This site is a 990-acre former petroleum refinery located south of Lawrenceville in Lawrence County, Illinois. It was listed on the EPA's Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in December 2000 after operating under various owners until 1995. Cleanup is divided into multiple operable units, distinct areas addressed separately. The record of decision for the first operable unit is estimated between August and October 2028, and remedial action has not yet started.
Contaminants in the soil and groundwater include benzene, naphthalene, ethylbenzene, toluene, semi-volatile organic compounds (SOCs), and lead. These are typical pollutants from petroleum refining. The EPA has determined that human exposure pathways are currently under control and that contaminated groundwater is not migrating off site or discharging unacceptably to surface water. Monitoring continues to confirm the contamination stays within its original area.
Texaco Downstream Properties, Inc., which acquired the site in September 2011, is conducting cleanup through its representative, Chevron Environmental Management Company. Illinois EPA provides oversight. A 1997 EPA removal action installed an interceptor trench and oil-water separator system that continues to operate, successfully keeping contamination from Tank Farm B from spreading. Since 2007, work has also included removing underground pipelines and contaminated soil, along with ongoing wastewater treatment. Treated water is discharged to the Embarras River. A Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Project is also underway, overseen by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Physical construction of the cleanup is not yet complete, and the site has not achieved full readiness for anticipated reuse. Institutional controls, including zoning restrictions, are in place to prevent uses such as residential development that would be inconsistent with current contamination levels. The Superfund Redevelopment Program is working with the community to explore productive reuse of portions of the site.
Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.
