The MDI Site located in Harris County, Texas is an abandoned foundry facility located approximately 2 miles east of downtown Houston and east of the intersection of Highway 59 and Interstate Highway 10. This portion of Houston is also known as the Fifth Ward. The MDI fenced property is bounded by Hare Street to the north, National Vinegar Company and Press Street to the east, the former Texas & New Orleans Railroad right-of-way beyond the easement to the south, and Bringhurst Street to the west. There are in excess of 10,000 people within a mile of the Site, including several hundred children attending the local elementary school.
The EPA had previously performed an RI/FS at the Site. The purpose of the RI/FS was to determine the nature and extent of contamination and to gather sufficient information about the Site to support an informed risk management decision regarding which remedy is the most appropriate for the Site.
The High Access Areas around the Site had lead contamination greater than the established 500 ppm action level. These HAAs include the Blance Kelso Bruce Elementary School, the Fifth Ward Multipurpose Community Center, a church, and residential areas. Lead contaminated soils were removed from 56 HAAs between July 2003 and November 2003 and these properties have been restored.
EPA remobilized in May 2005 to conduct cleanup at 3 additional properties and additional cleanup at 2 more properties.
Three additional properties were identified for cleanup in 2003. However, access to these properties was not obtained until May 2005. EPA mobilized ERRS personnel for the cleanup on May 26, 2005. START personnel and EPA OSC Fife mobilized to the site. Lead contaminated soils were removed from these 3 properties in May-June 2005 and the properties have been restored. This brings the total number of properties cleaned up by EPA to 59.
Two properties that were cleaned up and restored in 2003 were identified for additional cleanup in 2005. Additional lead contaminated soils were removed from these 2 properties during May-June 2005 and the properties have been restored.
EPA OSC Josiam conducted a walk through of all the 5 restored properties with the ERRS Response Manager and START personnel and no issues were identified. ERRS crew demobilized from the site on June 4, 2005.
ERRS Response Manager will demobilize from the site on June 6, 2005. EPA OSC will meet with START personnel on June 7, 2005 to conduct a final inspection and sign-off on the properties. START personnel will obtain the restoration agreement sign-off from the property owners/tenants as well.
An addendum report is to be issued for these 5 properties.
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