Records Center in Chicago and for more river, and a two-foot-thick engineered soil cover from the Slag Pile slope to prevent any unacceptable information please search for Matthiessen & Hegeler installed. Revetments (a retaining wall) would be risks to human health or the environment, and to protect In 1980, Fred and Cynthia Carus purchased the 12- Zinc online at www.epa.gov. installed at the toe of the slope for erosion protection the viability of the cleanup. acre rolling mill tract of land, which became home along the river, and best management practices, to the LaSalle Rolling Mill Inc. The mill made including seeding for the soil cover, would be installed OU2 penny blanks for the U.S. Mint until 2000, when the to help stabilize the slope of the pile. The two-foot Site Property Soils (Main Industrial Area, Rolling Mill company ceased operations and declared cover would be sufficient to support the anticipated tree Area, North Area, Wooded Area-Northeast, Building bankruptcy. 100 Hot Spot): root depth. Cost: $18.4 million

Contact EPA

These EPA representatives are available to answer

questions and share information. If you need special

accommodations at the Oct. 20 meeting, contact

Teresa Jones.

For technical questions:

Demaree Collier

Remedial Project Manager

312-886-0214

[email protected]

This material is called sinter, which – along with debris and For general questions: abandoned structures – remains at the former smelting site. Teresa Jones

Community Involvement Coordinator Summary of cleanup alternatives 312-886-0725

U.S. EPA considered numerous options for cleaning up [email protected] both OU1 and OU2. The recommended options are

summarized here. For a listing of all of the alternatives Call EPA toll-free 800-621-8431, 8:30 a.m. to evaluated, refer to the technical proposed plan, which is 4:30 p.m., weekdays. available in the technical documents on file at the LaSalle Public Library or please search for Matthiessen

& Hegeler Zinc online at www.epa.gov.

Some of the abandoned structures and debris remaining at the former zinc smelter.

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OU2: Main Industrial Area Explanation of evaluation criteria Alternative 2 — Soil Excavation + On-Site Comparing EPA’s recommended cleanup alternatives with the nine Superfund cleanup selection criteria. Consolidation Under a Soil Cover. U.S. EPA compares each cleanup option or alternative with these nine criteria established by federal law: Parts of the Main Industrial Area with higher than acceptable soil contamination levels would be excavated Evaluation Criteria OU1 Exposure Areas - Alternatives (Carus Chemical Company & Large Slag Pile) and consolidated on-site. Any hazardous soil would be 1. Overall protection of human health and the treated before being consolidated. Land-use restrictions environment examines whether an option protects Alt-6: Carus Plant Area Alt-6: Slag Pile Area Alt-15: Slag Pile Area and property access restrictions would be implemented both human health and the environment. This decisive to protect workers, to ensure the land use remains factor can be met by reducing or removing pollution Overall Protection of Human   or by reducing exposure to it. commercial/industrial and to protect the cleanup. Health and the Environment z z z

Cost: $34.9 million Compliance with ARARs z z z 2. Compliance with applicable or relevant and OU2: North Area appropriate requirements ensures options comply Long-term Effectiveness and  z Alternative 4 — Soil Excavation + On-Site with federal and state laws. Permanence z z

Consolidation Under a Soil Cover. Reduction of Toxicity,  Parts of the North Area with higher than acceptable soil 3. Long-term effectiveness and permanence | | | evaluates how well an option will work over the long Mobility, or Volume Through contamination levels would be excavated and Treatment consolidated at the Main Industrial Area. Land-use term, including how safely remaining contamination z z z restrictions and property access restrictions would be can be managed. Short-term Effectiveness implemented to ensure the land use remains Implementability z z z commercial/industrial. Cost: $19.6 million 4. Reduction of toxicity, mobility, or volume through treatment determines how well the Capital Cost $1.67 million $7.1 million $18.4 million OU2: Building 100 Area treatment option reduces the amount and movement of contamination. State Acceptance These criteria will be evaluated after the public comment period. Alternative 3 — Soil Excavation + On-Site Community Acceptance Consolidation Under a Soil Cover. Parts of the Building 100 Area with higher than 5. Short-term effectiveness compares how quickly an option can help the situation and how much risk exists acceptable soil contamination levels would be excavated Evaluation Criteria OU2 Exposure Areas - Alternatives while the option is under construction. (Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Company & Residential Area) and consolidated at the Main Industrial Area. Land-use Alt-2: Main Alt-4: North Alt-3: Alt-3: Roll Alt-3: restrictions and property access restrictions would be implemented to ensure the land use remains 6. Implementability evaluates how practical the Industrial Area Building 100 Mill Area Off-Site commercial/industrial. Cost: $4 million. option is, and whether materials and services are Area Area Residential available.

OU2: Rolling Mill Area Overall Protection of     7. Cost includes not only buildings, equipment, Alternative 3— Soil Excavation + On-Site Human Health and the z z z z z Consolidation Under a Soil Cover. materials and labor, but also the cost of operating and Parts of the Rolling Mill Area with higher than maintaining the cleanup for the life of the project. Environment acceptable soil contamination levels would be excavated Compliance with ARARs z z z z z and consolidated at the Main Industrial Area. Land-use 8. State acceptance determines whether the state environmental agency accepts the option. Long-term Effectiveness restrictions and property access restrictions would be and Permanence z z z z z implemented to ensure the land use remains 9. Community acceptance is considered by Reduction of Toxicity, commercial/industrial. Cost: $4.5 million. | | | | | evaluating the oral and written public comments on Mobility, or Volume the proposed plan and alternatives. OU2: Off-Site Residential Area Through Treatment

Alternative 3— Soil Excavation + On-Site Short-term Effectiveness z z z z € Consolidation Under a Soil Cover. Implementability z z z z z Contaminated soil at affected properties in the Off-site Residential Area would be excavated to a maximum Capital Cost $34.9 mil. $19.6 mil. $4.0 mil. $4.5 mil. $113 mil. depth of 24 inches and consolidated at the Main State Acceptance These criteria will be evaluated after the public comment period. Industrial Area. If contamination remains in place deeper than 24 inches, a visual barrier would be installed on top Community Acceptance of the underlying contamination prior to backfilling with clean soil. Land-use restrictions would be implemented z Fully meets criterion €Partially meets criterion |Does not meet criterion as appropriate. Cost: $113 million.

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OU2: Main Industrial Area Explanation of evaluation criteria Alternative 2 — Soil Excavation + On-Site Comparing EPA’s recommended cleanup alternatives with the nine Superfund cleanup selection criteria. Consolidation Under a Soil Cover. U.S. EPA compares each cleanup option or alternative with these nine criteria established by federal law: Parts of the Main Industrial Area with higher than acceptable soil contamination levels would be excavated Evaluation Criteria OU1 Exposure Areas - Alternatives (Carus Chemical Company & Large Slag Pile) and consolidated on-site. Any hazardous soil would be 1. Overall protection of human health and the treated before being consolidated. Land-use restrictions environment examines whether an option protects Alt-6: Carus Plant Area Alt-6: Slag Pile Area Alt-15: Slag Pile Area and property access restrictions would be implemented both human health and the environment. This decisive to protect workers, to ensure the land use remains factor can be met by reducing or removing pollution Overall Protection of Human   or by reducing exposure to it. commercial/industrial and to protect the cleanup. Health and the Environment z z z

Cost: $34.9 million Compliance with ARARs z z z 2. Compliance with applicable or relevant and OU2: North Area appropriate requirements ensures options comply Long-term Effectiveness and  z Alternative 4 — Soil Excavation + On-Site with federal and state laws. Permanence z z

Consolidation Under a Soil Cover. Reduction of Toxicity,  Parts of the North Area with higher than acceptable soil 3. Long-term effectiveness and permanence | | | evaluates how well an option will work over the long Mobility, or Volume Through contamination levels would be excavated and Treatment consolidated at the Main Industrial Area. Land-use term, including how safely remaining contamination z z z restrictions and property access restrictions would be can be managed. Short-term Effectiveness implemented to ensure the land use remains Implementability z z z commercial/industrial. Cost: $19.6 million 4. Reduction of toxicity, mobility, or volume through treatment determines how well the Capital Cost $1.67 million $7.1 million $18.4 million OU2: Building 100 Area treatment option reduces the amount and movement of contamination. State Acceptance These criteria will be evaluated after the public comment period. Alternative 3 — Soil Excavation + On-Site Community Acceptance Consolidation Under a Soil Cover. Parts of the Building 100 Area with higher than 5. Short-term effectiveness compares how quickly an option can help the situation and how much risk exists acceptable soil contamination levels would be excavated Evaluation Criteria OU2 Exposure Areas - Alternatives while the option is under construction. (Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Company & Residential Area) and consolidated at the Main Industrial Area. Land-use Alt-2: Main Alt-4: North Alt-3: Alt-3: Roll Alt-3: restrictions and property access restrictions would be implemented to ensure the land use remains 6. Implementability evaluates how practical the Industrial Area Building 100 Mill Area Off-Site commercial/industrial. Cost: $4 million. option is, and whether materials and services are Area Area Residential available.

OU2: Rolling Mill Area Overall Protection of     7. Cost includes not only buildings, equipment, Alternative 3— Soil Excavation + On-Site Human Health and the z z z z z Consolidation Under a Soil Cover. materials and labor, but also the cost of operating and Parts of the Rolling Mill Area with higher than maintaining the cleanup for the life of the project. Environment acceptable soil contamination levels would be excavated Compliance with ARARs z z z z z and consolidated at the Main Industrial Area. Land-use 8. State acceptance determines whether the state environmental agency accepts the option. Long-term Effectiveness restrictions and property access restrictions would be and Permanence z z z z z implemented to ensure the land use remains 9. Community acceptance is considered by Reduction of Toxicity, commercial/industrial. Cost: $4.5 million. | | | | | evaluating the oral and written public comments on Mobility, or Volume the proposed plan and alternatives. OU2: Off-Site Residential Area Through Treatment

Alternative 3— Soil Excavation + On-Site Short-term Effectiveness z z z z € Consolidation Under a Soil Cover. Implementability z z z z z Contaminated soil at affected properties in the Off-site Residential Area would be excavated to a maximum Capital Cost $34.9 mil. $19.6 mil. $4.0 mil. $4.5 mil. $113 mil. depth of 24 inches and consolidated at the Main State Acceptance These criteria will be evaluated after the public comment period. Industrial Area. If contamination remains in place deeper than 24 inches, a visual barrier would be installed on top Community Acceptance of the underlying contamination prior to backfilling with clean soil. Land-use restrictions would be implemented z Fully meets criterion €Partially meets criterion |Does not meet criterion as appropriate. Cost: $113 million.

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How do the alternatives compare? Minimize or reduce the potential for someone to ingest, EPA’s recommended cleanup alternatives OU2 history U.S. EPA compared each alternative against seven of the inhale or touch soil that contains metals, PCBs, PAHs or OU1: Carus Plant Area The Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co. operated a zinc nine evaluation criteria (see comparison chart, Page 5) asbestos. Alternative 6 — Soil Cover. Approximately 4,600 cubic smelter at the OU2 portion of the site from 1858 and selected its recommended alternative. State and yards of contaminated soil across the area would be dug until 1961. The company added a rolling mill to its community acceptance will be evaluated after a review Off-Site Residential Area: Prevent people from up and removed with an engineered soil cover installed operations in 1866 to produce zinc sheets. This of public comments on the proposed plan. ingesting, inhaling or touching affected soil at residential to isolate Carus workers from the soil. Cost: $1.67 process included a furnace that used producer gas as properties that contains contaminants of concern. million fuel. Any sulfur dioxide generated was recovered

Summary of cleanup goals and converted into sulfuric acid and stored in on-site OU1: Slag Pile Area U.S. EPA has several objectives for this cleanup. They Next steps tanks. Before making a final decision, U.S. EPA will review all Alternative 6 — Soil Cover. An estimated 50,000 cubic were developed while the alternatives were being comments from the public. The Agency will respond to yards of engineered soil, 18 inches thick, would be evaluated and include the following: For a few years during the early 1950s, an the comments and make those responses available in the placed to cover the slag pile and prevent people from ammonium sulfate fertilizer plant operated at OU2. final decision document. U.S. EPA could change its being exposed. Cost: $7.1 million OU1 Coal mining also occurred on OU2 until 1937, and recommended cleanup plan based on public comments Minimize or reduce the potential for someone to ingest, two mining shafts (one vertical and one horizontal) and its consultation with Illinois EPA. Alternative 15—Sloping and Benching + Plantings + inhale, or touch contaminants in affected parts of the still remain at the site. Zinc smelting ceased in 1961, Revetments at the Toe of the Slope + Best Management Carus Plant Area and the Slag Pile Area that could be and sulfuric acid manufacturing halted in 1968, The Agency will announce its final cleanup plan in a Practices. harmful to human health. when Matthiessen & Hegeler declared bankruptcy. local newspaper advertisement. Copies of the final plan Vegetation would be removed from the slag pile, which Only basic rolling mill operations took place at OU2 will be available at the LaSalle Public Library, in the would then be excavated, sloped and benched along the Reduce surface water runoff and erosion of material from 1968 until 1978. EPA Records Center in Chicago and for more river, and a two-foot-thick engineered soil cover from the Slag Pile slope to prevent any unacceptable information please search for Matthiessen & Hegeler installed. Revetments (a retaining wall) would be risks to human health or the environment, and to protect In 1980, Fred and Cynthia Carus purchased the 12- Zinc online at www.epa.gov. installed at the toe of the slope for erosion protection the viability of the cleanup. acre rolling mill tract of land, which became home along the river, and best management practices, to the LaSalle Rolling Mill Inc. The mill made including seeding for the soil cover, would be installed OU2 penny blanks for the U.S. Mint until 2000, when the to help stabilize the slope of the pile. The two-foot Site Property Soils (Main Industrial Area, Rolling Mill company ceased operations and declared cover would be sufficient to support the anticipated tree Area, North Area, Wooded Area-Northeast, Building bankruptcy. 100 Hot Spot): root depth. Cost: $18.4 million

Contact EPA

These EPA representatives are available to answer

questions and share information. If you need special

accommodations at the Oct. 20 meeting, contact

Teresa Jones.

For technical questions:

Demaree Collier

Remedial Project Manager

312-886-0214

[email protected]

This material is called sinter, which – along with debris and For general questions: abandoned structures – remains at the former smelting site. Teresa Jones

Community Involvement Coordinator Summary of cleanup alternatives 312-886-0725

U.S. EPA considered numerous options for cleaning up [email protected] both OU1 and OU2. The recommended options are

summarized here. For a listing of all of the alternatives Call EPA toll-free 800-621-8431, 8:30 a.m. to evaluated, refer to the technical proposed plan, which is 4:30 p.m., weekdays. available in the technical documents on file at the LaSalle Public Library or please search for Matthiessen

& Hegeler Zinc online at www.epa.gov.

Some of the abandoned structures and debris remaining at the former zinc smelter.

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How do the alternatives compare? Minimize or reduce the potential for someone to ingest, EPA’s recommended cleanup alternatives OU1 site characteristics OU1 history OU2 history U.S. EPA compared each alternative against seven of the inhale or touch soil that contains metals, PCBs, PAHs or OU1: Carus Plant Area OU1 covers approximately 47 acres and includes the Carus Corp. makes specialty chemicals in its The Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co. operated a zinc nine evaluation criteria (see comparison chart, Page 5) asbestos. Alternative 6 — Soil Cover. Approximately 4,600 cubic southern portion of the site and the Little Vermilion River facility in OU1, which is independent of the smelter at the OU2 portion of the site from 1858 and selected its recommended alternative. State and yards of contaminated soil across the area would be dug adjacent to the site. Carus Chemical Corp. operates a former Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co. facilities. until 1961. The company added a rolling mill to its community acceptance will be evaluated after a review Off-Site Residential Area: Prevent people from up and removed with an engineered soil cover installed facility on the site that produces potassium permanganate operations in 1866 to produce zinc sheets. This of public comments on the proposed plan. ingesting, inhaling or touching affected soil at residential to isolate Carus workers from the soil. Cost: $1.67 and other specialty chemicals. A large slag pile generated Carus began operations in 1915, manufacturing process included a furnace that used producer gas as properties that contains contaminants of concern. million from smelting operations on OU2 is mostly located on the potassium permanganate products for water fuel. Any sulfur dioxide generated was recovered

SummaryCarus property. of cleanup goals purification and wastewater treatment. The and converted into sulfuric acid and stored in on-site OU1: Slag Pile Area U.S. EPA has several objectives for this cleanup. They Next stepscompany has added other products to its tanks. Before making a final decision, U.S. EPA will review all Alternative 6 — Soil Cover. An estimated 50,000 cubic wereOU2 developed site characteristics while the alternatives were being manufacturing operations over time. comments from the public. The Agency will respond to yards of engineered soil, 18 inches thick, would be evaluatedOU2 covers and includeapproximately the following: 180 acres that includes the For a few years during the early 1950s, an the comments and make those responses available in the placed to cover the slag pile and prevent people from industrial portion of the former Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc From 1858 to 1961, sinter and slag from the ammonium sulfate fertilizer plant operated at OU2. final decision document. U.S. EPA could change its being exposed. Cost: $7.1 million OU1Co. property, as well as the nearly 5,000 properties in the smelting operations at OU2 were placed at Coal mining also occurred on OU2 until 1937, and recommended cleanup plan based on public comments Minimizesurrounding or reduce residential the potential area in thefor LaSalle/Perusomeone to ingest, area. The various locations on what is now designated as two mining shafts (one vertical and one horizontal) and its consultation with Illinois EPA. Alternative 15—Sloping and Benching + Plantings + inhale,smelting or touch plant contaminants ceased operations in affected in 2000. parts of the OU1, primarily in an upland area between the still remain at the site. Zinc smelting ceased in 1961, Revetments at the Toe of the Slope + Best Management Carus Plant Area and the Slag Pile Area that could be Carus facility and the river. The resultant slag pile and sulfuric acid manufacturing halted in 1968, The Agency will announce its final cleanup plan in a Practices. harmfulLaSalle to obtains human allhealth. its drinking water from a cluster of four covers an area of approximately 17.7 acres and when Matthiessen & Hegeler declared bankruptcy. local newspaper advertisement. Copies of the final plan Vegetation would be removed from the slag pile, which wells located three-quarters of a mile south of the site, with stands approximately 80 to 90 feet tall. Only basic rolling mill operations took place at OU2 will be available at the LaSalle Public Library, in the would then be excavated, sloped and benched along the Reducethe nearest surface municipal water runoff well andapproximately erosion of material3,700 feet south from 1968 until 1978. EPA Records Center in Chicago and for more The various parts of the Matthiessen & Hegeler site can be seen here.river, and a two-foot-thick engineered soil cover fromof the the site. Slag There Pile slope is a wetland to prevent approximately any unacceptable two miles Carus did not own the slag pile area during the information please search for Matthiessen & Hegeler installed. Revetments (a retaining wall) would be risksupstream to human of the health site oron thethe environment,river. Also, the and Lake to protect DePue OU2 zinc smelting operational period. In 1980, Fred and Cynthia Carus purchased the 12- Zinc online at www.epa.gov. installed at the toe of the slope for erosion protection theState viability Fish andof the Wildlife cleanup. Area and the Spring Lake Heron acre rolling mill tract of land, which became home along the river, and best management practices, Colony, which provides breeding habitat for the state- to the LaSalle Rolling Mill Inc. The mill made including seeding for the soil cover, would be installed OU2endangered great egret, are about 15 miles downstream of penny blanks for the U.S. Mint until 2000, when the to help stabilize the slope of the pile. The two-foot Sitethe Property site. Soils (Main Industrial Area, Rolling Mill company ceased operations and declared cover would be sufficient to support the anticipated tree Area, North Area, Wooded Area-Northeast, Building bankruptcy. 100 Hot Spot): root depth. Cost: $18.4 million Nature and extent of contamination The site was placed on the National Priorities List in

September 2003 because of the widespread slag across the Contact EPA site that has metals contamination, including arsenic and These EPA representatives are available to answer lead. The NPL is a list of the nation’s most hazardous waste questions and share information. If you need special areas and are eligible for cleanup under the Superfund accommodations at the Oct. 20 meeting, contact program. Teresa Jones.

Human health risks For technical questions: People who could be exposed to Matthiessen & Hegeler Demaree Collier pollutants in the soil include residents in the surrounding Remedial Project Manager community, employees of Carus Chemical, utility workers 312-886-0214 and construction workers at the site, children playing in the [email protected] area, and people walking through the site.

This material is called sinter, which – along with debris and For general questions: Experts found there were no significant adverse effects on abandoned structures – remains at the former smelting site. Teresa Jones the overall health of the ecological community in the Little Community Involvement Coordinator Vermillion River. Summary of cleanup alternativesThe various parts of the Matthiessen & Hegeler site can be seen here. 312-886-0725 U.S. EPA considered numerous options for cleaning up [email protected] The recommended cleanup alternatives in the proposed plan both OU1 and OU2. The recommended options are are designed to protect people and the environment from summarized here. For a listing of all of the alternatives Call EPA toll-free 800-621-8431, 8:30 a.m. to these potential health threats. evaluated, refer to the technical proposed plan, which is 4:30 p.m., weekdays. A worker inspects an old pipe extending above the available in the technical documents on file at the ground within the former zinc smelting plant. LaSalle Public Library or please search for Matthiessen

& Hegeler Zinc online at www.epa.gov.

Some of the abandoned structures and debris remaining at the former zinc smelter.

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EPA Proposes Cleanup Plan EPA Proposes Soil Cleanup Plan At Former Zinc Smelter

for Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Site LaSalle, Illinois September 2015

Share your opinion Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Site EPA invites your comments on the

LaSalle, Illinois proposed cleanup plan for the

Matthiessen & Hegeler site. (details inside) . The public comment period is Oct. 5 –

Attend an information session and public meeting to find out more about the Nov. 2. There are several ways to recommended cleanup plan and to provide your comments to EPA. comment:

x Orally or in writing at the public meeting. Tuesday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m. x Fill out and mail the enclosed LaSalle Peru Township High School comment form, or submit it at the 541 Chartres St. meeting. x LaSalle By fax to Teresa Jones at 312-692-2007 x By email to Teresa Jones at [email protected]

Read the proposed plan You may review the detailed cleanup

plan at the information repository: A worker sprays water on a building to help reduce the dust from demolition at the

Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc site.

EPA Proposes Cleanup Plan for Contaminated Soil Contaminated for Plan Cleanup Proposes EPA LaSalle Public Library, 305 Marquette

St., LaSalle; U.S. EPA Record Center, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to clean up contaminated soil MATTHIESSEN & HEGELER ZINC SITE: SITE: ZINC HEGELER & MATTHIESSEN th 77 W. Jackson Blvd., 7 Floor, Chicago; at the Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc site and in the surrounding residential area. or for more information please search for This soil is contaminated mostly with metals. U.S. EPA plans to dig up Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc online at contaminated soil and put it into what EPA calls a “containment cell” on the www.epa.gov. former smelter site.

Public meeting Complex sites like this one are often broken down into smaller manageable EPA encourages you to attend the public sections called operable units, or OUs. At this site, OU1 consists of the Carus Chemical Corp. and a large slag pile, while OU2 consists of the former meeting, Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. at LaSalle Peru Township High School, Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co. and the surrounding residential area. EPA has 1 541 Chartres St., LaSalle. identified its recommended cleanup alternatives for each OU.

EPA will accept oral comments at the Before making a final decision, U.S. EPA will hold a public meeting and seek public meeting. A court reporter will comments from the public (see box, left). The Agency, in consultation with the record all oral comments. Illinois EPA, may select a different cleanup alternative based on public comments, so your opinion is important. See a list of EPA contacts on Page 3.

1Section 117(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA known as the Superfund law) requires publication of a notice and a proposed plan. It also requires a public comment period and the opportunity for a public meeting. This fact sheet summarizes the technical written proposed plan and other site-related environmental reports that can be viewed at the LaSalle Public Library, 305 Marquette St., LaSalle; and the U.S. EPA office in Chicago.

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