Westline Site

Overview

The Westline Site is a 40-acre former chemical manufacturing facility in Westline, McKean County, Pennsylvania. The Day Chemical Company operated there from 1901 to 1952, converting lumber into charcoal, methanol, and acetic acid. Operations ended after a fire in 1952. EPA discovered toxic tar deposits in soil and groundwater in the early 1980s, added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983, and deleted it from the list in 1992 after completing cleanup.

The main contaminants are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in tar deposits and groundwater. Specific substances include benzo(a)pyrene, benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene, among 21 identified chemicals of concern. Tar-bearing areas near Kinzua Creek posed direct contact risks, and low levels of VOCs were detected in at least one monitoring well. Tar deposits near the Allegheny Reservoir also raised concerns about erosion releasing contaminants during flooding.

Cleanup was organized into three operable units (OUs). OU1 focused on tar removal. EPA first capped the largest tar deposit with clay, but when the cap cracked and leaked, workers excavated and removed about 2,000 tons of tar and contaminated soil by 1990. OU2 addressed groundwater and was subsequently deleted from the NPL after a no-action remedy with monitored natural attenuation was selected. OU3 determined no further action was needed for a separate tar removal area. In 2015, EPA found additional tar seepage in a nearby creek and returned to excavate roughly 250 tons of wood tar and contaminated soil in 2017, followed by wetland restoration. EPA monitored conditions through mid-2018 and found no new seep areas. When the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation replaced a nearby bridge in 2020, EPA worked with the agency to address wood tar seeps. Routine monitoring continues.

EPA assessments confirm that human exposure is currently under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways remaining. Groundwater contamination is stabilized, and there is no unacceptable discharge to surface water. All cleanup goals for current and anticipated future land uses have been met, with appropriate land-use controls in place. The site achieved sitewide ready-for-anticipated-reuse status in June 2006. The historic Westline Inn operates on the property and remains an active tourist destination near Allegheny National Forest.

Community members who want to learn more or stay involved can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator. Site documents are available at the Bradford Area Public Library in Bradford, Pennsylvania, and at the EPA Region III office in Philadelphia. Appointments to review the administrative record can be scheduled by calling (215) 814-2396.