Sauer Dump is a partially wooded property along the Back River in Dundalk, Baltimore County, Maryland. It was used as an unpermitted salvage yard, dump, and landfill, where improper storage and disposal of hazardous substances contaminated the surrounding environment. EPA added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in March 2012. The site is managed as a single operable unit, OU-01, covering soil, sediment, groundwater, and surface water.
EPA has identified 10 contaminants of concern: arsenic, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, manganese, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), thallium, and zinc. All have been found in both soil and sediment across the site. Lead and PCBs in soil and sediment are the primary drivers of cleanup decisions. A Remedial Investigation approved in May 2020 confirmed that contamination extends into residential properties.
Several cleanup actions have already taken place. In 2005, a fence was installed, a temporary cover was placed over contaminated areas, and shoreline erosion was addressed. A removal action completed in 2017 took out soil contaminated with lead and PCBs from several properties on the site. Contaminated surface soil with high levels of lead and PCBs has been removed from residential properties and replaced with clean soil. As a result, human exposure is currently under control, and contaminated groundwater migration is also stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water.
EPA finalized the Record of Decision for OU-01 on September 24, 2024. The selected remedy includes wetlands restoration, solidification and stabilization of contaminated material, offsite disposal, soil cover, excavation of contaminated soil, dewatering, and institutional controls to limit site use. Remedial design is estimated to begin between February and April 2027 and conclude between May and July 2028. Physical construction of the full cleanup is not yet complete, and the site is not yet ready for all anticipated uses.
Community members can stay involved through several channels. EPA held a public meeting on October 11, 2023, to present the Proposed Remedial Action Plan, and a Community Involvement Plan has been finalized to guide public participation throughout the cleanup. In October 2025, EPA issued updated national guidance on addressing residential lead exposure at contaminated sites, and EPA Region 3 is evaluating how that guidance applies to Sauer Dump specifically. Updates will be shared with affected communities as recommendations develop. Site documents, including the administrative record, can be reviewed at North Point Library at 1716 Merritt Boulevard in Dundalk or at EPA Region 3 headquarters in Philadelphia.
