Tin i s is the first
in a series of case
studies from EPA's
Technology Innovation
and Field Services
Division (TIFSD)
focused on ecological
revitalization as part
of contaminated site
remediation and
reuse. The purpose of
these case studies is to
provide site managers
with ecological reuse
information including,
recommendations
based on experience
and observations,
people to contact, and
access to a network
of sites having an
ecological reuse
component.
Decomissioned Michigan Chemicall Plant
Transforms into Prairie and Savannah
This is the story of the transformation of a former chemical
manufacturing site into thriving wetland, prairie, and woodland
habitat. The closure of Occidental Chemical Corporation (Oxy)
facility in Montague, Michigan in 1983 left behind soil and ground
water contaminated with chlorinated organic chemicals. Habitat
preservation is an Oxy corporate principle so after meeting the
EPA cleanup standards they also provided an ecological asset
for the community. The surrounding countryside is a mix of
hardwood forests, pine plantations, dunes and grasslands, homes,
summer cottages, beaches and towns, in the Lake Michigan basin.
Rather than leave a brownfield in its wake, a few individuals
at Oxy spearheaded the transformation of the former chemical
manufacturing site into a thriving /"
prairie, savannah, woodland, and
wetland habitat. The restoration
plans included amending soils,
creating wetlands, and planting
native grasses, shrubs, and trees
as well as long-term stewardship
activities and the creation of
recreational opportunities.
Oxy successfully established
habitat at the site through
financial commitment at a corporate level as well as the
dedication of employees who implemented the habitat
management plan. Oxy drew on previously established
relationships with state and local agencies as well as other
stakeholders for technical support and materials. In addition,
Oxy employees talked to the community about their efforts
at the site and found that the community was in favor of
ecological revitalization at the former factory.
Ecological Revitalization = the process of returning
land from a contaminated state to one that supports
functioning and sustainable habitat.
Topics Highlighted in
this Case Study:
•	Attractive Nuisance
•	Bioavailability
/ Community Involvement
•	Erosion
/ Invasive Species
/ Predator Control
•	Recreation
/ Soil Amendments
/ Use of Native Plants
/ Use of Volunteers
•	Water Management
•	Wildlife Habitat
/ Freshwater Wetland
/ Prairie
•	Saltwater Wetland
•	Savannah
•	Stream
/ Woodland
February 2011, EPA542-F-11-003
ivzviv.cluin.org/eco tools
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ECOLOGICAL R E VITA LIZATION OF CONTAMINATED SITES CASE STUDY
Background
•	The 880-acre site is located in Montague,
Michigan.
•	Tlie facility manufactured chlorine,
sodium hydroxide, and hydrochloric acid,
and hexachlorocyclopentadiene, a toxic
chemical used in pesticide production. The
facility has been inactive since 1983 and
production facilities were demolished in
1996; there are no plans to reactivate facility
operations.
•	About 506,000 cubic yards of organic
wastes was disposed in unlined settling
ponds over approximately 50 acres
of the site. The wastes contaminated
ground and surface water both on and
off the site with the following chlorinated
organic chemicals: chloroform, carbon
tetrachloride, trichloroethylene,
perchlorethylene, hexachlorobutadiene,
hexachlorocyclopentadiene,
octochlorocyclopentene, and
hexachlorobenzene. Groundwater
discharges to White Lake, and sediments in
the lake were also contaminated.
•	Remedial efforts started in 1981-1982,
when most of the waste on the surface was
removed and disposed in a lined landfill.
Remediation also included excavation
of contaminated soil, dredging of
contaminated sediment, and pumping and
treating contaminated groundwater.
» Contaminated soil was placed in a lined
landfill which is maintained through a
Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act (RCRA) post-closure long-term
management plan. The 10-acre landfill
contains approximately 970,000 tons of
contaminated soil.
» Isolated areas of contaminated soil were
removed and disposed off-site and
contaminated sediment was dredged,
dewatered, and disposed off-site
pursuant to the 2001 RCRA corrective
action final remedy.
» A groundwater treatment system
currently operates to contain a
contaminated plume to be protective
of human health and the en vironment.
The water treatment facility has been
in continuous operation since 1982
and pumps approximately one million
gallons per day. Treated groundwater is
discharged under a National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
permit to White Lake.
» A contaminated 2-acre equalization
pond was drained, decontaminated
using pressure washing and vacuuming,
re-lined with a synthetic plastic liner
covered with clay, and allowed to refill
with rainwater.
• The remediation is protective of human
health and the environment. The remedy
disturbed much of the soil on more than
a 100-acre area; and much of this area has
been transformed into plant and wildlife
habitat.
Oxy Site Equalization Ponds in 1996
Ecological Revitalization
Oxy's plan called for a sustained effort
to protect the environment, including
actively promoting habitat preservation
and biodiversity. Oxy employees proposed
to revegetate the site with native grasses
to provide wildlife habitat. Oxy began the
restoration process by collaborating with the
Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) to form a
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ECOLOGICAL REVITALIZATION OF CONTAMINATED SITES CASE STUDY


Oxy Site Equalization Ponds in 2007
Native species planted include big and
little bluestem, Indian grass, switch grass,
wild rye, and more than a dozen native
wildflower species.
small team of stakeholders who planned and
designed habitat restoration to accommodate a
variety of wildlife. Each team member played
a key role in the restoration. The restored 65-
acre habitat is a mix of (predominantly) open
prairie, forest, and wetland. The remaining
800+ acres owned by Oxy is mostly forest
which is being managed under a State-
approved Forest Stewardship program as part
of the restoration work.
Oxy used existing relationships with state
and local agencies, such as the Muskegon
Conservation District and Pheasants Forever,
to develop a management plan for the forested
area and purchase native seed for the restored
habitat area. Because the Oxy site borders the
city of Montague, parts of the revitalization
are easily visible from the road. To keep the
local community informed, Oxy employees,
who are members of the local public advisory
committee, provide updates during committee
meetings and never miss an opportunity to
talk about the site to the community. Showing
the community that the company takes pride
in the community and its property has gone a
long way towards building public trust.
The restoration steps included (1) amending
sandy soils with organic matter, (2) collecting,
and then sowing native grass seed, planting
shrubs and trees, and (3) excavating soils
to create wetlands. The vegetation is being
monitored for survival, species composition,
and invasive plant species. Ongoing
management includes replanting and seeding
(as needed), selectively removing plants, and
implementing prescribed burns to remove
invading woody stems from the prairie portion
of the habitat area.
Besides the ecological restoration work, Oxy
is in a unique position to offer property to the
township for public soccer fields and a bike
path. While public access is not possible on the
entire site because of institutional controls, Oxy
plans to sell a 16-acre parcel of the property
to the township for expansion of an existing
park. The plans to use some of the property to
connect a bike path to complement the nearby
22-acre Hart-Montague State Park Bike Trail
still need to be resolved due to public-access
restrictions.
Mixing Proper Soil
As any farmer or gardener knows, when it
comes to growing plants it's all about the soil.
At Oxy, the original thin organic layer had been
stripped during the building and operation
of the chemical plant and the remediation of
the contaminated soil, leaving only sand as a
growing medium. The wildlife team at Oxy
coordinated with a nearby dairy farm to take
used bedding material from the calf barns (a
mixture of sand, wood shavings, and manure)
— a mutually beneficial arrangement — to
add organic matter to the soil. The bedding
material is composted on site and then applied
to the soil. Oxy consulted with the Michigan
Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)
regarding the use of bedding material as a
soil amendment. MDEQ had no issues with
using the soil amendment and no testing
was required. Soil test plots were used to
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ECOLOGICAL REVITALIZATION OF CONTAMINATED SITES CASE STUDY
s	\
Soil Amendments -
How Do They Do It?
•	Logistics: Oxy selects a V^-acre area
with sandy soil and poor vegetation
growth. Weeds are removed and 6 to 8
inches of soil amendment is applied to
the top of the soil using a mechanical
manure spreader. The material is
incorporated into the soil using a disc
cultivator. An annual nursery crop as
well as native perennial grass seed is
planted immediately after applying
soil amendments to help stimulate
seed germination and give the sandy
soil enough structure to hold moisture
and help the prairie grasses become
established.
•	Why it works: The Oxy site is located
in a rural area with a major dairy
operation located less than 5 miles
away. The dairy provides bedding
material to Oxy which hires a local
trucking firm to deliver it to the
site. Oxy uses its own labor and
equipment, purchased specifically
for the restoration project to compost
and apply the soil amendment. This
labor intensive process is cost-effective
in part because the employees have
volunteered their time for an effort they
support.
determine the best mixture of sand and organic
matter for the type of prairie vegetation
planned for the site.
Incorporating Native Seed
A nearby native grassland owned by Oxy has
been one source of seed for the restoration. The
wildlife team harvests the seed and transfers it
to the site. A significant quantity of local native
seed was also purchased through Pheasants
Forever, one of the restoration partners.
The first year, a nursery crop of Canada wild
rye (Elymus canadensis) was planted to stabilize
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the soil and prevent weeds from becoming
established. This is generally the process used
at large-scale restoration sites. Native seed
was then broadcast into the prepared soil. The
fields are now mostly self-sustaining, lush and
colorful prairie transformation.
Planting in loose sand is difficult. Sand easily
shifts and can either expose or bury recently
planted seed. The wildlife team used a
standard seed drill and modified the drilling
technique to make sure the depth of seed was
correct to improve chances of germination.
In addition, the soil amendments discussed
above helped to stabilize the sand and reduce
shifting. More than 45 acres of the site have
been cultivated, planted, and maintained with
native annual and perennial plants and grasses
and are now mostly a self-sustaining, lush and
colorful prairie transformation.
S	1		\
Purchasing Seed: Most of the seed for
ecological revitalization of the Oxy site was
purchased through Pheasants Forever or
was readily available at the local seed mill.
Creating Habitat
•	Oxy captured the opportunity to use
a former equalization pond as habitat.
Already excavated, the pond was cleaned,
recontoured, and vegetated with native
plants to create pond and wetland habitat,
and a buffer zone. The 2-acre pond is
already home to ducks, amphibians, insects,
and other wildlife.
•	The wetland buffer zone is being
established using cattails, and the wildlife
team plans to incorporate native wetland
shrubs.
•	More than 300 native trees and shrubs have
been planted with planning assistance from
the local soil conservation district.
With ecological revitalization well under
way, the wildlife team has begun some of the
maintenance activities to sustain the habitat
and has plans to further the project:
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ECOLOGICAL R E VITA LIZATION OF CONTAMINATED SITES CASE STUDY
Soil amendment generated using local farm waste and on-site compost area.
Soil amendment added to a 1/2 -acre area with sandy soil and poor vegetation growth.
Native prairie grasses planted after soil amendment is incorporated into the soil.
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ECOLOGICAL REVITALIZATION OF CONTAMINATED SITES CASE STUDY
f	\
July 2006 Letter From MDEQ Regarding the
NPDES Permit:
"All areas evaluated were in compliance at the
time of the inspection. Also, noteworthy was
the remarkable success of your native grassland
plantings and similar restoration efforts that
you've undertaken with guidance from the
Wildlife Habitat Council. It appears that this
former chemical manufacturing site is well on
its way to becoming a fine habitat for ducks,
pheasants, and other wildlife. These extra efforts
are appreciated."
Stakeholders Involvement
•	Oxy - Began its own revitalization
project after the EPA final remedy was
implemented.
•	EPA - Oversaw cleanup of
contamination under the authority of
RCRA Corrective Action.
•	Michigan Department of Natural
Resources and Environment (MDNRE)
(formerly MDEQ) - Approved the
use of soil amendment at the site;
approved the NPDES permit for the
site and conducts inspections to ensure
compliance.
•	Michigan Department of Natural
Resources - Approved a forest
management plan.
•	Wildlife Habitat Council - Is
Oxy's partner in habitat protection,
restoration, and enhancement.
•	Pheasants Forever - Provided native
grasses and wildflower seed and
consultation to revegetate disturbed
areas.
•	Soil Conservation District - Forester
provided a forest management plan for
the timber areas of the site.
•	Community Members - Provided
input on final use of the site. The
community was in favor of ecological
revitalization instead of redevelopment.
•	Prescribed burning in prairie and oak
savannah areas to mimic the natural
occurrence of fire and pursue biological
control techniques for an invasive species
(spotted knapweed) (completed April 2010).
•	Continue compiling the site's species
inventory and work with the Ruffed Grouse
Society to manage habitat.
•	Implement the forest management plan,
which includes thinning red pine and
removing invasive tree species to improve
habitat and growth potential of trees.
•	Partner with the Muskegon Conservation
District, the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and
EPA to acquire a Great Lakes Restoration
Initiative grant to complete invasive species
removal and wetland augmentation along
the White Lake shoreline (application is
awaiting notification).
•	Develop an outfall hydroelectric system to
capture energy from the discharge of the
water treatment outfall.
•	Develop measureable conservation
outcomes, including:
» Ecosystem credit markets - a feasibility
study is planned to evaluate and quantify
possible credits
» Wetland mitigation offsets
» Terrestrial carbon sequestration credits
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ECOLOGICAL REVITALIZATION OF CONTAMINATED SITES CASE STUDY
In addition, the wildlife team is considering
adding raptor perches and an osprey nesting
platform.
Lessons Learned
1.	Consider predators in selecting native
plant species: Oxy planted sunflowers
along the road at the site, but these were
eaten by deer. Oxy is researching native
species that are less attractive to deer and
other wildlife.
2.	Don't overlook local resources: The Oxy
site is located close to Lake Michigan, so
excavated areas consisted of beach sand.
Large amounts of soil amendments were
needed to increase the sand's organic
content and allow native plants to grow.
Oxy chose manure as a soil amendment
and developed a partnership with a nearby
dairy. Weekly shipments of manure
provide soil amendment for the site while
also helping to remove excess manure
from the dairy. Learn more about the
use of soil amendments at contaminated
sites in EPA's document titled, The Use
of Soil Amendments for Remediation,
Revitalization, and Reuse, which can be
found at http://www.clu-in.org/download/
remed/epa-542-r-07-013.pdf.
3.	Consider a variety of invasive species
control methods: Spotted knapweed is an
invasive plant species that typically grows
on disturbed soil and outcompetes all other
plants in the area. Spotted knapweed is
present at the site, and has been treated
with herbicides for eradication. In 2010, a
prescribed burn is planned in the prairie
habitat area to mimic the natural occurrence
of fire and help native species become
established. Also, a biological control
method using a weevil that specifically
controls spotted knapweed is planned for
the future.
4.	Ecosystem revitalization provides a variety
of benefits: In addition to creating habitat
at the site, there are a variety of benefits
gained from ecological revitalization.
Benefits include improved community
interaction and public relations as well
as gaining trust and respect from local,
state and federal agencies. In addition,
ecosystem services benefits can include
terrestrial carbon sequestration and storage,
climate regulation, clean water, natural
recreation areas, wildlife habitat, species
diversity, pollination, flood and erosion
control, food production, fiber, cultural
practices, scenic landscapes, soil formation,
nutrient cycling, aesthetics, and more.
These "free" services are increasingly
viewed as having economic value, and
markets such as wetland mitigation and
carbon credit trading may be developed.
5. Soil Amendment Source is Critical.
When using manure as soil amendment,
it is important to select the appropriate
type of manure. Cow, sheep, and chicken
manure all provide a good, clean source of
nitrogen. However, horse manure should
not be used for an ecological revitalization
project. Horse manure is not a good source
of nitrogen. In addition, horses are fed a
mixture of grains, including exotic species.
The exotic seed is then present in the
manure and could easily introduce exotic
plant species at a site.
Native Prairie Grass Planting
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ECOLOGICAL REVITALIZATION OF CONTAMINATED SITES CASE STUDY
Additional Information
Web sites to obtain additional information on the Oxy site and ecological revitalization include
the following:
Wildlife Habitat Council Occidental Petroleum Site Restoration Summary
http://www.wildlifehc.org/Registry_CertifiedSites/cert_sites_detail2.cfm?LinkAdvID=100110
EPA RCRA Corrective Action Site Progress Profile
http://iaspub.epa.gov/Cleanups/Rcr aProfile.jsp?handler_id=MID006014906
Oxy's Biodiversity and Habitat Preservation Activities
http://www.oxy.com/Social_Responsibility/hes_performance/Pages/biodiversity.aspx
EPA's Eco Tools Web site
http://www.clu-in.org/ecotools/
Ecological Revitalization: Turning Contaminated Properties Into Community Assets
http://www.clu-in.org/download/issues/ecotools/Ecological_Revitalization_Turning_
Contaminated_Properties_into_Community_Assets.pdf
Frequently Asked Questions About Ecological Revitalization of Superfund Sites
http://www.clu-in.org/download/remed/542f06002.pdf
Revegetating Landfills and Waste Containment Areas Fact Sheet
http://www.clu-in.org/download/remed/revegetating_fact_sheet.pdf
Ecological Revitalization and Attractive Nuisance Issues
http://www.epa.gov/tio/download/remed/542f06003.pdf
For additional information on the Oxy site,
you can also contact the Oxy or EPA project managers:
Joe Branch, Oxy Site Manager
(231) 670-6809
Joseph_Branch@oxy.com
Carolyn Bury EPA Ecologist
(312) 886-3020
bury.carolyn@epa.gov
Clint Babcock, Oxy Project Manager
(859) 421-4233
Clint_Babcock@oxy. com
Kenneth Bardo, EPA RCRA Project Manager
(312) 886-7566
bardo.kenneth@epa.gov
If you have any questions or comments on this fact sheet, please contact:
Michele Mahoney EPA
mahoney.michele@epa.gov
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