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RIEGELWOOD, NC (PRESS RELEASE) – The Department of Justice and the US Environmental Protection Agency have announced an agreement with Honeywell International Inc. and International Paper Co. to clean floors and floors. contaminated sediment at the LCP-Holtrachem plant in Riegelwood.
The United States has taken legal action under CERCLA, also known as the Superfund Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
LCP-Holtrachem Superfund is located at 636 John Riegel Road, near Cape Fear River, on 24 acres. From 1963 to 2000, the LCP-Holtrachem plant produced chemicals such as sodium hydroxide, liquid chlorine, hydrogen gas, liquid bleach and hydrochloric acid using a mercury cell process .
According to the lawsuit, filed simultaneously with the settlement Thursday in North Carolina's Eastern District, the two companies are responsible for historical industrial releases of metals, including mercury, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to the site.
"This settlement incisively corrects historic environmental issues affecting the Cape Fear River," said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice. "The Department of Justice will continue to work with its EPA partners to ensure that companies are held accountable for past environmental damage as required by CERCLA."
"Violations of environmental law will be actively pursued by our office through civilian and other tools, in coordination with our partners from the EPA and the US Department of Justice" said US lawyer Robert J. Higdon, Jr. of the East District of North Carolina. "The complete remediation required, as well as the reimbursement of all EPA response costs, sends a message to the polluters: the violators will be held responsible for the restoration of our beautiful rivers and our lands, here , North Carolina. "
Under the proposed Regulations, Honeywell and International Paper will address contaminated soils and sediments through a combination of in situ treatment, on-site storage and off-site treatment and disposal. Both companies will also reimburse the United States for all past and future costs associated with the cleanup. In exchange, both companies will receive a commitment not to sue and protection against lawsuits by third parties.
Both companies have previously conducted preliminary investigations and clean-up as part of prior agreements with EPA.
"The environmental benefits that will result from today's installation are a victory for communities close to this Superfund site," said Mary S. Walker, Acting Regional Administrator, EPA. "This agreement demonstrates the EPA's commitment to hold the companies responsible for the contamination they caused."
EPA uses the Superfund Alternative Approach (SAA) for the site; it was therefore not proposed to add it to the list of national priorities (NPL). Under SAA, EPA uses the same process and investigation and cleanup processes as NPL sites and saves the time and resources associated with NPL registration.
Honeywell is the current owner of the site. The site is contiguous to approximately 1,300 acres of land owned by International Paper. Since 1951, International Paper has operated a bleached kraft paper mill, which manufactures cardboard from wood fiber. International Paper has used many chemicals manufactured at the LCP-Holtrachem plant. Hazardous substances from the LCP-Holtrachem plant have been disposed of on the International Paper website and are dealt with under the regulation.
The consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period and the final court approval. A copy of the Consent Decree is available on the Department of Justice website at www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html. In addition, EPA will hold a public meeting in Riegelwood during the public consultation process.
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