I wouldn't have even known this was here if it wasn't for the monument:
MOTCO FEDERAL SUPERFUND SITE
Listed on National Priorities List 1983
Remediation Complete 1997
The MOTCO Trust Group Gratefully Acknowledges
The Commitment And Support Shown By
The Communities Of Bayou Vista, La Marque,
Texas City, And Galveston County
TOGETHER, WE MADE A DIFFERENCE
The MOTCO Trust Acknowledges Companies
Who Contributed To Landscaping Of The Closed Site.
Atkins Equipment, Baseline Corporation,
Calgon Carbon Corporation,
DeJean Construction Co., Inc,
Genpower Pump & Equipment,
Goldman Public Relations Co., Inc,
Groundwater Services, Inc., KB rentals,
Kelly - Bradley, Mesa Engineering,
KMA Environmental Services,
Missouri Fuel Recycler,
Ozarka Spring Water Co., PC&E.,
Vossler Electrical Services,
Woodward-Clyde Consultants
From the EPA Website:
The Motco, Inc. site is located in Galveston County, Texas. A styrene tar recycling facility operated on site from 1959 to 1961. It used the pits on the site for disposal of industrial petro-chemical wastes. An industrial disposal facility operated on the site from 1964 to 1968. Site activities contaminated soil and groundwater with hazardous chemicals. Following construction of the site’s remedy, operation and maintenance activities and monitoring are ongoing.
Ihe list of contaminants is so extensive that it was too difficult to include. If you are interested, Follow this link.
Contaminant Information
What Has Been Done to Clean Up the Site?
The site is being addressed through federal, state and potentially responsible party (PRP) actions.
EPA has conducted several five-year reviews of the site’s remedy. These reviews ensure that the remedies put in place protect public health and the environment, and function as intended by site decision documents. The most recent review concluded that response actions at the site are in accordance with the remedy selected by EPA and that the remedy continues to be protective of human health and the environment in the short term. Continued protectiveness of the remedy requires continued monitoring and evaluation of monitoring well data, a plant to monitor and/or mitigate the effects of a hydraulic connection between the contaminated groundwater and two new supply wells, and ongoing quarterly and annual reporting.
Motco, Inc. purchased the site property in 1959 for recycling styrene tars generated by local industry. The recycling business closed down in 1961 due to hurricane damage. The company used the pits on the site for disposal of industrial petro-chemical wastes. In 1964, an industrial disposal facility began operating on site and continued to operate until 1968. In 1968, due to numerous odor complaints, the City of La Marque passed an ordinance prohibiting disposal of liquid wastes in surface impoundments that effectively forced the facility out of business.Motco, Inc. purchased the site property in 1959 for recycling styrene tars generated by local industry. The recycling business closed down in 1961 due to hurricane damage. The company used the pits on the site for disposal of industrial petro-chemical wastes. In 1964, an industrial disposal facility began operating on site and continued to operate until 1968. In 1968, due to numerous odor complaints, the City of La Marque passed an ordinance prohibiting disposal of liquid wastes in surface impoundments that effectively forced the facility out of business.
What Is the Current Site Status?
Initial Actions
EPA divided the site into two operable units (OUs) to prioritize and manage cleanup. Initial actions included removal actions, or short-term cleanups, to address immediate threats to human health and the environment. Four removal actions from 1980 to 1985 removed contaminated drums, treated and discharged over 5 million gallons of wastes in the pits, reinforced dikes, and fenced the site.
Remedy Selected
Source Control OU: This OU addressed surface contamination and pits. The long-term remedy included incineration of liquid organic pit contents at an off-site facility, off-site treatment of contaminated pit water, and off-site landfilling of tars, sludges and soils. The remedy also included on-site incineration of all contaminated waste materials. EPA later updated the remedy to change the tars, sludges and soils remedy to on-site capping of soil and off-site incineration of the tar and sludge.
Management of Migration OU: This OU addressed groundwater and off-site soils. The long-term remedy included excavation of shallow off-site soils and ditch sediments, placement of excavated materials beneath a cap, extraction and treatment of contaminated groundwater, removal and incineration of dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs), long-term compliance monitoring, deed restrictions to prohibit development, and installation of additional security fencing around the site.
Cleanup Progress
Construction of the monitoring and recovery wells and the treatment system finished in 1995. DNAPL recovery began in 1995. Construction of the slurry wall and excavation and consolidation of off-site contaminated materials took place between 1995 and 1997.
Construction of the remedy finished in 1997. Operation and maintenance activities and monitoring are ongoing.