A heating oil business ran at this quarter-acre property in Temple Terrace, Florida, from 1960 to 1975. A waste oil storage and distribution facility then operated there from 1978 to 1983. A 3,000-gallon oil spill in 1982 contaminated both soil and groundwater, prompting EPA to place the site on the National Priorities List in 1984 after the owners refused to act on a state cleanup order.
The main contaminants were oil-related compounds in soil and groundwater. Early groundwater samples also contained lead, though later sampling found no lead and no risks to human health or the environment. EPA worked with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to address the contamination.
EPA moved quickly. In 1984 and 1985, the agency removed the spilled oil, excavated and disposed of 850 cubic yards of contaminated soil off-site, and pulled out two above-ground storage tanks and one 16,000-gallon underground storage tank. The site was regraded with clean fill and replanted with grass to prevent erosion. Soil and groundwater sampling in 1986 confirmed that contamination had been removed and that drinking water met state and federal standards. EPA issued a cleanup plan in 1987 calling for no further action, and the site was deleted from the National Priorities List on September 1, 1988.
Human exposure is under control. All cleanup goals for current and reasonably anticipated future land uses have been met. No unacceptable risks remain, and all required land-use controls are in place. EPA does not require Five-Year Reviews for this site. The property reached sitewide ready-for-anticipated-reuse status in December 2009. Today, an auto repair business operates there and has employed workers and generated local revenue since 1990.
Community members who have questions about the site can contact the EPA Remedial Project Manager, George Skala, by email or phone. EPA conducted public notices, meetings, and interviews throughout the cleanup process to keep residents informed and to gather input.
