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National Information |
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Superfund Program
International Smelting and Refining
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Site Type: Final NPL City: Tooele County: Tooele Street Address: 2.5 miles NE of Tooele Zip Code: 84070 EPA ID#: UTD093120921 Site ID#: 0800650 Site Aliases: Carr Fork Operations Congressional District: 01 |
Site Status & Updates
EPA Announces Record of Decision and Construction Complete for Site
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed a Record of Decision and declared that construction is complete for the site on September 27, 2007. The Record of Decision documents EPA's selected remedy for the Conservation Area (former smelter property), Pine Canyon and the former Tooele Valley Railroad property.
The remedy takes into account all previously completed removal work and includes no further remedial construction. It includes implementation of institutional controls and monitoring as needed to protect the integrity of the previously completed removal and remedial actions.
Copies of the Record of Decision and other Site Documents that led to EPA's remedy selection are available for pubic review online or at the Information Repository that contains the Administrative Record: Tooele City Library, 128 West Vine Street, Tooele, UT 84074; (435) 882-2182
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Institutional Controls, and Why Does the Record of Decision Call for Them in Pine Canyon
Under Superfund, institutional controls are administrative or legal controls such as local government ordinances or environmental covenants, designed to minimize the potential for people to be exposed to contaminants. ICs also are used to protect constructed remedies, and to provide notices or information to the public. Sometimes referred to as community protective measures, ICs are necessary anytime a remedy involves leaving waste in place. People encounter ICs or similar measures every day, such as being required to apply for a building permit prior to beginning a home renovation.
ICs are needed in Pine Canyon for two reasons: 1) to ensure that significant modifications to properties that were sampled and/or remediated don't negatively impact the condition of the soils, and 2) to protect the health of people who may live in currently underdeveloped areas in the future.
Why would ICs be Needed at Properties That Were Cleaned Up?
EPA does not anticipate the need for further work at the properties that were sampled and/or clean up during the Removal Action conducted by Atlantic Richfield. EPA's investigation concluded that the contaminants were mainly deposited on the surface of property and were transported by wind or surface floodwater events from the former smelter area.
However, there are some activities that could potentially change the condition of the soil surrounding a home or structure that was previously remediated. Examples include replacing an existing structure with a new one. If property owners undertake these types of activities, Tooele County may require additional soil cleanup if modifications to the property warrant.
How Might the ICs Impact Residents Financially?
While EPA believes it is unlikely that residents would encounter unsafe levels of contaminants, EPA is currently working with Tooele County on a grant to support the establishment and enforcement of institutional controls. Also, Atlantic Richfield will make available a repository to accept soils removed in the future. This also is expected to help keep costs to residential property owners to a minimum.
Why Weren't Undeveloped Properties Cleaned Up?
Because concentrations of lead and arsenic in undeveloped (farm and open space) areas were below recreational cleanup levels at the time of the Removal Action in Pine Canyon, undeveloped areas did not require remediation. When land use for these areas changes to residential, Tooele County may ask property developers to undertake additional sampling. If sample results indicate it is necessary to protect future residents who live on the property, developers may be required to conduct additional cleanup work. In addition, government ordinances and permit programs administered through the county building department and health department are expected to apply to future developable areas. Some of the land may require cleanup action by the developer prior to development for residential purposes.
Site Description
The International Smelting and Refining (IS&R) site is located on the west flank of the Oquirrh Mountains near the mouth of Pine Canyon. It is approximately 2 miles northeast of Tooele, in north-central Utah. The canyon is drained by Pine Creek.
Copper smelting began in 1910. The smelter had a capacity of 4,000 tons of copper ore per day. Two years later copper ore supplies declined and IS&R built a lead smelter. In 1915 Anaconda (now ARCO - the Atlantic Richfield Company) purchased the IS&R subsidiary. Over several years the owners added a lead-zinc sulfide flotation mill and a slag treatment plant for lead and zinc recovery. Copper production ceased in 1946 when the copper smelter closed. Lead smelting ceased in early 1972 and the site was reclaimed in 1986. An estimated 650,000 tons per year of tailings, slag and flue dust were produced during early operations at the IS&R site.
Emissions of metal-containing smoke and acid gases were reported during IS&R operations. Livestock deaths in the area of the site were attributed to arsenic, lead and sulfuric acid poisoning. UDEQ (Utah Department of Environmental Quality) documented 20 cattle deaths due to cadmium poisoning. During a 1985 site inspection, EPA noted dust blowing off tailings.
The site covers about 1,200 acres. There are approximately 330 acres of tailings, 27.5 acres of metals-contaminated slag, 13 acres of settling ponds, about 50 acres of landfills and 125 acres of smelter wastes. Investigations indicate the presence of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury and zinc in the soils, tailings and slag.
Soils in Pine Canyon, Utah (formerly Lincoln), about 1.5 miles northwest of the site, have been affected by emissions from the site. A 1985 EPA study documented dust blowing off tailings piles and during a 1996 UDEQ study, children were observed playing on bare soils. The site is accessible and used (illegally) by off-road motorcyclists and all-terrain vehicle users. The area surrounding and including the IS&R site was designated the "Carr Fork Reclamation and Wildlife Management Area" in 1994.
As part of a Reclamation/Stabilization Plan, ARCO demolished all the buildings on-site, consolidated and isolated waste, graded the site with uniform slopes to minimize erosion and planted a vegetated cover. After the reclamation effort ARCO entered into a conservation easement agreement with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to manage the site for wildlife habitat and conservation values.
UDEQ performed an Expanded Site Inspection (ESI) in 1996. Results indicated that the soil cap over numerous source areas was eroding or poorly vegetated. The source areas did not have containment features, and numerous tailings piles were deposited along the banks of Dry Creek, a drainage south of the site and Pine Creek. Data from the ESI indicated metals in soil, surface water and ground water.
Site Risk
| Media Affected | Contaminants | Source of Contamination |
| Soil | Arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, zinc | Smelting wastes |
Cleanup Progress
Residential cleanup activities began in October of 2004 in Pine Canyon. Atlantic Richfield, the potentially responsible party, agreed to conduct the work as a Removal Action based on soil sampling that occurred in Pine Canyon during 2003 and 2004. The soil sampling determined that residential soils at 17 homes had average levels of lead above the EPA's action level of 580 parts per million. Atlantic Richfield completed the 17 yard cleanups during 2005.
The EPA and Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ) completed a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study in 2007. The EPA signed a Record of Decision and declared that construction is complete for the site on September 27, 2007. EPA is currently working with Tooele County on a grant to support the establishment and enforcement of institutional controls.
Community Involvement
The EPA maintains regular contact with members of the community and implements a variety of community relations activities as new information becomes available. This includes distributing fact sheets and fliers, meeting with community members and local officials and sharing information with the local media.A Community Advisory Group was formed shortly after the site was listed and continues to meet on an as-needed basis. Meetings are usually held at the Tooele County Health Department.
Residents who are concerned about children's exposure to lead are encouraged to contact the Tooele County Health Department at 435-843-2310. They offer free blood lead testing for children.
An Information Repository containing the Administrative Record and other information about the site is available at the Tooele Public Library. The EPA wants to hear from citizens who have questions or concerns about this site.
Site Documents
November 2007 Fact Sheet (PDF, 4 pp, 197 kB)Record of Decision (ROD), September 2007 (PDF, 84 pp, 344 kB)
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ROD Figures (PDF, 5 MB)
ROD Tables (PDF, 627 kB)
ROD Photos (PDF, 530 kB)
March 2007 Fact Sheet (PDF, 4 pages, 228 kB)
ISR Proposed Plan And Public Comment Notice - June 2007 (PDF, 12 pages, 1.1 MB)
Contacts
| EPA
Erna Waterman |
Utah
Tony Howes Dave Allison |
