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Today, U.S. Congresswomen Debbie Dingell (MI-12) added her support to others, including the State of Michigan and many local government officials, and urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) to include the McLouth Steel Corporation’s site in Trenton to the National Priorities List under the Superfund program. The site is currently under consideration by EPA for addition to the list of over 1,300 present sites considered to be the most hazardous in the United States that require national attention to safeguard human health and the environment.

In her letter, Dingell highlighted the importance of adding this site as a national priority. This site has sat empty for decades and everyone in the community is committed to its clean up and restoration. The NPL designation would be an important step towards this ultimate goal.

“The site sits at an important location on the Detroit River, which is both a critical source of drinking water for millions of people and an important international commercial corridor.  This is why the site must be fully cleaned up, and not simply remediated, to prevent any further damage to our drinking water supply, our environment, or our economy,” wrote Dingell. “While protecting human health and the environment must be our first and most important goal, it is also important that any cleanup efforts result in the location being suitable for redevelopment.”

The Environmental Protection Agency is required, under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, to maintain a National Priorities List to identify the most hazardous sites for the purpose of prioritizing cleanup actions. The NPL includes both non-federal sites and federal facilities that are deemed to present a sufficient level of risk to warrant listing.

You can read a copy of the letter here or below.

 August 1, 2018

Mr. Andrew Wheeler

Acting Administrator

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington D.C. 20460

Dear Acting Administrator Wheeler:

This letter supports the nomination and inclusion of the McLouth Steel Corporation’s site in Trenton, Michigan, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Priorities List. It is my understanding that EPA is currently considering adding the site to the list under the Superfund program so that a complete cleanup of the site can begin.

As you know, there is a long history of environmental violations at this site spanning several decades.  In 2007, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) cited 20 different violations at the site pertaining to the marking, storage, and conditions of hazardous waste containers.  Furthermore, EPA took remedial action in November 2009 after there was a reported release of a green leachate liquid to prevent the pH levels in Monguagon Creek from exceeding safe levels.  These are just a few examples of the known contamination at the site.

The site sits at an important location on the Detroit River, which is both a critical source of drinking water for millions of people and an important international commercial corridor.  This is why the site must be fully cleaned up, and not simply remediated, to prevent any further damage to our drinking water supply, our environment, or our economy.  While protecting human health and the environment must be our first and most important goal, it is also important that any cleanup efforts result in the location being suitable for redevelopment. 

All stakeholders and the surrounding communities have been working hard for many years and are committed to working towards the same goal of fully cleaning up the site and redeveloping.  The State of Michigan supports the inclusion of the Trenton site on the NPL, and resolutions of support have been adopted by the City of Trenton, Township of Grosse Ile, and City of Riverview.  I add my support and urge EPA to include the McLouth Steel Corporation site in Trenton on the National Priorities List, as well as continuing to pursue all available options for the full cleanup of the site.

Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our citizens and the environment for future generations must be our top priority.  Thank you for your attention and work on this important issue.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need any more information.

Sincerely,

DEBBIE DINGELL

Member of Congress