[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 221 (Friday, November 15, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69220-69221]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-29058]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7408-7]


Proposed Prospective Purchaser Agreement Under CERCLA for the 
Pruitt & Grace Superfund Site

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA'').

ACTION: Notice; proposal of CERCLA Prospective Purchaser Agreement for 
the Pruitt & Grace Superfund site.

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SUMMARY: EPA is proposing to execute a Prospective Purchaser Agreement 
(``PPA'') under authority of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (``CERCLA''), 42 U.S.C. 9601 et 
seq., as amended, and under the

[[Page 69221]]

inherent authority of the Attorney General of the United States to 
compromise and settle claims of the United States, for the transfer of 
title to property at the Pruitt & Grace Superfund site to Patrick 
Electric Company, Inc., and Mr. Robert Patrick II. The company and Mr. 
Patrick are both settling respondents under the PPA. In return for a 
covenant not to sue and contribution protection from EPA, the settling 
respondents will pay $2,000 to EPA, and will redevelop and operate the 
site. Settling respondents further agree to: Provide EPA and the Ohio 
Environmental Protection Agency (``OEPA'') with continued access to the 
site if necessary; exercise due care with respect to any existing 
contamination; cooperate with EPA and OEPA; and comply with all 
environmental laws and regulations. Patrick Electric further covenants 
not to sue the United States.
    The proposed PPA has been executed by the settling respondents, and 
has been submitted to the Attorney General for approval. EPA today is 
proposing to execute the PPA because it achieves a benefit for the 
community where the site is located by encouraging the reuse or 
redevelopment of property at which fear of Superfund liability may have 
been a barrier, thereby fulfilling EPA's Brownfields policies and 
goals. The site is not on the National Priorities List. No further 
response activities by EPA are anticipated at the site at this time.

DATES: Comments on this proposed PPA must be received by December 16, 
2002.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the proposed PPA is available for review at EPA, 
Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604. Please 
contact Kevin C. Chow at (312) 353-6181, prior to visiting the Region 5 
office. Comments on the proposed PPA should be addressed to Kevin C. 
Chow, Office of Regional Counsel (C-14J), EPA, Region 5, 77 West 
Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin C. Chow, Office of Regional 
Counsel, at (312) 353-6181.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The site is located at 1228 West 15th 
Street, Lorain, Lorain County, Ohio. It is approximately one acre in 
size and is bounded to the north by railroad tracks, to the south by 
West 15th Street and private residences, and to the east by Oberlin 
Avenue and small businesses. The facility was operated by Pruitt & 
Grace Prime Line, Inc. and Pruitt & Grace Development Corporation 
(collectively, ``Pruitt & Grace''). Pruitt & Grace ceased operating in 
the mid-1980s. As a result, Pruitt & Grace left behind approximately 
325 55-gallon drums and a number of 5-gallon cans. Access to the site 
was unrestricted. The drums were left outdoors and were rusty, bulging, 
leaking, open, or in various stages of deterioration, which prompted 
neighborhood complaints about odor and other problems. The drums 
contained abandoned or waste paints, lacquers, solvents (including 
tetrachloroethylene), and other substances. Several drums were labeled 
inflammable. EPA sampled open containers and found organic vapors with 
concentrations as high as 200 parts per million (``ppm''). Based on 
these results, EPA performed field hazard characterization tests for 
ignitability on several drums and confirmed that ignitable and/or 
inflammable materials existed at the site.
    EPA determined that, among other things, the site posed a threat of 
fire or explosion and that an imminent and substantial endangerment to 
human health or the environment existed. EPA took an emergency removal 
action as authorized by section 104 of CERCLA, 42 U.S.C. 9604, to 
mitigate the threat of fire or explosion. Actions taken by EPA 
included: Installation of a fence along the northern boundary of the 
site; inventorying and sampling of drum contents; pumping and off-site 
disposal of liquid fractions from all drums; consolidation of partially 
full drums; over-packing of full drums; crushing and off-site disposal 
of empty drums; and off-site disposal of all hazardous wastes, 
including one 55-gallon drum of waste oil. EPA completed the clean-up 
on January 17, 1992. Total costs incurred by EPA amounted to at least 
$144,358.73.
    Under the proposed PPA, the settling respondents will redevelop the 
site and move their electrical services contracting business there, 
thus returning an abandoned Superfund site to productive use and 
preserving or creating jobs. The settling respondents will also pay 
$2,000 to EPA; provide future access to the site if necessary to EPA 
and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (``OEPA''); exercise due 
care with respect to any existing contamination; cooperate with EPA and 
OEPA; and comply with all environmental laws and regulations. They 
further covenant not to sue the United States. In return, EPA covenants 
not to sue and provides contribution protection to the settling 
respondents, subject to certain reservations of rights. A 30-day 
period, beginning on the date of publication of this notice, is open 
for comments on the proposed Prospective Purchaser Agreement.

    Dated: October 15, 2002.
William E. Muno,
Director, Superfund Division, Region 5.
[FR Doc. 02-29058 Filed 11-14-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P