The FCX, Inc. Statesville Plant site sits in Statesville, North Carolina, and landed on the National Priorities List in February 1990. Past textile manufacturing and pesticide operations left behind contaminated soil, groundwater, and surface water. The site is divided into separate operable units, each targeting a distinct contamination problem, and cleanup work has been underway since the 1990s.
Contaminants in the soil include pesticides such as chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, lindane, and DDT, along with pentachlorophenol. Groundwater contamination includes chlorinated solvents like trichloroethene and tetrachloroethene, pesticides including chlordane and dieldrin, and metals such as arsenic, lead, manganese, and chromium. Both soil and groundwater have been affected across multiple areas of the site.
Kinder Morgan is the responsible party and has funded and carried out much of the cleanup alongside the EPA and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Workers removed about 15,000 cubic yards of pesticide-contaminated soil and treated it on-site by 2001. A pump-and-treat system for pesticide-contaminated groundwater was replaced by monitored natural attenuation in 2006. On the textile property, soil vapor extraction and air sparging have removed about 14,000 pounds of volatile organic compounds, which are chemicals that evaporate easily and can be harmful if inhaled. In 2015, the EPA approved angled injection technology to address shallow groundwater and surface water contamination in the northern drainage area. Institutional controls, meaning legal restrictions on land and water use, prohibit drinking water extraction from the site and bar incompatible land uses such as residential development.
The EPA's 2021 Five-Year Review found that the cleanup remedies currently protect human health and the environment. No unacceptable human exposure pathways have been identified, and local residents and businesses use the public water supply rather than groundwater from the site. Groundwater migration is considered stable, with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. Remedial action for Burlington groundwater contamination is ongoing, with an estimated completion between February and April 2027. The next Five-Year Review is estimated between August and October 2026.
Community members can stay involved through public notices and public meetings that the EPA holds throughout the cleanup process. The EPA also conducts interviews with community members about site activities and updates. Anyone with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager. Site records are available for public review at the Iredell County Public Library at 135 E. Water Street in Statesville.
