Lehigh Electric & Engineering Co.

Overview

The Lehigh Electric & Engineering Co. site covers 5.5 acres in Old Forge Borough, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. It was once an electrical equipment repair and storage yard that operated from the mid-1970s to 1981. Improper handling of dielectric fluids containing polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, left the soil and debris heavily contaminated. EPA added the site to its Superfund National Priorities List in September 1983 and deleted it in 1986 after cleanup was finished.

PCBs were the main contaminant of concern, found in soil and in equipment on the property. Before cleanup, people faced risks from ingesting, touching, or inhaling PCB-contaminated soil and from touching contaminated equipment. There was also a risk of ingesting PCBs through fish, game, and other wildlife in the area. One on-site well has detected PCBs in groundwater above safe drinking water limits, though concentrations have decreased over time. No residents within a three-mile radius rely on groundwater for drinking.

Cleanup happened in two phases, finishing by 1984. Workers removed PCB-contaminated transformers, capacitors, and other materials and hauled them off-site. They excavated contaminated soil and covered remaining low-level PCB soils with 10 to 15 feet of clean backfill. EPA also demolished structures and revegetated the area. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued an order in May 2007 under the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act that prohibits disturbing the site cap, using groundwater for domestic purposes, and excavating without prior approval. A new property owner has agreed to carry out ongoing operations and maintenance under an established plan.

EPA has determined that human exposure is under control and groundwater migration is under control. All cleanup goals for current and reasonably anticipated future land uses have been met. The 2025 Five-Year Review confirmed that cleanup actions remain protective of human health and the environment because there is no exposure to contaminated media. The next five-year review is scheduled for 2029.

Community members can get involved through EPA's Community Involvement Program. The 2025 Five-Year Review is publicly available, and 15 remedial documents are accessible through EPA's Superfund database. Physical copies can be reviewed at the Old Forge Borough office or at the EPA Region 3 Public Reading Room in Philadelphia, where an appointment is needed. For questions, residents can reach the Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager directly using the contact information below.