McGraw Edison Corporation ran a manufacturing facility in Albion, Michigan from 1958 to 1980, making air conditioners and humidifiers on a 24-acre property in Calhoun County. The site landed on EPA's National Priorities List in September 1983 after contamination spread beyond the property boundary. Today, physical construction of the cleanup is finished, but the site has not been deleted from the list, and long-term groundwater work continues under state oversight.
The main contaminant is trichloroethylene, or TCE. Between 1970 and 1980, the company spread roughly 15,000 gallons of oil waste containing TCE on dirt roads for dust control. That waste soaked into the ground and reached two on-site water supply wells and 45 nearby residential wells. Both soil and groundwater were affected.
Cleanup involved digging up and hauling away contaminated soil, flushing remaining contaminated soil with water from 1992 to 1997, and pumping out and treating contaminated groundwater. The public water supply was extended to all affected residents, though some declined the hookup. All major remedial construction wrapped up by January 1998. The State of Michigan and the responsible parties signed a Consent Decree to address the contamination. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality continues to oversee long-term response actions and is working with EPA and the responsible parties on any remaining issues.
Human exposure to contaminants is currently under control across the entire site, with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified. Groundwater migration is stabilized, and EPA sees no unacceptable discharge to surface water. EPA will keep monitoring to confirm contaminated groundwater stays within the original area. Zoning restrictions and other institutional controls are in place to prevent land uses that would conflict with cleanup levels. Five-year reviews were completed in October 1999 and October 2004, and the most recent review confirmed the remedies are working as intended. The site is not yet ready for full anticipated use sitewide, meaning not all cleanup goals or required land-use controls are fully in place, though portions of the site are already in active use. As of December 2024, four businesses operate on-site, employing 29 people and generating about $7.8 million in annual sales.
Community members with questions can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager. Site records are available for public review at the Albion Public Library, located at 501 Superior Street in Albion, Michigan.
