On March 13, 2024, the EPA Removal Program received a referral from the EPA Remedial Program to evaluate a single residential property for Removal Action under the Cherokee County site, Operable Unit (OU) 03. The EPA Remedial Program confirmed elevated concentrations of lead in surface soil following notification from the Cherokee County Health Department of the presence of sensitive populations.
On March 15, an On-Scene Coordinator and EPA contractors mobilized to the site to initiate an Emergency Removal Action. By March 24, EPA contractors had excavated 261 cubic yards of contaminated soil, transported the excavated soil to a nearby repository, and backfilled and graded areas with clean topsoil or gravel. EPA subsequently established sod at the property before conducting a final walk with the property owner.
On April 3, 2024, the EPA Remedial Program referred a second property to the EPA Removal Program due to notification from the Cherokee County Health Department of the presence of sensitive populations.
On April 22, EPA and EPA contractors remobilized to the site and addressed the second property similar to the first. By April 30, EPA contractors had excavated 190 cubic yards of contaminated soil, transported the excavated soil to a nearby repository, and backfilled and graded areas with clean topsoil or gravel. EPA subsequently established sod at the property before conducting a final walk with the property owner.
The Emergency Removal Action concluded on June 18, 2024.
Cherokee County Site Background
The property is located within the Cherokee County National Priority List site, which spans 115 square miles and represents the Kansas portion of the Tri-State mining district. It consists of mine tailings, soil, sediment, surface water and groundwater contaminated with heavy metals (principally lead, zinc and cadmium). The primary sources of contamination are the residual metals in the abandoned mine workings, chat piles and tailings impoundments, in addition to historical impacts from smelting operations. The site was placed on the National Priorities List in 1983 and organized into subsites, which were then divided into nine OUs. This Emergency Removal Action is administratively within OU3 of the site.
More information on the Cherokee County remedial site activities can be found at https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0700667.