Missouri Electric Works sits on 6.4 acres in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The company serviced and remanufactured electrical equipment from 1953 to 1992. Processing oil from PCB-filled equipment contaminated both soil and groundwater at the property. Contamination was discovered in 1984, and the site was added to the National Priorities List on February 21, 1990.
EPA identified 23 contaminants of concern in soil and groundwater. These include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), volatile organic compounds such as benzene, trichloroethene, and tetrachloroethene, as well as chlorobenzene, dichlorobenzene variants, chloroform, and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate. Most contaminants were found in groundwater, while benzene, chlorobenzene, tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, and trans-1,2-dichloroethene were also detected in soil.
The site was divided into operable units to address soils, groundwater, and wetlands separately. Soil excavation and thermal desorption began in March 1999 and finished in September 2000. For groundwater, EPA selected monitored natural attenuation, bioremediation, permanent wellhead treatment, and institutional controls prohibiting groundwater use in contaminated aquifers. Long-term groundwater monitoring began in June 2015. Investigation of the wetland areas concluded no action was needed there. Construction across the entire site was completed on August 22, 2019. The sources differ on the number of operable units, with one listing three and another listing four, so that detail is noted here as contested.
Human exposure is under control, and groundwater migration has stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. The site has achieved sitewide ready-for-anticipated-use status, meaning cleanup goals for current and reasonably anticipated future land uses have been met and all required land-use controls are in place. EPA's most recent Five-Year Review, completed on July 10, 2024, confirmed the remedy protects human health and the environment. Annual soil cap inspections and annual groundwater sampling continue. The next five-year review is scheduled for July 2029. The site has not yet been deleted from the National Priorities List. As of December 2024, two businesses operating on-site employ seven people and generate an estimated $1,899,490 in annual sales revenue.
Community members can view public records at the Cape Girardeau Public Library at 711 North Clark Street. For questions, contact the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager. For state-related questions, contact the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
