Tennessee Products operated a coal carbonization facility near Chattanooga Creek from 1918 to 1987. Coal-tar wastes dumped at the site contaminated groundwater, sediment, soil, and surface water in and around the creek. The EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1995 and selected a final cleanup plan in 2002. The site is also known by a former name, Chattanooga Coke and Chemical, and sits in Hamilton County, Tennessee.
More than 50 contaminants of concern were identified at the site. These include metals such as arsenic, chromium, and mercury, volatile organic compounds like benzene and carbon tetrachloride, pesticides including dieldrin and DDT, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and chlorinated compounds. One particularly hazardous substance found in sediment is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a form of dioxin. Contamination was found in sediment, groundwater, and soil across the site.
Cleanup work began in 1998, when the EPA removed 25,000 cubic yards of coal, tar, and contaminated sediment from a one-mile section of Chattanooga Creek, along with pesticide-contaminated sediment. Between 2005 and 2007, the potentially responsible parties carried out further cleanup under EPA and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) oversight. That work removed about 108,000 tons of stabilized sediment from the creek channel and placed a cap over 5,750 feet of the creek bed to limit recontamination. Construction was completed in September 2008. The EPA conducted five-year reviews in 2011 and 2016. The 2016 review found the remedy protective of human health and the environment. Human exposure is currently under control, and the site has achieved readiness for anticipated reuse.
The EPA deleted the site from the NPL in August 2019, meaning cleanup goals were met and the property no longer requires federal Superfund oversight. Zoning restrictions remain in place to prevent land uses, such as residential development, that would be inappropriate given remaining contamination. A fish advisory issued in 1992 by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation remains in effect for fish caught from Chattanooga Creek. Site maintenance and monitoring are ongoing.
Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager. The EPA also maintains a public information repository with records related to Superfund work at the site.
