Superfund Site Contamination Risks: Flooding, Wildfires, and Remediation Challenges

Risks to Superfund Sites

• ⚠️ Flooding, whether from storm surge, riverine sources, or wildfires, poses a significant risk of spreading contamination at Superfund sites.
• 💡 The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has documented numerous sites across the country located in areas susceptible to these events.
• 🎯 A specific example from Houston, Texas, the San Jacinto River site, illustrates how unprecedented rainfall from Hurricane Harvey dispersed contamination.

Remediation and Protection Challenges

• 🛡️ The EPA must ensure that existing remedies at Superfund sites are protective against these environmental threats.
• 📈 Recent experiences in Texas and Florida highlight that these are not just potential issues but ongoing realities requiring preparedness.
• 🗺️ Inaccurate FEMA flood mapping creates an additional burden for Superfund site managers, forcing them to determine the true flood risk.

Specific Site Concerns and Interim Measures

• 🌊 At a site on the Pawtucket River in Rhode Island, there's a significant risk of flooding and contamination release from lagoons during remediation.
• 🛠️ EPA can explore options like contaminant removal as interim measures while developing long-term remediation plans, especially for contaminated sediment.
• 🧠 The agency needs site-specific expertise to determine the appropriate steps, potentially seeking external help if necessary.

Redevelopment of Contaminated Properties

• 🏢 For properties within Superfund boundaries, like an abandoned hospital in Newport, Rhode Island, redevelopment is possible if contamination is minor.
• 🚧 Segregating the property from the larger Superfund site through boundary modifications can facilitate reuse.
• 🏗️ An RFP process to evaluate asbestos and other potential contamination, followed by assessing investment interest, could help drive redevelopment of such valuable waterfront properties.