Gulfco Marine Maintenance

Overview

A barge cleaning and repair operation ran at this 40-acre site in Freeport, Texas from 1971 to 1998. Waste oils, caustics, and organic chemicals were stored in three surface impoundments that closed in 1982. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in April 2003 after sampling confirmed a range of hazardous substances.

Ten contaminants of concern have been identified, all found in groundwater. They include benzene, trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, vinyl chloride, 1,2-dichloroethane, dichloromethane, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethene, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, and 1,2,3-trichloropropane. These chemicals posed an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment based on the amounts present and the types of exposure that could occur. Contamination sits mainly in the uppermost water-bearing zone, with lesser amounts in a deeper zone.

EPA selected a remedy in September 2011. It includes institutional controls, groundwater monitoring, and a cap over the former impoundments. A removal action from November 2010 through March 2011 cleared above-ground storage tanks and other structures from part of the site. A Consent Decree finalized in February 2021 formalized the cleanup responsibilities. The responsible party completed cap repairs and developed an operation and maintenance plan in 2022, with reports approved by EPA and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in 2023.

Physical construction is complete across the entire site. Human exposure is currently under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified. Groundwater migration has been stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. The groundwater has not been used as a drinking supply and is unlikely to be, due to naturally high salinity. Institutional controls prohibit groundwater use and residential development, limiting the site to industrial and commercial purposes. EPA's Second Five-Year Review, completed September 2021, found the site protective of human health and the environment in the short term. The next five-year review is scheduled for completion by September 2026.

Community members can review cleanup documents at the Freeport Branch Library in Freeport, Texas or the TCEQ office in Austin. The 2024 Five-Year Review Report is also available online. For questions, residents can contact the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager. Media inquiries go to the EPA Press Office at (214) 665-2200.