Skip to content
Sections
  • Obituaries
  • eEdition
  • Popular Content
  • Submit a Tip
Dispatch Mobile Logo
Share
Subscribe
Login
LoginSubscribe
June 5, 2023
  • QUICK LINKS
  • Obituaries
  • eEdition
  • Popular Content
  • Submit a Tip
  • News
  • Columbus & Lowndes County
  • Starkville & Oktibbeha County
  • West Point & Clay County
  • Area
  • State
  • National
  • Business
  • Sports
  • High School Sports
  • College Sports
  • Local Columns
  • eEdition
  • Opinions
  • Local Columns
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Roses & Thorns
  • Dispatch Editorials
  • Obituaries
  • Lifestyles
  • Columns
  • Entertainment
  • Food
  • Transitions & Announcements
  • Community
  • Religion
  • Classifieds
  • Photo Galleries
  • Public Records
  • Building Permits
  • Marriages & Divorces
June 5, 2023
Dispatch Logo

Open eyes, open minds.

Home » News » Cleanup milestones reached at Kerr-McGee site

Cleanup milestones reached at Kerr-McGee site

By Slim Smith • December 1, 2021

 • 4 mins to read

Cleanup milestones reached at Kerr-McGee site
Lauri Gorton

Greenfield Environmental Trust Group Director of Environmental Programs Lauri Gorton, along with other officials in charge of the clean-up at the Kerr-McGee property in the Memphistown area of Columbus reported Tuesday a major milestone has been reached.

Since 2018, contaminated soil from the creosote plant that had operated on the 91-acre site for 75 years has been trucked off the property.

On Tuesday, officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and the Greenfield Multistate Trust said soil removal on the site, as well as soil from 11 residences adjacent to the property has ended.

The site was declared an EPA Superfund site in 2011, with $60 million provided for cleanup and redevelopment.

“The excavation part of the cleanup has been completed,” Gorton said during the first of two virtual town meetings held Tuesday. “At the Pineyard area, we expected to have the grading completed and will begin seeding the area. In the other two areas where the contamination was more extensive, a feasibility study that includes options for cleaning up the contamination too deep for removal has been submitted to the EPA for approval.

“We have submitted a draft of the study that includes 10 alternatives that can be used for the cleanup,” she added. “We’ve had one review on the draft and have submitted the final feasibility study. After that happens, EPA will issue a plan based on that information. It will be a public document that includes the recommended alternatives. The public will have a chance to comment on the document. The EPA will use that information for what is called a record of decision, which will include what alternatives will be used for the cleanup. That’s all coming up.”

Charles King, project manager for the EPA, said that a “record of decision” should be issued by September.

With the exception of one area where a process called phytoremediation is being used to remove contamination from groundwater, the cleanup at the 44-acre Pineyard site, located north of 14th Avenue, is confined to soil removal.

The cleanup at the main plant area — which officials have designated as Operable Unit 3 and Operable Unit 5 — will be far more extensive.

Alternatives that can be used to treat and mitigate the deep contamination found there include methods such as stabilization in place, which entails adding materials to the contaminated soil that then hardens, trapping the contamination in a solid block; biosparging, which infuses the contamination with oxygen that breaks down the contamination; underground barrier walls, which contain the contamination to its current location; and phytoremediation, which involves planting trees that will pull contaminated groundwater from the soil.

Gorton said the final plan will likely contain a combination of alternatives.

“First and most important is the protection of people and the environment,” Gorton said. “EPA will look to see which of these alternatives are able to be implemented, if they will be effective right away and if they will continue to be effective over time. They will also look at how much the different alternatives cost and whether each alternative will meet all applicable laws and criteria and whether they are accepted by community members.”

In March, the U.S. Geological Service planted 2,500 hybrid poplar seedlings in two areas of the site to determine if phytoremediation would be effective in the area.

“A couple of weeks ago, we went out to look at the trees,” King said. “When they were planted, they were about 3 1/2 inches tall and as big around as your pinkie finger. Now, those trees are 10-feet tall and as much as an inch in diameter. Some of them are as tall as 15 feet. That’s a good sign that the trees are doing what we want them to do.”

King said the area where the trees are growing includes groundwater monitors to measure groundwater levels.

“The preliminary report indicates that the trees are making connectivity with the contaminated water and the water table is being lowered,” King said. “The Geological Service experts are very optimistic.”

The off-site clean-up is basically completed, Gorton said.

“The work at those residences where we had cleanup operations is completed, and we’re just waiting for sign-offs from the property owners,” Gorton said.

Cleanup of ditches along 14th Avenue and Waterworks Road is also completed, she said.

Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is ssmith@cdispatch.com.

You can help your community

Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.

Subscribe

READER FAVORITES

  • Man shot in the buttocks by stray bullet

    Man shot in the buttocks by stray bullet

    By Abigail Sipe Rochester • 2 days ago

  • String music classes coming to SOCSD this fall

    By Abigail Sipe Rochester • 3 hours ago


Popular

Man shot in the buttocks by stray bullet

June 3, 2023

New Hope sends three to play in North/South all-star games

June 3, 2023

Mississippi State set to host Hailstate Tennis Camp

June 3, 2023

Here are summer assignments for Ole Miss baseball players

June 4, 2023



On This Day 2022

Acupuncturists aim to help relieve pain, treat various conditions

By Caroline Beach

Featured Podcast

The C Dispatch Podcast

Sections

  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinions
  • Lifestyles
  • Obituaries

Info

  • About
  • Contact
  • Submit a Tip
  • Terms & Service
  • Popular Content

Contact

Main Switchboard:

(662) 328-2424

Physical Address:

516 Main Street
Columbus, MS 39701

Mailing Address:

PO Box 511
Columbus, MS 39701

cdispatch.com © 2023 – The Commerical Dispatch

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT