Welcome to the Superfund page! This page is designed to provide an overview of the EPA’s Superfund program and what it does, the role of the MPCA in local Superfund processes, as well as map local Superfund sites in order to provide a more accessible view of the environmental issues in the area.
Superfund
What is it?
Superfund is a US Government program run by the Environmental Protection Agency, funded by the US Government and supplemented by the responsible parties. It was started in 1980 as a response to environmental toxic waste dump emergencies in the 1970’s. It allows the EPA to clean up toxic sites, in addition to alerting responsible parties to take financial responsibility for the cleanup and monitoring of the affected sites.
How does it work?
The Superfund process is extremely complex, and involves a large amount of steps and processes that vary based on the severity and location of the site. For nearly all sites, the process goes as follows:
1. A site is identified, assessed, and then placed on the EPA’s National Priorities List.
2. Responsible parties are identified, notified, and brought into the process.
3. Cleanup plans are discussed, established, and implemented
4. Remediation occurs, site is constantly monitored
5. Measures are put into place to monitor site after acceptable level of cleanup is complete
EPA Superfund website for more info:
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/about.htm
The MPCA
Who are they?
The MPCA or Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is a Minnesota Government Agency that is tasked with environmental protection of the state. They are responsible for any environmental disasters that occur within the state of Minnesota, which includes administering the Superfund process for any sites located within the state, In addition, they act as an intermediary between communities and larger government organizations, such as the EPA.
MPCA website for more info:
https://www.pca.state.mn.us/about
Local Superfund Sites, Past and Present
This is a list of the Superfund sites and their status in and around the Como neighborhood. Information will be added as it is made available from the MPCA.
Archer Daniels Midland (Site SR0000005)
Address: 419 29th Ave. SE. Minneapolis, MN 55414
Status: Remediated, Redeveloped
History: Used as milling site by Archer Daniels Midland. Company used underground storage for hazardous chemicals. Became Superfund in 1984
Contaminants:
-Linseed Oil Waste
-Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Cleanup: Contaminated drums removed from underground source, soil removed, area capped with approved soil cover, access restricted to excavation areas. All soil and groundwater reached levels of contamination that were deemed acceptable by the MPCA. Delisted in 2011
Redevelopment: Purchased, redeveloped by CSM Investors, Special well constructed to ensure groundwater is not used for drinking water.
From the MPCA:
Gopher Oil Company Delaware (Site SR0000052)
Address: 2428 Delaware St. SE Minneapolis, MN 55414
Status: Remediated, Redeveloped
History: Used by Gopher Oil for storage and distribution of petroleum from the 1940’s to the 1980’s. Site soils investigated by Superfund program in 1990’s and 2000’s
Contaminants:
-Trichloroethane (TCA) (Soil) (Vapors)
-Trichloroethene (TCE) (Soil) (Groundwater) (Vapors)
-Lead (Soil)
-Polychlorinated Biohenyls (PCB) (Soil)
-Mercury (Soil)
-Petroleum Compounds (Soil) (Groundwater) (Vapors)
-Vinyl Chloride (Groundwater) (Vapors)
Cleanup: Put on Minnesota Permanent List of Priorities in 2000s due to PCB concentration in the soil. Buildings on site were demolished. Contaminated soils excavated, replaced.
Redevelopment: A 6 story apartment built on former site (Solhaus). Passive ventilation installed to reroute petroleum vapors. Delisted 11/7/2011. Affidavit signed serving as notification that contamination remains at depth, and groundwater under site is contaminated.
MPCA Report documenting it as a “Success Story”: www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/view-document.html?gid=17301
Gopher Oil Thornton (Site SR0000088)
Address: 825 Thornton Ave SE. Minneapolis, MN 55414
Status: Remediated, Redeveloped
History: Petroleum storage from 1910 to 1984 by W.H. Barber Co. and later Gopher Oil until 1984.
Contaminants: Unknown
Cleanup: Began in 2002, Soil Removed, replaced
Redevelopment: Began in 2003. Property purchased by Brighton Development, who put affordable housing units on the property
*note. information on this site is not easily available and almost impossible to find.
MPR story: http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/200211/25_olsond_gopheroil/
City of Minneapolis: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/cped/projects/cped_east_river_mews
McLaughlin Gromley King (Site SR0000120)
Address: 1715 5th St. SE Minneapolis, MN 55414
Status: Remediated, Redeveloped
History: Unknown
Contaminants:
-Trichloroethane (Air)
-Dichloromethane (Air)
-Maleic Anhydride (Air, Ground)
-Methanol (Air)
-Toulene (Air)
Cleanup: Started in 1983. Soil Removed, Groundwater treated, Cleanup lasted until 2002. Delisted in 2002 Extent of cleanup not discussed in available documents.
Remediation: Land purchased by University of Minnesota in 2003. Construction of Tennis courts and Ritter Tennis Center. Unknown if site still contains pollutants that are deemed in the “safe” range
*another instance where the information relevant to the site was difficult to find in available documents.*
EPA: http://echo.epa.gov/detailed_facility_report?fid=110002123014&redirect=echo
MPCA: http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/waste/waste-and-cleanup/cleanup/superfund/superfund-site-search.html
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/waste/waste-and-cleanup/cleanup/superfund/superfund-site-search.html
Portec- Pioneer Divison (Site SR0000137)
Address: 3200 Como Ave SE.
*No information provided by MPCA, EPA, or through various searches
General Mills (Site SR0000003)
Address: 2110 East Hennepin Ave.
Status: In remediation
For all information, see here: https://sites.google.com/a/comogreenvillage.info/como-green-village/tce-vapor-intrusion
Glidden Company (Site SR0000092)
Address: 1901 E. Hennepin Ave,
Status: Remediated, Redeveloped
History: Owned and operated on by Glidden company from 1928-1986 as a paint and varnish production facility. Contaminants stored in underground fuel tanks. Raw materials stored throughout buildings, resin stored in basements. Site investigated from 1987-1998. Soil contamination found to be too great for residential use, but acceptable for industrial use.
Contaminants:
Lead (Soil)
Barium (Soil)
Remediation: Started in 2000. Tanks and contaminated soil removed. Contaminated buildings demolished, and taken to off-site disposal. Installation of a soil-vapor extraction system. Asphalt cover installed, drainage improvements made. Restrictive covenant placed on property that restricts digging, drilling, and other activities and also requires maintenance, provides contamination notices, and monitors ground water.
MPCA: http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/about-mpca/mpca-news/news-releases-2005/mpca-proposes-update-of-state-superfund-list.html
Hopkins Agricultural Chemical/ Allied Chemical (Site SR0000009)
Address: 2020 Broadway St. NE
*no information is available through MPCA, EPA, or various searches, despite being listed as Superfund on MPCA website*
Interplastic Corporation (Site SR0000023)
Address: 2015 Broadway St. NE. Minneapolis, MN 55413
History: Interplastic has operated on the site since 1966 as a plastic resin manufacturing company, investigated from 1985-1990, placed on Superfund list in 1990
Contaminants: Actual contaminants not listed, but was listed as “groundwater and soil pollution”
Remediation: Testing occurred from 1985-1991, Remediation took place from 1991-1998. Soil Vapor Extractor installed in 1999 to remove VOCs from soil. No other remediation information available, but company still operates in location, and superfund site is listed as “inactive” on MPCA database
MPCA: http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/waste/waste-and-cleanup/cleanup/superfund/superfund-site-search.html
State of MN: www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/hazardous/sites/hennepin/intrplstc0501.pdf
Kennedy Building (Site SR0000334)
Address: 2303 Kennedy St. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
History: Owned and operated on by Westinghouse Electric Corp. from 1925-1980 as a generator, motor, and transformer production and repair facility. Sold to Kennedy Building Associates in 1980, building was then divided for multi-tenant leasing. Investigated from 2000-2005
Contaminants: PCBs, Volatile Organic Compounds, Dioxins (Soil and Groundwater)
Remediation: Began in 2005. PCB impacted soil removed 12 feet below grade. Groundwater required to be monitored for 5 years. If building is demolished or renovated, exposed soil must be remediated, Groundwater affidavit signed in 2011.
Superior Plating (Site SR0000131)
Note: This site is currently under remediation
Address: 315 1st Ave NE Minneapolis, MN 55413
History: Built in 1890s, used as streetcar barn and repair facility. Used by Superior plating from 1956 on as a metal plating operation center. Sampling and monitoring began in the early 1980s. Superior went bankrupt in 2012. Land was purchased by FUI who has entered into an agreement with the MPCA to address the problems of the site.
Contaminants: TCE (groundwater)
Chromium (Soil)
Solvents and Heavy Metals (Soil)
Remediation: Tested since 1980s, Superior purchased a state-of-the-art to treat groundwater. Superior also attempted to remediate as much soil as possible, but was unable to do both operate and remediate at the same time. After the company went bankrupt, FUI entered into nan agreement to demolish the building and remediate the soil, as well as operate the groundwater systems.