CTS Site Cleanup

The CTS site is located along Mills Gap Road in Skyland, North Carolina.  The site was formerly owned by the CTS Corporation, which manufactured electronic parts there from 1959 to 1985.  Activities at this site required the use of significant amounts of chemicals including trichloroethylene (TCE), which is often used as a degreasing agent.  Exposure to and consumption of elevated levels of this chemical can pose a threat to human health.   In the area surrounding the CTS site, which has become increasingly developed in recent years, TCE contamination has been found in samples of groundwater, spring water, soil, and ambient air near springs in the immediate area of the facility.

To reduce the chance of human consumption of TCE, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) have conducted multiple rounds of testing of residential wells in the area.  They have worked with Buncombe County and the City of Asheville to extend municipal water service to homes with contaminated wells.  At my request these agencies have agreed to continue with periodic testing of nearby wells. This will ensure that newly contaminated wells will be identified, should TCE in groundwater spread to previously unaffected areas.

EPA has taken the lead in the assessment and abatement of immediate health risks related to the site. The CTS Corporation, which has been identified as the party responsible for the contamination, has cooperated with EPA thus far.  In accordance with an Administrative Order on Consent with EPA, CTS Corporation has installed vapor extractors near the plant to remove TCE in the soil and is conducting a pilot program which aims to neutralize TCE in springs using ozone. 

EPA has authority to conduct long-term remediation only at sites that qualify for listing on the National Priority List (NPL) on the basis of the magnitude of the contamination at the site and its impact on human health and the environment. Currently, EPA is collecting more information about the nature and extent of contamination in nearby residential wells, which could possibly show that the CTS site qualifies for listing on the NPL.

Since the site has not been qualified for listing on the NPL, DENR will direct and oversee the assessment and cleanup work done by CTS Corporation under a separate Administrative Agreement. CTS Corporation is currently cooperating in conducting a site assessment, with state approval.

DENR is reviewing the results of groundwater testing on the CTS site.  This information will allow them to more effectively formulate their plan for a full cleanup.  This process will take time, but I am committed to working with both agencies and with Buncombe County to make sure that the contamination on this site is adequately and efficiently removed and the safety of local residents is maintained.

I will be checking in with EPA and DENR on a regular basis to ensure that progress is being made on the site and that information is distributed to the public as quickly as possible.  These updates will be posted here as they come in.