EPA proposes groundwater cleanup plan for Superfund site in Phoenix; agency seeks public input on six options to address contamination by trichloroethene, 1,4-dioxane, 1,1-dichloroethane, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene and naphthalene

Phoenix – In a significant milestone for this Superfund cleanup, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a proposed plan to address contaminants in the groundwater at the Motorola, Inc. 52nd Street Superfund site. The agency is seeking public input on the plan, which focuses on cleanup at a section of the site know as Operable Unit 3 (OU3). OU3 is bordered by McDowell Road to the north, 20th Street to the east, Buckeye Road to the south, and 7th Avenue to the west in Central Phoenix, Arizona.

The proposed plan summarizes the risks of the contamination for human health and the environment and identifies the EPA’s preferred option for the cleanup of the contamination. It describes six cleanup options to remove contaminants that are unsafe to drink and gives the community an opportunity to review and submit comments on the EPA’s plan, including all six options. The options in this proposed plan for OU3 were formed based on current and anticipated future land use conditions within OU3, including potential future use of groundwater as drinking water.

“The EPA encourages people to provide input on the proposed cleanup plan for the Motorola 52^nd St. Superfund site,” said EPA Director of Region 9 Superfund and Emergency Management Division Michael Montgomery. “This is a big step forward to protect groundwater and ensure a future supply of safe drinking water for the Phoenix community.”

Industrial and commercial activities caused groundwater contamination at the site. These included dry cleaning; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment manufacturing; railroad activities; semiconductor manufacturing; and aerospace and jet engine design. Releases of chemicals from these types of facilities have impacted groundwater at the site. The contaminants in groundwater at OU3 include trichloroethene (TCE), 1,4-dioxane, 1,1-dichloroethane (DCA), 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, and naphthalene.

The 45-day public comment period for the proposed plan began on November 1, 2024. The EPA will host a public meeting to discuss the Proposed Plan on November 13, 2024, from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm at the Burton Barr Central Library, Nina Mason Pulliam Auditorium, First Floor at 1221 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix, Arizona.