PECO Energy Co*
Chester Facility
Chester, Pennsylvania
The Road to Reuse ~~~
This 90-acre facility is located in
Chester, Pennsylvania along the
Delaware waterfront. The property
is in an environmental justice
area and a Keystone Opportunity
Zone. This area has been industrial
since the 1800s. The site houses
an Art Deco era coal-fired power
plant that is no longer in use and
a PECO electricity substation.
PECO is required, under the
Facility Lead Corrective Measures
Implementation Agreement with
the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), to remediate the
hazardous waste contamination on
17 acres of the site where a resin
manufacturing plant and hazardous
waste recycler had been located.
Approximate total acres
and current use
Approximate Acres in Reuse: 35
Approximate Acres Planned for
Reuse: 38
Current Use: High-tech office
space, mixed-use
The contamination of this site was
pervasive; groundwater, surface
water, and the soil all contain
contaminants. The ground water
contains a series of hydrocarbons
(BTEX), poly aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs), some
semi-volatile organic compounds
(SVOCs) and light non-aqueous
phase liquids (LNAPLs). The soil
is mostly fill and contains resin,
tar fragments, and some metals.
There are three places where
the groundwater seeps into the
Delaware River resulting in sheens.
An investigation conducted by
PECO in 1999 showed that most
of the contamination is connected
to the manufacturing of resin.
EPA and the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental
Protection (PADEP) worked to
together through Pennsylvania's
Land Recycling and Environmental
Remediation Standards Act to
characterize and remediate the
portion of the facility not covered
by the Facility Lead Agreement.
This cooperation was spurred
by PECO's decision to offer the
majority of the property for sale and
redevelopment.
Preferred Real Estate Investments
(Preferred) bought the property
from PECO in May 2001,
converting the old coal-fired
power plant into a high-tech
office building with 396,000
square feet of Class A office space.
The building renovations were
completed in 2005 and the space
is 90 percent pre-leased. Preferred
sold the property to Bucinni and
Pollin, who plan to develop the
remaining property for mixed use
in conjunction with a new soccer
stadium being constructed.
A
www. epa.jtov/rejr3wcmd/correctiveaction.htm
For More Information
EPA Region 3 Contact: Khai Dao,
(215) 814-814-5497, dao.kliai@epa.gov

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