vvEPA
www.epa.gov
1
Reuse and the Benefit to Community
Murray Smelter Superfund Site
Executive Summary
Thanks to innovative partnerships and community leadership efforts, the 142-acre Murray Smelter Superfund
site in Murray City, Utah, is now a valuable community resource. Collaboration among EPA, state agencies, the
community, the party responsible for cleanup and other stakeholders has led to the site's successful cleanup
and redevelopment.
Once the location of the world's largest primary lead smelter, the site is now home to the state-of-the-art
Intermountain Medical Center, a light rail station, a commercial retail warehouse, a police training center, a
school, assorted small businesses and a cement company. Idle for nearly 50 years, the site's redevelopment has
helped address Murray City's need for regional health care facilities, public transit access and diversified
economic development. Today, the area has once again become a thriving part of the community. Its cleanup
protects public health and the environment and its redevelopment provides long-term economic and
community benefits. This case study explores the site's cleanup and reuse in greater detail, illustrating the
opportunities, benefits and impacts of Superfund site redevelopment in action.
Positive Impacts
•	Land uses on site support approximately 5,612 jobs and contribute more than $260 million in annual
employment income to the local community.
•	Retail warehouse Costco employs 350 people and provides over $9 million in annual employment
income to the community.
•	The total market value of land and businesses on site was over $515 million in 2011.
•	In 2011, businesses on site generated approximately $1.1 million in tax revenues for Murray City.
•	Public transportation ridership at the Murray light rail station saves approximately 100,000 gallons of
gasoline each year. The land value of the station in 2011 was $4.5 million.
Murray City,
Utah
Salt Lake
County, Utah
Ogden-Layton
Muijray Smelter
.Superfund Site
Figure 1: The site's location in Murray City, Salt Lake County, Utah

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Introduction
Superfund site remediation results in restored
value to site properties and surrounding
communities. Once a site property is ready for
reuse, it can revitalize a local economy with jobs,
new businesses, tax revenues and local spending.
This case study captures the on-site and
community impacts of new development at the
Murray Smelter Superfund site.
The 142-acre site is located six miles south of Salt
Lake City in Murray City, Salt Lake County, Utah
(Figure 1). The site is centrally located in the
community. Commercial and light industrial land
uses border the site, with residential areas and
Murray City's downtown district located nearby.
According to 2010 Census data, Murray City's
population is 46,746.
Site History
Formerly owned by the American Smelting and
Refining Company (ASARCO), the site included two
smelters: the Germania Smelter and Refinery
Works, which operated from 1872 to 1902, and
the Murray Smelter, which operated from 1902 to
1949. Murray Smelter processed 1,500 tons of
lead and silver ore in eight blast furnaces each
day. In addition to lead, primary smelting
byproducts included slag, arsenic and cadmium.
Site investigations found the area was extensively contaminated with lead, arsenic and other heavy metals. EPA
proposed the site for listing on the Superfund program's National Priorities List (NPL) in 1994, but it was never
finalized. Instead, EPA and ASARCO, the site's responsible party, entered into settlement agreements for
performing site investigations and cleanup. EPA and Murray City also entered into an agreement, allowing the
city a formal role in the Superfund process.
IHC Warehouse
Murray City Police
Training Center
Realms of Inquiry
Private School and
Coram
IHC Intermountain
Medical Center
Campus
Ash Grove
Cement Distribution
Facility
Figure 2: Aerial view of major site reuses
Figure 3: The site prior to cleanup
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The ability to work and problem solve with
so many different groups made the cleanup
process exciting. It was the most fun I've had
in my career."
- Former EPA Site Manager Bonita Lavelle
Property Cleanup and Transformation
To address the site's cleanup and redevelopment, EPA hosted
a series of collaborative problem-solving meetings with
ASARCO, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality
(UDEQ), Murray City and community representatives. The
Murray Smelter Working Group, formed in October 1996,
provided a forum to discuss cleanup options and identify
possible future land use scenarios. The Working Group met
for two days each month for discussions and problem-solving
sessions.
Protecting Purchasers from Future Liability
PPAs played an important role in enabling
the site's redevelopment. Nationally, EPA
has since taken additional steps to make the
acquisition and redevelopment of Superfund
sites easier for prospective purchasers.
Under the Brownfields Revitalization Act, a
prospective purchaser need no longer
negotiate a PPA with EPA and the federal
government. In lieu of a signed agreement,
the purchaser can meet requirements to
become a bona fide prospective purchaser
(BFPP).
For more information about BFPP
requirements, please
see: http://www.epa.gov/oecaerth/cleanup/
revitalization/bfpp.html.
From the outset, Murray City emphasized the site's strong
redevelopment potential - its size, location and visibility in
the community, access to major roadways, future light rail
access and existing utility infrastructure. The community's
goal, according to former Murray City Mayor Lynn F. Pett, was
to revitalize the area and avoid the potentially negative public
perception that can result from EPA placing a site on the NPL.
The community adopted a General Plan Amendment that
identified commercial land use as the preferred future use of
the site.
EPA and UDEQ worked closely with Murray City and ASARCO
to identify opportunities to integrate the site's cleanup and
redevelopment. The cleanup approach focused on excavating
and disposing of the most hazardous waste off site, with
consolidation and capping of less-contaminated materials on
site. The parties placed the onsite repository under a new
roadway at the site. Additional materials, considered low level
contamination, were covered in place with barriers such as
pavement, landscaping, soil caps, and sidewalks. ASARCO also
accelerated cleanup activities to facilitate redevelopment,
paying for the majority of site cleanup costs and
compensating Murray City for operation and maintenance
activities at the site for five years. For its part, Murray City created a Smelter Site Overlay District to implement
institutional controls prohibiting the construction of new ground water wells, protecting the site's soil remedy
and guiding appropriate development. EPA also provided Murray City with a $176,000 brownfields grant to
assess the reuse implications of different cleanup approaches at the site.
Two prospective purchasers interested in redevelopment opportunities negotiated prospective purchaser
agreements (PPAs) with EPA. The agreements ensured that companies interested in locating on the site would
be protected from any future liability related to site contamination. Both the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) and
Ash Grove Cement Company obtained PPAs in the early stages of the site's redevelopment.

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Local Impacts
Intermountain Medical Center
The centerpiece of the site's redevelopment is the Intermountain
Medical Center, the flagship hospital for Utah-based Intermountain
Healthcare (IHC). IHC purchased 100 acres at the site in 2000 for the
construction of the new hospital. Following groundbreaking in
September 2003, the facility opened in October 2007. The 1.3-million-
square-foot facility includes centers for outpatient, cancer, heart and
lung, and women and newborn care as well as a trauma center and an
education area. The medical center, referred to as the "Mayo Clinic of
the West," has 486 beds.
In addition to providing health benefits, the hospital also supports a
variety of jobs and generates tax revenues. Intermountain Medical
Center employs 5,221 people, contributing $251 million in annual
employment income and $940,000 in annual property taxes. The land
value of the facility is now $487 million.
"I'm proud of the fact that we took a polluted site and turned it
into a healing site."
-David Grauer, Intermountain Medical Center Administrator
Costco
The southeast corner of the site is now home to a 148,000-square-foot
Costco store. Bricks from demolished smelter smokestacks became fill
for construction of the store and parking areas. Costco leases the 16-acre
property from IHC. The store is currently the top-performing Costco in
Utah, and paid nearly $149,000 in property taxes in 2011. The
membership warehouse club provides 350 jobs on site and contributes
more than $9 million in income annually to the community. The
property's value has also increased significantly, to $13.3 million in 2011.
Murray City Police Training Center
When Murray City's police chief looked at the site, he saw a way to
provide new training opportunities for local police officers. A multi-
function training facility could offer firearms training, classroom space
and a fitness center. With the support of local officials and the
community, his vision became a reality. The Murray City Police
Department's state-of-the-art training center is now located on the
northwest corner of the site. In addition to training the city's police
force, it also generates revenue from its use by other police departments
and area colleges. The property's value in 2011 was $3.1 million.
Figure 4: Intermountain
Medical Center
Figure 5: Costco anchors the southeast
corner of the site
Ml RRAY CITY POI.ICK
TRAINING CENTER
Figure 6: The Murray City
Police Training Center
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Utah Transit Authority (UTA) Light Rail Station
In 2000, UTA built a light-rail station on 6.5 acres on the southern end of
the site. The facility has improved commuter access to Salt Lake City and
reduced traffic congestion. In cooperation with local officials, UTA
routinely works to clean up and redevelop contaminated or potentially
contaminated sites, turning them into vibrant transit centers, park-and-
ride lots and operation facilities. UTA's efforts have rejuvenated more
than 50 acres along its light rail and commuter rail lines, the TRAX and
FrontRunner corridors.
The Murray UTA station includes covered platforms for waiting
passengers, a bus loop for passenger pickups and drop-offs, and 750
parking spaces for commuter parking. Each weekday, approximately
1,300 rail passengers and 1,200 bus passengers rely on the Murray UTA
station. It has been estimated that public transportation ridership at the
station saves approximately 100,000 gallons of gasoline each year. The
land value of the station in 2011 was $4.5 million.
UTA has also purchased a building directly west of the station, which is
also located on site. Plans are in the works to use the now-vacant
building to provide UTA with transit police office space and a snack bar
for commuter use. The land value of the UTA building and lot in 2011
was $1 million.
New construction is also currently underway. UTA is expanding the
Murray station to include a commuter rail line and a cross-platform
transfer station. The commuter rail facility, which will be accompanied
by additional parking for passengers, is scheduled for completion in late
2012. A new bus rapid transit service is also planned for the Murray
station. The service is expected to begin in the next two years.
Ash Grove Cement Company
Ash Grove Cement Company's transfer and supply facility occupies the
southwest corner of the site - the company manufactures Portland
cement and related construction products. The company has operated
in its current location for the last 31 years. The site's cleanup approach
enabled the business to continue operating throughout the cleanup
process. The land value of the property in 2011 was $2.9 million. This
company's facility provides two jobs on site and contributes
approximately $90,000 in income annually to the community.

Figure 7: The Murray UTA
light rail station
Environmental Benefits of the
Murray UTA Station
It is estimated that public
transportation ridership at the
Murray UTA station has
significantly reduced pollution
emissions in the community.
•	Volatile organic compounds
(VOCs): 4 tons
•	Carbon monoxide: 38 tons
•	Particulate matter: 61 pounds
•	Nitrogen oxides: 3 tons
Source: Dan Locke, UTA
Environmental Compliance
Administrator
Figure 8; Ash Grove Cement Company

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Vine Street Office Building
The Office Building located at 120 West Vine Street currently houses Coram Specialty Infusion Services and the
Realms of Inquiry Experiential Learning School. The 17,840 square foot building is situated on a 2.6 acre lot; the
property and has a current market value of $2.6 million. Additional office space within the building is currently
available for lease.
Coram Specialty Infusion Services
The northwest side of the site is now occupied by Coram Specialty
Infusion Services. The facility opened its doors in 2011. Coram is a
provider of specialty infusion and pharmacy distribution services. The
company supplies and administers medicines and treatments to
patients on site. Home deliveries of medications are also provided to
patients unable to visit the company's offices. The business provides
20 jobs on site and contributes more than $690,000 in income
annually to the community.
Realms of Inquiry Experiential Learning School
CORAM
Figure 9: Offices of Coram
Specialty Infusion Services
This small private school recently located on the northwest side of the
site. The school engages students through challenging academics
combined with fieldwork and community service. After more than 25
years at their former location, the school moved to its new campus on
site in January 2012. The new location provides better student access
to transportation and outdoor recreation sites. The facility provides
five jobs on site and contributes approximately $138,000 in annual
income to the local community.
Night Shift Coffee Company
Night Shift Coffee Company operates a restaurant inside the
Intermountain Medical Center, serving medical center employees,
visitors and local residents. The coffee shop opened in October 2011
and leases its space from IHC. The business provides three on-site
jobs and contributes over $36,000 in annual employment income to
the local community.
Subway
A Subway sandwich shop is now located in the Intermountain Medical
Center. The restaurant opened in 2011 and leases its space from
building owner IHC. The business provides five jobs on site and
contributes approximately $66,800 in annual employment income to
the community.
Figure 10: Night Shift Coffee Company
Figure 11: The Subway restaurant
located on site
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Zion's Bank
Zion's Bank also operates a branch inside the Intermountain Medical Center. The bank opened its doors in 2009.
In addition to offering financial services, bank staff also provide volunteer services in the surrounding area. The
bank employs six people on site and provides over $340,000 in annual employment income to the community.
Conclusion
In Murray City, Utah, the local government, community organizations and businesses, state agencies, the site's
responsible party, and EPA came together to develop innovative agreements and a cleanup approach that
protected public health and the environment and enabled mixed-use redevelopment at the Murray Smelter
Superfund site. An area once known for its iconic smelter smokestacks is now home to new community assets
that benefit the local economy, provide public health services and strengthen Murray City's regional
connections. A once contaminated, underused industrial property is now an important center of medical
services, commercial retail areas and public transit. Looking to the future, this collaborative effort by EPA and its
partners will continue to provide long-term economic, environmental and public health benefits for Murray City
and the surrounding region.
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