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Ironwood Manufactured Gas Plant Site

 
Site Contact:
Kathy Halbur & Jacob Hassan
OSC

(halbur.kathy@epa.gov)

Site Location:
Hemlock & W. Ayer Streets
Ironwood, MI 49938
 response.epa.gov/ironwoodMGP

The Site is the location of a former Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) located in the City of Ironwood, Michigan along the Montreal River, the state border between Michigan and Wisconsin.

The MGP Site was owned and operated by the City of Ironwood from 1911 until approximately the late 1940s or early 1950s to supply gas to the nearby area. This facility is in a residential area. The City currently owns the MGP Site.

Assessments of the Site and the surrounding area conducted by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), and EPA demonstrated that MGP process waste and free product in the surface and subsurface soils are leaching contaminants into the groundwater and Montreal River. Gross contamination, including process waste, was observed along the river downgradient of the Site. Contaminants of concern identified in soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), and inorganic contaminants. The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) concluded that the coal tar material and the physical hazards at the Site could cause potential harm to people visiting the Site.

In August - October, 2012, EPA removed the contaminated soil and buried waste material at the Site, including over 15,000 Tons of MGP waste. To the extent possible (limited by inclement weather), EPA restored the Site to green space for future recreational use and stabilized the Site for winter (i.e., erosion control, engineered drainage, fencing). EPA returned to the Site the weeks of June 10, 2013 and July 15, 2013 to complete Site restoration and conduct post-removal sampling. The City of Ironwood, MDEQ, WDNR, MDCH, and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services all assisted with the removal action.


Recreational Trail User Reading Permanent Marker Permanent Marker View looking south at MDEQ personnel collecting sediment samples and evaluating macroinvertebrate and insect larva populations in the Montreal River. View looking northwest/down at groundwater monitoring and sampling equipment set up at monitoring well MW-4. View looking east at the collection of a groundwater sample from monitoring well TMW-1 located on the eastern limits of the property. The establishment of vegetation at the Site minimizes the potential for sediment transport from the Site. View looking southeast at the removal of temporary erosion controls. The collection, counting, and documentation of macroinvertebrates and insect larvae in the Montreal River provides an indication of the overall health of the river system. View looking south at the establishment of vegetation along the shoreline of the Montreal River. View looking east across the Site showing grass growth since the initial seeding completed in June. View looking south at restored areas of the Site and the ATV access trail along the eastern limits of the Site. View looking southeast at the restored areas of the Site. Final grade at the Site after the placement of topsoil and seed. The newly placed seed was watered after the straw was distributed across the Site. Newly installed groundwater monitoring wells were developed after installation. Groundwater sampling will be scheduled at a later date. Following the placement of topsoil, seed was spread across the Site and straw was dispersed to stabilize the newly placed seed and topsoil. Restoration activities included the placement and grading of topsoil on disturbed ares of the Site. Groundwater monitoring wells were installed during the performance of restoration activities at the Site. Restoration activities, including topsoil placement, grading, and monitoring well installation. Groundwater monitoring well installation. Restoration activities, including topsoil placement, grading, and monitoring well installation. Placement of additional boulders along the shoreline of the Montreal River. Initiation of final restoration and grading following spring runoff and flooding. View looking south at the western Site boundary where seed and straw matting were placed to stabilize soils during the seasonal suspension of work. Restoration work will resume in Spring 2013. View looking north at gravel and boulders placed along the eastern Site limits to allow for access to the ATV and snowmobile trail. View looking northwest at boulders placed along the Site boundaries prior to suspension of work. Restoration activities will resume in Spring 2013 View looking northwest at the application of concrete sealant and paint to cover the exposed concrete pads that once served as the foundation for the gasometers at the plant. Power washing gasometer base Extent of contamination trenching Extent of contamination trenching along the eastern edge of the site Overview of the Site. Removing impacted concrete from the gasometer foundation. Eastern edge of former building foundation. Piping uncovered during the excavation. Excavating around the western gasometer foundation, as viewed from the north side of the Site. Exposed edge of the gasometer foundation on the west side of the Site. A buried concrete structure located between the former plant and the western gasometer. During removal of the structure it was found to be filled with black contaminated soil. No subsurface pipes or drainage features were observed emanating from the structure. View looking east/southeast at removal operations. The contaminated soil stockpile and temporary haul road were relocated to the southern limits of the property to allow for the excavation of the southern half of the Site. View looking west at the excavated foundation of the western gasometer. The concrete foundation of the gasometer is greater than 4 feet thick. View looking south/soutwest at removal operations. The yellow excavator is excavating contaminated soil, the front end loader transfers the soil to the stockpile, and the red excavator loads haul trucks for transport to the disposal facility. View looking east at removal operations. In the foreground a dozer is spreading backfill in the river side excavation. In the background a front end loader is transferring contaminated soil to the load out stockpile, and the excavator is loading a waiting haul truck. View looking west at the excavation of the former plant building. Excavated tar wells located in the northwest corner of the building are to the right of the excavator. View looking south at the south wall of a subsurface wooden tar vat located adjacent to the former retort room. View looking at the southern tar well located in the northwest corner of the former plant building. View looking southwest/down at the interior of the northernmost tar well located in the northwest corner of the former plant. Excavation progressing east of river. Excavation Sidewall Tar in Excavation Sidewall Excavator uncovering a coal tar vat View looking west at the north-central portion of the Site where concrete pipe cradles were uncovered during construction debris excavation. View looking west/northwest as the excavation progressed eastward away from the Montreal River. Contaminated soil was removed from 10 to 12 feet below the ground surface. View looking east/south east at the eastern side wall of the excavation. Coal tar was observed seeping from the excavation side wall. View looking east as the excavation progressed eastward, away from the Montreal River. View looking northwest at a subsurface pipe containing MGP waste approximately 15 feet east of the Montreal River. Historically, it was not uncommon for facilities to discharge waste to the nearest surface water body. View looking down/south at surface tar deposits observed along the east bank of the Montreal River. View looking north at the removal of a dead, fallen tree from the Montreal River. View looking west at the the excavation and stockpiling of construction debris unearthed along the northern limits of the site. View looking east at the implmentation of dust control at the site. View looking east at chipping of cleared vegetative debris. View looking north at the east bank of the Montreal River. View looking west at the removal and collection of vegatative debris within the limits of work. View looking west/northwest at the consolidation of household and construction debris excavated at the site. View looking south at the truck exit from the site. Trucks exiting the site will proceed south on Hemlock Street to Silver Street. View looking south/southwest at site preparation operations. View looking west/southwest at the collection of vegatative debris within the limits of work. Collected vegatative debris will be chipped into mulch. View looking west at the grading of imported road base for the haul truck loop. View looking north/northeast at stockpiled backfill material provided by the City of Ironwood. View looking east at the northern limits of the site where buried household waste and construction debris is being excavated and collected for disposal. View looking north at excavated household waste and construction debris staged for transport and disposal. View looking southwest at the delivery of a 20,000 gallon frac tank for the temporary storage of groundwater recovered during the removal activities. View looking southwest at the U.S. EPA Command Post established at 340 West Ayer, directly east of the site. View looking south/southwest at the placement of boulders along the ATV trail to restrict access. Filling sand bags for use coffer dam construction ATV trail access blocked Removing boulders for haul road construction START and FIELDS conducting site elevations survey
For additional information, visit the Pollution/Situation Report (Pol/Sitreps) section.