The Ilada Energy Co. site covers 17 acres along the Mississippi River levee in East Cape Girardeau, Alexander County, Illinois. The federal government built a tank farm there in 1942, and several companies operated it over the years. Ilada Energy Company took over in 1981 and ran a waste oil reclamation facility until it shut down in 1983. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in October 1989 after investigations found widespread contamination.
Contaminants found at the site included oil, sludge, and contaminated groundwater carrying toxic heavy metals, industrial solvents, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The contamination stemmed from improper storage and disposal of waste oil. Both soil and groundwater were affected across the full 17-acre property.
Cleanup involved federal and state actions as well as work by the companies responsible for the contamination. Those companies removed all tanks, piping, structures, debris, and contaminated soil by 1991. A remedial investigation that began in June 1989 concluded in September 1999, when EPA selected "No Further Action" as the final remedy, meaning no additional cleanup measures were needed. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in January 2001. The site was declared ready for anticipated reuse in September 2009, and the current owner purchased it in 2006 for recreational use. The U.S. Forest Service maintains part of the forest on the property.
EPA has conducted five-year reviews to confirm that cleanup protections remain effective. The most recent review, completed in August 2024, found that the remedy continues to protect human health and the environment. Human exposure is under control, and all cleanup goals for current and future land uses have been met. One area needs further attention: EPA does not yet have enough data to confirm whether contaminated groundwater migration has stabilized, and monitoring will continue to address that question. The review recommends preparing a long-term stewardship plan that includes groundwater monitoring procedures.
Community members can learn more about the site through the administrative record posted on EPA's website or by visiting the Cape Girardeau Public Library at 711 N. Clark Rd. in East Cape Girardeau, Illinois. For direct questions, the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator and Remedial Project Manager are available by phone and email.
