Malone Service Company operated as a waste oil and chemical storage and disposal facility on Campbell Bayou Road in Texas City, Texas, from 1964 to 1997. The 150-acre property sits near Galveston Bay, a National Estuary and major fishery, about 1.5 miles from the nearest homes. The site was added to EPA's National Priorities List (NPL) in June 2001. It has not yet been deleted from the NPL, and a five-year review was completed in September 2024.
The facility handled acids, caustics, solvents, crude oil tank bottoms, spent drilling fluids, and industrial plant wastes. EPA identified 56 contaminants of concern across groundwater, soil, and surface water. These include chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, and vinyl chloride, heavy metals including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, nickel, and zinc, as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pesticides like aldrin. Groundwater contamination stayed localized around the buried source material, with no off-site migration detected. Chromium and lead were found in nearby Galveston Bay sediments, though off-site marsh areas showed only low contaminant levels.
EPA signed the Record of Decision in September 2009, selecting solidification and on-site placement of sludge and contaminated soil in a RCRA Subtitle C Hazardous Waste Cell, along with groundwater monitoring. About 215,000 cubic yards of sludge and 160,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil required treatment. Potentially Responsible Parties began remedial design and construction in 2013 and 2014. An Explanation of Significant Differences issued in April 2019 modified parts of the cleanup approach for Operable Unit 1. Sources differ slightly on the construction completion date, citing both December 13, 2017 and June 2018 as noted in separate site records. Air monitoring during cleanup showed no readings above EPA health-based action levels. EPA has determined that human exposure is under control and groundwater migration is under control.
The site is now moving into an operations and maintenance period. This includes annual inspections of the containment cell and groundwater monitoring of three minor contaminant plumes. The Malone Cooperating Parties purchased the property and plan to transfer it to an environmental non-profit, with the Scenic Galveston Conservancy having first right of refusal. Restrictive covenants tied to the land deed will limit future use to a preserve or wildlife habitat. Native grasses have been established on disturbed areas to support wildlife.
Community members with questions can contact the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager. For state-related questions, contact the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Public documents are available at Moore Memorial Public Library, 1701 9th Avenue North, Texas City, Texas.
