[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 176 (Thursday, September 11, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 47784-47786]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-23840]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 300

[FRL-5889-9]


National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan; 
National Priorities List

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of intent to delete the Northern Engraving Corporation 
site from the national priorities list; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) 
Region V announces its intent to delete the Northern Engraving 
Corporation Site (the Site) from the National Priorities List (NPL) and 
requests public comment on this action. The NPL constitutes Appendix B 
of 40 CFR part 300 which is the National Oil and Hazardous Substances 
Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP), which U.S. EPA promulgated pursuant 
to section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) as amended. This 
action is being taken by U.S. EPA, because it has been determined that 
all responses under CERCLA have been implemented by the responsible 
party and U.S. EPA, in consultation with the State of Wisconsin, has 
determined that no further response is appropriate. Moreover, U.S. EPA 
and the State have determined that remedial activities conducted at the 
Site to date have been protective of public health, welfare, and the 
environment.

DATES: Comments concerning the proposed deletion of the Site from the 
NPL may be submitted on or before October 14, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to Gladys Beard, Associate Remedial 
Project Manager, Superfund Division, U.S. EPA, Region V, 77 W. Jackson 
Blvd. (SR-6J), Chicago, IL 60604. Comprehensive information on the site 
is available at U.S. EPA's Region V office and at the local information 
repository located at: Sparta Free Library, W. Main & Court Sts., 
Sparta, WI 54656.
    Requests for comprehensive copies of documents should be directed 
formally to the Region V Docket Office. The address and phone number 
for the Regional Docket Officer is Jan Pfundheller (H-7J), U.S. EPA, 
Region V, 77 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604, (312) 353-5821.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gladys Beard (SR-6J), Associate 
Remedial Project Manager, Superfund Division, U.S. EPA, Region V, 77 W. 
Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604, (312) 886-7253 or Briana Bill (P-
19J), Office of Public Affairs, U.S. EPA, Region V, 77 W. Jackson 
Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604, (312) 353-6646.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. Introduction
II. NPL Deletion Criteria
III. Deletion Procedures
IV. Basis for Intended Site Deletion

I. Introduction

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region V announces 
its intent to delete the Northern Engraving Corporation Site from the 
National Priorities List (NPL), which constitutes Appendix B of the 
National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP), 
and requests comments on the proposed deletion. The EPA identifies 
sites that appear to present a significant risk to public health, 
welfare or the environment, and maintains the NPL as the list of those

[[Page 47785]]

sites. Sites on the NPL may be the subject of remedial actions financed 
by the Potentially Responsible Parties or the Hazardous Substance 
Superfund Response Trust Fund (Fund). Pursuant to Sec. 300.425(e)(3) of 
the NCP, any site deleted from the NPL remains eligible for Fund-
financed remedial actions if the conditions at the Site warrant such 
action.
    The U.S. EPA will accept comments on this proposal for thirty (30) 
days after publication of this notice in the Federal Register.
    Section II of this notice explains the criteria for deleting sites 
from the NPL. Section III discusses procedures that EPA is using for 
this action. Section IV discusses the history of this site and explains 
how the Site meets the deletion criteria.
    Deletion of sites from the NPL does not itself create, alter, or 
revoke any individual's rights or obligations. Furthermore, deletion 
from the NPL does not in any way alter U.S. EPA's right to take 
enforcement actions, as appropriate. The NPL is designed primarily for 
informational purposes and to assist in Agency management.

II. NPL Deletion Criteria

    The NCP establishes the criteria that the Agency uses to delete 
sites from the NPL. In accordance with 40 CFR 300.425(e), sites may be 
deleted from the NPL where no further response is appropriate. In 
making this determination, U.S. EPA will consider, in consultation with 
the State, whether any of the following criteria have been met:
    (I) Responsible parties or other persons have implemented all 
appropriate response actions required; or
    (ii) All appropriate Fund-financed responses under CERCLA have been 
implemented, and no further response action by responsible parties is 
appropriate; or
    (iii) The Remedial Investigation has shown that the release poses 
no significant threat to public health or the environment and, 
therefore, remedial measures are not appropriate.

III. Deletion Procedures

    Upon determination that at least one of the criteria described in 
300.425(e) has been met, U.S. EPA may formally begin deletion 
procedures once the State has concurred. This Federal Register notice, 
and a concurrent notice in the local newspaper in the vicinity of the 
Site, announce the initiation of a 30-day comment period. The public is 
asked to comment on U.S. EPA's intention to delete the Site from the 
NPL. All critical documents needed to evaluate U.S. EPA's decision are 
included in the information repository and the deletion docket.
    Upon completion of the public comment period, if necessary, the 
U.S. EPA Regional Office will prepare a Responsiveness Summary to 
evaluate and address comments that were received. The public is welcome 
to contact the U.S. EPA Region V Office to obtain a copy of this 
responsiveness summary, if one is prepared. If U.S. EPA then determines 
the deletion from the NPL is appropriate, final notice of deletion will 
be published in the Federal Register.

IV. Basis for Intended Site Deletion

    The Northern Engraving Corporation (NEC) Site (Site) is located in 
Sparta, Wisconsin. Sparta is a rural community with a population of 
6,800 approximately 25 miles east of LaCrosse. The NEC facility is 
adjacent to residential and business areas and abuts the LaCrosse River 
which forms the southern boundary of the Site. Domestic water is 
supplied to most residences in the city through a public distribution 
system. Production wells for this system are about 3/4 mile from the 
Site and draw water from bedrock aquifer at depths from 105 to 260 
feet. The closest private well is located approximately 1/4 mile from 
the NEC facility. Private wells are completed in the bedrock aquifer.
    The Site is presently the location of NEC manufacturing activities. 
NEC produces metal name plates, dials, and decorative trim for the 
automotive industry utilizing anodizing, chemical etching, and chromate 
conversion coating processes. The Site was proposed for the Federal 
National Priorities List (NPL) on September 8, 1983. The listing was 
finalized on September 21, 1984.
    Four areas on the NEC facility were identified as potential sources 
of contamination. These areas include a sludge lagoon, a seepage pit, a 
sludge dump site, and a lagoon drainage ditch. From 1968 to 1976 rinse 
water from the plant, after treatment with sodium hydroxide, was 
discharged to the lagoon where metal hydroxide solids were allowed to 
settle before discharge of the effluent via the drainage ditch to a 
storm runoff ditch. The treated effluent was then combined with the 
City of Sparta's wastewater effluent prior to discharge into the 
Lacrosse River. Accumulated sludge in the lagoon was on two occasions 
excavated and disposed of on-site at what is referred to as the sludge 
dump. The seepage pit was used to neutralize spent acid waste by 
reaction with limestone.
    A waste water treatment system was installed in 1976 which uses 
above ground steel settling tanks. Waste previously treated in the 
settling lagoon and in the seepage pit were combined and routed to the 
treatment system. The lagoon was used for emergency storage of 
untreated waste water until 1980 when a lined emergency holding lagoon 
was put into service. In 1981 the seepage pit was filled, graded, and 
revegetated.
    A Remedial Investigation (RI) Report, that was dated May 1986 
identified areas within the NEC facility where hazardous constituents 
posed a potential threat to public health, welfare, and the 
environment. Analysis of on-site groundwater showed elevated levels of 
copper, fluoride, nickel, zinc, 1,1-dichloroethylene, 
trichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride. Data indicated that the 
contaminants moved with the groundwater toward the LaCrosse River where 
the groundwater discharges to the river at the southern boundary of the 
Site. Highest levels of these indicator parameters were detected down 
gradient from and adjacent to the sludge lagoon and the seepage pit. 
Surface soils were not contaminated except in the immediate vicinity of 
the drainage ditch.
    The Health and Endangerment Assessment (EA) dated February 1987, 
analyzed a variety of exposure scenarios to quantify the risk to public 
health, welfare and the environment. Exposures were based on potential 
contact with contaminated sludge, soil and ingestion of groundwater. 
Upper bound cancer risk for groundwater exceeds 10-E06. The upper bound 
scenario represented consumption from the most highly contaminated 
monitoring well. Risk was also established which exceeded acceptable 
levels for exposure to sludge and soils through the worst case 
scenarios.
    A Feasibility Study (FS) was released for comment on August 27, 
1987. The FS identified remedial alternatives which provide 
minimization of long-term contact with contaminated soil and sludge and 
prevent ingestion of contaminated groundwater. The remedial objectives 
in the FS are listed below:
    1. The remedial objectives to minimize contact with the sludge and 
prevent contact with and use of groundwater downgradient to the 
LaCrosse River are achieved by stabilizing the sludge, capping the 
lagoon and monitoring the groundwater. The institutional control was 
achievable because there are no downgradient

[[Page 47786]]

groundwater users, no surface water impact attributable to the 
discharge and the site is wholly owned by NEC.
    2. The remedial objective to eliminate the potential for contact 
with contaminated soil was achieved by placement of the excavated 
drainage ditch soil in the sludge lagoon. The excavated area was 
filled, graded, and vegetated.
    3. The remedial objective to eliminate the potential for exposure 
to buried contaminated soil was met by access restriction by NEC 
ownership, since the area is already capped preventing casual exposure. 
A restriction in the property deed prevents future development in the 
seepage pit area.
    4. The remedial objective to eliminate contact with buried sludge 
and contaminated soil was achieved by excavation of the contaminated 
materials and stabilization in the sludge lagoon. The dump site would 
be backfilled with native soil following excavation to its former 
grade.
    No comments were received during the 30 day public comment period 
beginning August 27, 1987. Although an opportunity for a public meeting 
to discuss the remedy selection was provided, no interest in such a 
meeting was expressed by the public.
    On September 30, 1987, the Regional Administrator approved a Record 
of Decision (ROD) which selected the following remedies:
    A. Source Control. 1. Excavate and place contaminated materials 
from the drainage ditch and sludge dump site in the sludge lagoon for 
solidification.
    2. All contaminated materials in the sludge lagoon would be 
solidified, and the lagoon would be provided a RCRA soil waste cover 
and monitored for proper closure.
    3. Restrict access and apply deed restrictions to the seepage pit 
property.
    B. Management of Migration. Ground water contamination would be 
regulated and monitored through the use of alternate concentration 
limits (ACLs) to be applied downgradient of the sludge lagoon and the 
seepage pit.
    C. Operation and Maintenance. The cover over the sludge lagoon and 
the seepage pit would be routinely inspected and monitored. Semi-annual 
groundwater sampling and analyses at compliance monitoring wells would 
be conducted.
    Construction activities at the Site were performed by NEC in 
accordance with the remedy selected in the September 30, 1987 ROD. The 
Remedial Construction Activities started at the Site on June 6, 1988. A 
Closeout Report was signed September 29, 1989, confirmatory sampling 
verified that the ROD cleanup objectives have been achieved and all 
cleanup actions specified in the ROD have been implemented.
    In June, 1994, a Five-Year Review was conducted. The Five-Year 
Review provided a basis for the Site deletion from the NPL. The report 
states that remedial actions implemented at the Site continuously 
remain protective of the public and the environment. Based on the 
reported groundwater monitoring results, all the Site related chemicals 
of concern are below the alternate concentration limits (ACLs).
    EPA, with concurrence from the State of Wisconsin, has determined 
that all appropriate responses under CERCLA at the Northern Engraving 
Corporation Site have been completed by the responsible party, and no 
further CERCLA response actions are appropriate in order to provide 
protection of human health and environment. Therefore, EPA proposes to 
delete the Site from the NPL.

    Dated: August 29, 1997.
Michelle D. Jordan,
Acting Regional Administrator, U.S. EPA, Region V.
[FR Doc. 97-23840 Filed 9-10-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P