vvEPA
www.epa.gov
Public-Sector Land Uses and Superfund Redevelopment
Till-: VERTAC, INC. SI I i: I\ JACKSONVILLE,, ARKANSAS
Introduction
A once-contaminated chemical manufacturing facility in
Jacksonville. Arkansas, is now a source of community pride.
Between 1948 and 1986, several companies operated at the Vertac,
Inc. Superfund site. Today, thanks to the sustained engagement of
EPA, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
and the local government, the site provides community members,
the city and surrounding areas with valuable public amenities and
services. Site reuses include a recycling center, office space for
the city's Street Department, a fire department training facility,
a driver training pad. a recycling education park, a police firing
range and space for a new public safety building.
The community and site agencies worked together in support of
a coordinated approach to the site's cleanup and redevelopment.
The City of Jacksonville recognized early on, for example, that
retaining the site's infrastructure could serve as the foundation
for the site's reuse. EPA pilot funding from the Superfund
Redevelopment Initiative enabled the city to investigate reuse
options thoroughly and incorporate community ideas and
concerns into the redevelopment process. With EPA's support, the
community's focus on restoring the site as a safe and productive
resource has resulted in significant benefits for all involved.
Today, site reuses provide vital community services, including
recycling services and education opportunities for area residents
and state-of-the-art training opportunities for law enforcement
and firefighters. These land uses include a new police and fire
training center. City of Jacksonville Police Department facilities,
and an emergency operations center and community safe room
for use during severe weather. The city is also w orking on turning
part of the site into community green space with sidewalks and
picnic tables.
The site's reuses illustrate how Superfund redevelopment can
address multiple community needs and priorities. In addition
to providing needed services, for example, the city's recycling
center and Street Department currently employ 40 people on site,
providing annual employment income of about $1.76 million.
Local police officers and agents from surrounding jurisdictions use
the site's 2-acre firing range for training and the new community
The Vertac, Inc. site is located in central Jacksonville in Pulaski County,
Arkansas, about 15 miles northeast of Little Rock.
safety room on site is able to shelter 594 local residents in the
event of severe weather.
This case study explores the strategies and working relationships
that led to the successful cleanup and reuse of the Vertac, Inc.
site. The following pages trace the evolution of cleanup and reuse
efforts, highlighting local planning efforts and coordination with
EPA and the City of Jacksonville in the late 1990s and ongoing
cleanup and reuse activities through 2012. The case study provides
information and lessons learned to parties interested in Superfund
site reuse and how to address remedy and reuse considerations
during the Superfund process.
Site reuses include a drive-through recycling center, a recycling education park and a police firing range. Construction of the site's public safety building
(far right) was completed in February 2013.
Vertac, Inc.,
Superfund Site
(Jacksonville
:LITTLE ROCK*
1
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Superfund Redevelopment Initiative

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Site History, Contamination and Remediation
The federal government built the first industrial facilities at the site during the 1930s and 1940s as part of the sprawling
Arkansas Ordinance Plant munitions complex. Over the next four decades, chemical manufacturing facilities also
produced insecticides and herbicides on site. Decades of improper waste disposal and production control practices
led to widespread soil and ground water contamination at the site, as well as contamination of sediment, water and
public utilities beyond the site's boundaries.
Site investigations found that exposure to drummed
wastes, contaminated building structures and utilities,
and affected soil, ground water, surface water and
sediments posed unacceptable human health risks.
Primary contaminants of concern included dioxin-
related wastes, chlorinated benzenes, phenols and
other herbicide production wastes. Following initial
environmental investigations, EPA placed the site
on the Superfund program's National Priorities List
(NPL) in September 1983.
Vertac, Inc., Hercules Incorporated (Hercules) and
Uniroyal (also known as Crompton) were identified
as the parties responsible for site contamination. In
July 1986, Vertac, Inc. established a $10 million trust
fund to remediate portions of the site. Within months,
however, the company declared insolvency and
abandoned the site; EPA stepped in to take the lead.
From the late 1980s through the mid-1990s, Hercules
also contributed to site investigation and cleanup
activities.
The site's cleanup included several stages, beginning with a court-ordered Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) remedy in 1984. Site investigations and cleanup activities focused on four areas, which EPA refers to as
operable units, or OUs: OU1 (on-site above-ground media), OU2 (on-site soil, curbs, foundations and underground
utilities), OU3 (ground water) and OU4 (off-site contamination). Cleanup activities included:
Off-site cleanup: excavation of Rocky Branch Creek floodplain soils and sediments, removal of dioxin-
contaminated sediments from local sewer lines, and excavation of off-site residential soils, with materials placed
in two on-site landfills.
On-site cleanup: incineration of 10,000 cubic yards of highly contaminated waste, demolition of buildings and
equipment, consolidation and disposal of waste and debris, and excavation and on-site disposal of about 20,000
cubic yards of dioxin-contaminated soils in two on-site landfills.
Ground water cleanup-, installation of extraction wells to contain contaminated ground water and the use of deed
restrictions to prohibit water supply wells on site.
On June 24, 1998, EPA conducted its final site inspection. On September 1, 1998, the community and site agencies
celebrated the completion of the site's cleanup during a ceremony at City Hall. In 2005, after years of litigation,
federal courts upheld a final $220 million judgment against Hercules and Uniroyal to help recover site cleanup costs.
Today, ground water extraction and treatment is ongoing, with routine site maintenance performed by Hercules to
ensure the continued effectiveness of the site's remedy.
The site's cleanup included the construction of this above-ground
vault known as the "Mount Vertac" landfill. It contains tons of
contaminated soil and debris generated during site cleanup activities.
Fencing restricts area access, landfill leachate is captured and treated,
and ground water monitoring is ongoing.

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Project History
Early 1990s - 1998
Assessing Contamination, Addressing Community Concerns
In the early days of site investigations and cleanup, reuse was
not a priority. The community was extremely concerned about
protecting public health and making sure the site's cleanup
adequately addressed contamination. "Most people were very
skeptical at first," recalled EPA Project Manager Philip Allen.
"They did not believe that the cleanup would be sufficient to
protect the health and safety of the community."
To address community concerns, staff from EPA and Arkansas
DEQ coordinated with the city to host a series of public
meetings. "We [city staff] shared the community's concerns
and did what we could to help the situation," said former
Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim. "The public meetings
made a big difference." The meetings provided an opportunity
for community members to share their concerns, ask questions
and receive feedback and updates concerning the cleanup
process from EPA and Arkansas DEQ.
On behalf of the city, the Mayor also exercised due diligence
to make sure the remedy selected would be safe and effective.
"I visited two other Superfund sites where incinerators and
landfills were used [for cleanup]. I saw for myself that the
approaches worked and were safe for those involved," said
Mr. Swaim. Over time, the city's cleanup research and the
regular scheduling and open communication and transparent
information sharing of the public meetings built a foundation
for community trust. Early coordination also established strong
working relationships between the city and the site agencies.
According to the city's fonner Mayor, initial community
interest in reusing the site came into focus as the site's cleanup
made visible and significant progress. In total, more than
29,000 drums of waste were eventually incinerated in the early
and mid-1990s, removing a highly visible eyesore. In the late
1990s, the city began to work with EPA and Arkansas DEQ to
ensure the success of the selected remedy and consider reuse
during the cleanup process. "The agencies were very supportive
of the city's goal to reuse the site," recalled Mr. Swaim. "It
wasn't immediately clear to any of us how cleanup and reuse
options were going to fit together."
At first, parties focused on the reuse implications of specific
cleanup design decisions. For example, the city found the
Residential and industrial land uses
surround the site, which is located
about one mile north of downtown
Jacksonville and one mile south of
Little Rock Air Force Base, a U.S. Air
Force facility and training base.
Site Location Map
Little Rock Air Force Base
107J
-Downtown/
Jacksonville
0.5
Miles
3

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location planned for the second on-site landfill was elevated
and highly visible and could limit future use opportunities.
"It would have reminded the community every day that there
was a contaminated site next door," recalled Jacksonville
Public Works Director Jimmy Oakley. For EPA and Arkansas
DEQ. this helpful feedback led to a series of discussions with
the city. The parties developed an approach that ensured the
protectiveness of the site's remedy and addressed community
concerns. The landfill would be situated in a less visible place
and mostly buried underground, reducing its profile on site.
"Siting the landfill illustrates why considering remedy and
reuse makes sense," said EPA's Philip Allen. "We [EPA] were
focused on protecting human health and the enviromnent, but
we were also able to incorporate the community's priorities as
part of the cleanup process."
"EPA was very helpful. They did a great
job helping us understand that cleanup
and reuse could work together."
- Bob Johnson,
Chairman of the Concerned
Citizens Coalition
those already on site would have been cost prohibitive." And,
the Mayor added, "It seemed fitting to use a Superfund site as
the city's new place to recycle."
Before that could happen, however, the city needed to own part
of the site.
L
Historical aerial photo of the site.
Over time, it became clear that the northern, 100-acre portion
of the site - also known as Parcel 2 - was particularly well
suited for reuse, as it was highly visible and easily accessible
from Marshall Road, a main city thoroughfare. The city
identified that reusing the property would provide a unique
opportunity to expand their recycling department. In contrast,
the southern, 93-acre portion of the site - Parcel 1 - would
likely not offer similar opportunities, due to the construction
of landfills for contaminated materials and the ongoing need
to treat and monitor ground water. Fences and locked gates
currently restrict access to the area. EPA Project Manager
Philip Allen noted that "existing infrastructure and the prime
location of Parcel 2 added to the city's motivation to reuse the
property. While Parcel 1 is not available for reuse, the careful
management of the area ensures the protection of human health
and the enviromnent."
In 1998, with all parts of the cleanup in place, one reuse
opportunity in particular leapt from the drawing board. As
part of initial cleanup efforts, EPA had built several drum
storage sheds and other structures on site. In August 1998, the
Agency determined that the buildings were no longer needed
and officially released them for reuse. "We realized they could
provide ready-made cover for city equipment and vehicles,"
stated current Jacksonville Mayor Gars Fletcher. "The sheds
could provide protection from the elements and extend the
usable life of the equipment. Building new structures similar to
.'.v.
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Parcel 2

Parcel 1

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Current aerial view of the site and approximate parcel boundaries.

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Timeline of Events


1930s
Arkansas Ordinance Plant begins
Sept. 1998
EPA declares site construction

operating on site

complete at community ceremony at
1948 - 1950s
Reasor Hill purchases site property

Jacksonville City Hall

and begins production of insecticides
Dec. 2000
State of Arkansas transfers ownership

and herbicides

of Parcel 2 to the City of Jacksonville
1961 -1979
Hercules, Uniroyal. Transvaal and
2001
City of Jacksonville begins using

Vertac, Inc. operate on site producing

former drum storage shed as new

"agent orange," pesticides and

drive-through recycling center

herbicides
2002
City of Jacksonville applies for EPA
1979
State of Arkansas issues order to

pilot project funding to evaluate site

Vertac, Inc. to improve hazardous

reuse options

waste practices
Sept. 2003
City finalizes site redevelopment plan
Jan. 1982
Former site owners and operators sign
2007
Recycling education park opens on

a Consent Decree with EPA for site

site

investigations and remedy selection
2010
Police firing range opens for local
Sept. 1983
EPA lists site on NPL

and regional use; city's fire training
1984 -1987
Initial cleanup activities underway

burn tower completed; construction of
1987
State of Arkansas involuntarily

driving pad completed

acquires tax-delinquent site property
2011
City's Street Department moves into
1990 -1998
Final remedies selected and

former EPA drum storage building on

implemented for all parts of the site

site
Jun. 1998
EPA conducts final site inspection
Oct. 2011
Ground breaking for city's public
Aug. 1998
EPA releases former drum storage

safety building
sheds for reuse
Dec. 2012
Scheduled completion of city's public
Aug. 1998
EPA issues Preliminary Close Out

safety building
Report
Feb. 2013
Construction of city's public safety


building completed
EPA drum storage sheds prior to their reuse by the City of Jacksonville.
Drum storage sheds now in reuse for city storage.
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1998-2003
Looking at the Big Picture, Planning for the Future
By the late 1990s, with the site's cleanup in place, the
community could focus its full attention on its reuse. "Two big
tilings needed to happen," said City Engineer Jay Whisker. "We
needed to address the site's ownership, so that the city could
help make reuse happen. And we needed a plan for moving
forward that addressed the big picture."
At the time. Parcel 2 had been tax delinquent and then owned
by the State of Arkansas for years. Under 1987 Arkansas
Code Annotated (ACA) § 26-37-101, the State of Arkansas
involuntarily acquired the Vertac, Inc. site property in 1987. As
is often the case with contaminated lands, the state was unable
to find a purchaser for Parcel 1 or Parcel 2 at public auction.
As the city explored options for acquiring the 100-acre site
property, it coordinated closely with EPA and state agencies to
address its liability concerns.
The Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands Office and EPA
Region 6 both indicated that involuntary acquisition was
covered by an explicit liability exemption under CERCLA.
"The guidance of the state and EPA was essential," said former
Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim. "With their help, the city
felt it could proceed with acquiring the property."
In late 2000, the Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands Office
officially transferred Parcel 2 to the City of Jacksonville under
ACA § 20-80-402. The section of the state legislation applies
specifically to urban property involuntarily acquired by the state
due to tax delinquency and retained following public auction.
"It was an exciting time," recalled Mr. Swaim. "Once the city
owned the property, we knew we could proceed. We wanted to
make it usable in a way that would reassure the community that
the cleanup and reuse were positive tilings. The opportunity to
procure such a large piece of property for public benefit at no
cost does not come along very often."
Once the city acquired Parcel 2, the reuse of EPA's former
drum storage sheds could move forward. The city moved its
recycling center operations onto the site in 2001, providing the
community with much-needed facilities in a central location.
The drive-through center accepts paper, cardboard, paper and
plastic bags, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles for recycling.
Its "Green Station" recycles used oil, gasoline, antifreeze and
compact fluorescent lights. The center also hosts electronics
recycling for computers, copiers, printers, televisions, VCRs,
phones, microwaves and ovens. Facilities for tire disposal and
construction and demolition debris drop-off are also provided.
"The recycling center started bringing our ideas to life,"
recalled Jacksonville Public Works Director Jimmy Oakley.
"It was a physical, daily reminder of what was possible."
With the center taking up only a small part of the property.
The Bigger Picture: EPA and Reuse
Efforts to address future land use considerations at the
Vertac, Inc. site fit well with emerging nationwide interest in
the revitalization of contaminated areas, including Superfund
sites. With the creation of EPA's Superfund Redevelopment
Initiative in 1999 and its Land Revitalization Agenda in
2003, EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
launched a new EPA initiative focusing on promoting land
reuse and revitalization at contaminated sites.
In 2002, the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields
Revitalization Act also became law. The Act was designed
to make the acquisition and redevelopment of contaminated
properties like Superfund sites easier by addressing the
liability concerns associated with these sites. EPA's Office
of Site Remediation Enforcement lias a team devoted to
facilitating and implementing these liability protections.
CERCLA
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,
and Liability Act (CERCLA) is the law passed by Congress on
December 11, 1980, that is commonly known as Superfund.
the need for a comprehensive reuse planning process was clear.
Over the next 18 months, the city applied for grant funding
and other resources. In July 2002, EPA awarded the city
$50,000 in Superfund Redevelopment Initiative pilot funding.
The project's goal - to evaluate reuse options for the site that
would be compatible with the remedy and ensure the long-term
protection of public health and the enviromnent.
The city contracted with ETC, an engineering and technical
consulting company, and developed a planning process with
three central components: public engagement and outreach,
site and community research, and the development of detailed
reuse scenarios with cost estimates. Community engagement
and project research efforts unfolded simultaneously, with the
city hosting presentations and public meetings to raise local
awareness of the project and gather community input. "The
city's goal was to make sure everyone had an opportunity to
share their thoughts," said Mayor Gary Fletcher. "Community
engagement was at the heart of the project." Project research
focused on site conditions such as topography, drainage and
available infrastructure as well as local land use trends and
economic conditions.
Community input and project research confirmed there were
several pressing local priorities. The city's police department
building was in poor condition. There were limited fire and
police training facilities in the area. The city's Street Department
6

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CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS
REDEVELOPMENT PLAN
FOR
VERTAC SUPERFUND SITE
September 2003
PREPARED BY:
ETC ENGINEERS, INC.
1510 SOUTH BROADWAY
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS
The community's 2003 redevelopment plan for the site. The reuse
planning process included three central components: public engagement
and outreach, site and community research, and the development of
detailed reuse scenarios with cost estimates.
lacked office space. At the same time, people also emphasized
the need for new jobs and economic growth in Jacksonville.
The project was able to identify a set of reuse goals that enjoyed
broad community support:
Development of police and fire training facilities for the
City of Jacksonville as well as other communities.
Relocation of city public works operations to the site,
including offices, the Street Department, the city garage
and storage facilities.
Land for commercial and industrial development.
Green space and park areas.
Improvement of existing infrastructure and the
construction of new infrastructure to support all new
facilities.
In turn, these goals informed the development of the project's
reuse scenarios, which explored locating mixed public and
private land uses across Parcel 2. The project's focus narrowed
when it became clear that the 1987 law permitting the state's
involuntary acquisition and transfer of Parcel 2 to the city also
mandated that the city use the property for public uses only.
"Disappointment was our first reaction," City Engineer James
Whisker recalled, "but after realizing we would have to focus
economic development efforts elsewhere, we were free to focus
our reuse ideas on fulfilling community and local government
needs and priorities."
The city completed the reuse planning process in September
2003, presenting the project's final reuse plan to EPA. "We
had worked closely with the city during the project to address
any cleanup-related issues as they came up," said EPA Project
Manager Philip Allen. "So we were confident that the reuse
plan would be compatible with the site's remedy."
2003-2012
Making Redevelopment Happen
With the site's remedy in place and the city's redevelopment
plan finalized, the pieces were in place for the community to
move forward with making the site's reuse a reality. "City
departments continued to coordinate each other and with the
Mayor and City Council," said Public Works Director Jimmy
Oakley. "We were all working hard to make sure we were on
the same page."
The key next step: putting in place the resources needed to
implement the rest of the city's redevelopment plan. Creative
city planning and partnerships led the way. The city generated $4
million in project funding by implementing a one-time sales tax
in 2004 and 2005. The city's partnership with the Jacksonville
affiliate of the Keep America Beautiful organization provided
artwork for the new Recycling Education Park. The Jacksonville
City Citizens Police Academy, in cooperation with a local home
improvement store, provided funding for construction of new
police department facilities. FEMA provided a $600,000 grant
for the construction of the community safe room, and new 911
phone fees raised an additional $400,000. The city secured
low-interest loans to cover remaining site redevelopment costs.
The city pursued the site's redevelopment in phases, as
resources became available. The use of former EPA drum
storage sheds as a recycling center and space for city storage
were the first successful steps in the site's redevelopment.
Since 2003, all of the reuses identified in the community's
redevelopment plan have been put in place or are under
development and construction. Jacksonville's Recycling
Education Park opened in 2007, followed by the driving pad
and firefighter and police training facilities in 2010. The city's
Street Department moved into the former EPA drum storage
building in 2011. Construction of the city's new public safety
building was completed in February 2013.

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Site Reuses: An Overview

A	Drive-Through Recycling Center
0	City Storage
Q	Recycling Education Park
Q	Driving Pad
^	Burn Tower
Q	Police Firing Range
^	Street Dept. Building
Q	Public Safety Building

Development
Description
Community Benefits
1
Drive-Through
Recycling Center
Center serves 10,000 residents; area's only
recycling facility recycles 1.5 million pounds of
materials each year.
Provides city with $50,000 annual savings
in landfill tipping fees. Employs 20 people,
providing $761,000 in annual employment
income.
2
City Storage
Former EPA drum storage sheds now used for city
storage and parking.
Provides the city with covered space to park
vehicles and store equipment.
3
Recycling
Education Park
Community park with education displays, artwork,
picnic area and Frisbee golf recreation area
Serves as a popular community resource and
field trip destination for area schools.
4
Driving Pad
Driver training area.
Offers driver education opportunities for the
city and surrounding municipalities.
5
Fire Training - Burn
Tower
3,004-square-foot, four-story tower for firefighter
and police response training.
Provides local first responders with realistic
training simulations. Reduces insurance
rates for local property owners due to lower
Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating.
6
Police Training -
Firing Range
Two-acre range equipped with targets and props for
police training simulations.
Offers training opportunities for local and
surrounding police jurisdictions.
7
City Street
Department
Office, meeting and storage space with covered
parking area for department vehicles and
equipment.
Employs 20 people, providing $1 million in
annual employment income.
8
Public Safety
Building
Community safe room, training rooms, offices of
city's police department and emergency operations
center.
Provides severe weather shelter and training
opportunities and enhances local and
statewide emergency communication.
8

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Vertac, Inc.: The Story in Pictures
Recycling education park
Drive-through recycling center
Looking To the Future
A small section of the site on the east side of Marshall Road
next to a residential neighborhood is currently a grassy field.
The Federal Highway Administration recently awarded
Jacksonville a $100,000 Sidewalk Grant for improvements
along Marshall Road. Future plans for the area include
community green space with sidew alks and picnic tables.
Police training firing range
Fire training burn tower
Street department storage building
9
UP2S<20
Compost j
Imonstration^
Site
:«5ll

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Lessons Learned
Participants agree that a combination of significant factors
contributed to the project's successful outcomes.
Early city and EPA outreach focused on local public health
concerns built community trust and established strong
working relationships for the future.
The project's working relationships relied on consistent
information sharing and open communication over the
long term.
PilotprojectfundingfromEPA's Superfund Redevelopment
Initiative enabled the city to conduct a comprehensive,
community-based reuse planning process for the site and
led to a final plan compatible with the site's remedy.
EPA and Arkansas DEQ understood community priorities
in the context of the site's cleanup, supporting local efforts
while emphasizing the long-term protectiveness of the
site's remedy.
The City of Jacksonville successfully returned the site to
use in phases, as resources and timing allowed.
All parties involved were patient and flexible, recognizing
that cleanup and redevelopment are complex processes
reliant on available resources, multiple parties, site
contamination and other factors.
The Bigger Picture
While these site-specific conditions created an ideal climate
for successful reuse outcomes, there are also a range of
broader lessons learned that can help guide similar projects at
contaminated lands across the country.
EPA works closely with communities, site owners and other
stakeholders to support reuse outcomes that are compatible
with site cleanups.
The Agency places a high priority on supporting the return
of contaminated sites to productive and beneficial uses. In
Jacksonville, the city was able to work with EPA and Arkansas
DEQ to identify cleanup and redevelopment opportunities.
As it became clear that Parcel 1 contamination and cleanup
requirements would likely limit reuse opportunities, the city
worked with site agencies to clarify that Parcel 2 could support
the community's redevelopment priorities.
While EPA provides tools and resources to support
Superfund reuse, communities and public- and private-
sector organizations make it happen.
EPA's mission is to protect human health and the enviromnent.
EPA relies on engaged community stakeholders to bring their
EPA and Reuse: Lessons Learned
Since the inception of the Superfund program, EPA has been
building on its expertise in conducting site characterization
and remediation to ensure that contamination is not a barrier
to the reuse of property. Today, consideration of future use is
an integral part of EPA's cleanup programs, from initial site
investigations and remedy selection through to the design,
implementation, and operation and maintenance of a site's
remedy.
"At older sites, EPA did not focus on taking reuse
considerations into account early in the cleanup process,"
reflected EPA's Matthew Mankowski, a former project
manager at Superfund sites. "Today, that has changed.
Superfund cleanups can be very creative and flexible in
allowing for future site uses, but that information needs to be
plugged in early to be as effective as possible."
EPA also works with site stakeholders to consider how future
land use considerations can inform the implementation and
long-term stewardship of site remedies as well as cleanup
planning. At some sites, for example, reuse considerations
can inform the future location of ground water monitoring
wells and other operation and maintenance equipment that
might inadvertently hinder redevelopment efforts. At other
sites, detailed site reuse plans have provided additional
benefits that save time and reduce redevelopment costs. For
example, future utility corridors or building footers can be
installed in coordination with site cleanup activities.
future land use goals and priorities to the table so that this
information can be incorporated into the remedial process,
linking cleanup and redevelopment. In Jacksonville, the local
government shepherded the site's redevelopment from the
outset and acquired part of the site in 2000 to make it happen.
The city's coordinated, long-term effort to transform the site
into a community asset was essential to the site's successful
reuse.
Local governments can play a unique leadership role in
cleanup and redevelopment projects.
As the organizations responsible for their communities' general
welfare, local governments are particularly well positioned
to host redevelopment projects, bring together diverse
stakeholders to discuss site cleanup and reuse opportunities,
and use planning tools and incentives to foster positive site
outcomes.
Effective reuse planning projects are inclusive, information-
based and focused on targeted outcomes.
Community-based reuse planning processes can be most
effective when they engage diverse stakeholders, including
site owners and prospective purchasers, are based on detailed
10

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site and community information, and lead to implementable
strategies and next steps. Community engagement was a central
component of the City of Jacksonville's reuse planning process
for the site.
Public-sector reuses at Superfund sites can provide
significant economic benefits.
The city's recycling center and Street Department currently
employ 40 people on site, providing annual employment
income of about $1.76 million. The recycling center also saves
the city an estimated $50,000 annually in landfill tipping fees.
Even after the components of site remedies are in place,
there may be opportunities to adaptively reuse them in the
future.
Fonner drum storage buildings built by EPA during the cleanup
process later supported site reuses. The buildings provided the
city with ready-made infrastructure, saving the community
money, time and resources.
Conclusion
In Jacksonville, Arkansas, the local government, community
members and site agencies came together to share expertise,
collaborate and coordinate closely on the cleanup and
redevelopment of the Vertac, Inc. Superfund site. City and EPA
outreach early on addressed the community's public health
concerns and opened the door to site reuse possibilities. In turn,
these possibilities served as the catalyst for comprehensive
reuse planning.
Today, the site serves as a leading example of successful
Superfund site redevelopment for civic purposes. Site
reuses provide state-of-the-art training opportunities for law
enforcement and firefighters, recycling services and education
opportunities for area residents, and office space for city staff.
The community's shared initiative with EPA and Arkansas
DEQ has advanced enviromnental protection, ensuring the
protectiveness of the site's remedy over the long term, and
addressed multiple community priorities for the future.
RECYCLE
CENTER
Donated artwork made of recycled materials at the Recycling Education Recycling Center entrance
Park
Street Department storage sheds
Meeting space and kitchen inside the new Street Department building
11

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Public-Sector Land Uses and Superfund Redevelopment
THE VERTAC, INC. SITE IN JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS
Sources and Resources
Sources
Images and maps for this case study were obtained from site visits, EPA, Arkansas DEQ and the City of Jacksonville.
Resources
EPA CERCLIS site profile, including site decision
documents:
http://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.
2002 Brownfields Revitalization Act and Bona Fide
Prospective Purchaser information:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/aai/aaicerclafs.pdf
cfm?id=0600023
EPA Region 6 site fact sheet:
http://www.epa.gov/region6/6sf/pdffiles/vertac-ar.pdf
Environmental insurance information:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/insurance
EPA Superfund Redevelopment Initiative:
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recvcle
City of Jacksonville, Arkansas:
http: //www, citvofi acksonville. net
CERCLA Liability and Local Government Acquisitions:
http://www.epa.gov/oecaertlVresources/publications/
cleanup/brownfields/local-gov-liab-acq-fs-rev.pdf
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA Region 6
1445 Ross Avenue
Suite 1200
Dallas, Texas 75202
April 2013

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