Star Lake Canal

Overview

Star Lake Canal sits in Jefferson County near Port Neches and Groves, Texas. It consists of two industrial canals and connected wetland areas that received industrial wastewater and stormwater since the late 1940s. The site was added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2000. Industrial discharges are now treated at a wastewater treatment plant and released under a Texas permit, but historical unpermitted discharges left lasting contamination behind.

EPA has identified 34 contaminants of concern at the site, found in soil and sediment. Metals include chromium, copper, lead, mercury, arsenic, and others. Organic contaminants include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pentachlorophenol, dieldrin, and pesticide residues such as P,P'-DDT and P,P'-DDE. Human exposure is currently under control, with no unacceptable risk to human health. However, the site does present an unacceptable risk to ecological receptors, including benthic invertebrates and several species of birds and mammals in the area. Groundwater is not a concern at this site.

EPA and potentially responsible parties completed investigations and feasibility studies, leading to a Record of Decision signed in September 2013. That document selected cleanup methods including dredging, excavation, dewatering and offsite disposal, soil cover, in-situ capping, institutional controls, and monitored natural recovery. Remedial design was completed in May 2022. EPA is currently negotiating a consent decree with potentially responsible parties to authorize the actual cleanup work, called the Remedial Action.

Remedial action is estimated to begin between May and July 2026 and run through August to October 2028. Once construction wraps up, operation and maintenance work is expected to start in fall 2028. The site has not been deleted from the NPL or certified as ready for reuse, and a five-year review has not yet been completed.

Community members can get involved by attending public meetings or contacting the EPA staff assigned to the site. EPA and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) held a community meeting on April 21, 2025, at the Effie and Wilton Hebert Public Library in Port Neches. That library, at 2025 Merriman, Port Neches, TX 77651, also serves as the local repository for site records and can be reached at (409) 722-4554. For technical questions, contact the EPA Remedial Project Manager. For community involvement questions, contact the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator. For state-related questions, contact TCEQ.