2004 Demonstration Project Arlington Blending & Packaging: Arlington, Tennessee THE SITE: The 2.3-acre Arlington Blending & Packaging site in the town of Arlington, Tennessee was once home to a pesticide formulation and packaging facility. During its seven-year operation, pesticide spills and leaks at the facility gradually led to soil, sediment, and ground water contamination. In 1996, cleanup activities included excavation, stockpiling, treatment, and backfilling of over 41,000 tons of contaminated soil over most of the site; today the site is revegetated and in use as a neighborhood park. Use of ground water is prohibited by Shelby County well rules and regulations; however, monitoring continues to ensure that any lingering contaminants in the ground water do not pose a threat to human health and the environment. THE OPPORTUNITY: Though the site was cleaned up, the Arlington Blending & Packaging site remained vacant for many years after cleanup activities concluded. For years, neighbors and passersby were barred entrance to the site—the open space was idle in an area where a neighborhood park would have been welcomed and appreciated. THE BARRIER: As part of the Return to Use Initiative, EPA worked with local stakeholders to determine what was preventing the site from returning to use. Together, they concluded that the stigma associated with the property as a Superfund site was the site's primary barrier to reuse. THE SOLUTION: In order to combat the negative associations with the site's Superfund history, EPA worked with local stakeholders to create documents that would inform the Arlington community of the site's status. In July 2004, EPA issued a Comfort Letter to the Town of Arlington, detailing the liability statutes that would protect the Town's interests when it took ownership of the property because of unpaid back taxes. To further reassure Arlington residents of the site's safety, EPA declared the site ready for recreational use in a Ready for Reuse (RfR) Determination. This RfR Determination, the first in Region 4, was signed on October 16,2004. THE PARK: EPA Region 4 agreed to work with the Town of Arlington as town officials developed remedy-friendly schematics for a Barriers: Superfund site stigma; liability concerns Solution: EPA issued a comfort letter to address liability issues and an RfR Determination to address stigma Before: Cleaned up pesticide facility; 2.3- acre vacant grass field After: Neighborhood park that is accessible to all Arlington residents urmea btates Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Redevelopment Initiativ updated August 2009 ------- neighborhood park at the 2.3-acre site. This park, accessible to all residents of the surrounding residential communities, includes a playground,field space, walking and biking trails, exercise stations, and a half-court basketball court. EPA participation in the park planning process ensured that construction activities to install playground equipment and other features did not affect the site's remedy in any way. On February 25,2005, Helena Chemical Company donated an adjacent 0.6-acre parcel to the Town of Arlington, increasing the size of the park by 30 percent. With a clear title to the land, the Town of Arlington secured a $300,000 community development block grant to fund construction of the park at the site. In October 2006,the collaborative efforts of EPA and the Arlington community came to fruition and the new Mary Alice Park was officially opened to the public with a ribbon cutting ceremony. FOR MORE INFORMATION,CONTACT: Bill Denman,Region 4 Superfund Redevelopment Coordinator at (404) 562-8939 or den i.bill@epa.gov. IS EL REMAINS ABOVE GROUND AS UEM« • JUEUUIEDIHMIiOUTTK SHE AUDI : REGULARLY™ n AI EFFORT 10 ENIEI COMMUNITY'S CONIIED SAFEIY ANDWELLBE1. A ground water monitoring well at the new Mary Alice Park urmea btates Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Redevelopment Initiativ updated August 2009 ------- |