RETURN TO USE INITIATIVE
2012 Demonstration Project
YELLOW WATER ROAD:
Baldwin, Florida
THE SITE: The 14-acre Yeliow Water Road
Superfund site (the Site) is located in a rural residential
and commercial area, one mile south of the City of
Baldwin, Florida. Dairy farming took place at the Site
until 1981, when commercial land use development
began. The owner collected liquids, transformers and
other equipment contaminated with polychlorinated
biphenyls (RGBs) on the Site with the intention of
removing the PCB-contaminated fluids and salvaging
the transformers. The property owner was unable to
get a permit to operate a RGB incinerator and plans for
RGB fluid removal soon dissolved.
During an attempt in 1982 to salvage valuable metals,
such as copper, from the transformers, over 150,000
gallons of PCB-contaminated liquids were estimated to
have spilled on the property. The spill and continued
storage of the contaminated equipment at the Site
resulted in soil contamination. EPA ordered responsible
parties to perform cleanup activities to address site
contamination. Under EPA oversight, the responsible
parties excavated impacted soils, treated them and
consolidated them in a monolith (a solid structure
formed by mixing stabilized contaminants with cement)
on a portion of the Site. Responsible parties continue
to perform routine maintenance of the monolith area.
THE OPPORTUNITY: Sitewide remediation is
complete and site zoning supports commercial and
industrial use. The Site lies in an excellent location for
commercial or industrial land uses, with close proximity
to U.S. Interstate 10 and railroad lines. Surrounding
properties support extensive warehousing business
operations and companies that support the local
transportation industry. The Site is well-situated to
help grow the existing local economy and could easily
accommodate a commercial or industrial park. The
City of Baldwin has already expressed its support for
this type of reuse.
PICTURED: The entrance to Yeliow Welter Road Superfund
site, (source: EPA)
BARRIER: Lack of communication about appropriate potential
reuse at the Site.
SOLUTION: Issue information to the public that clarifies
appropriate reuse opportunities for the Site. Place a restrictive
covenant on the property defining use restrictions needed to
protect human health and the environment at the Site.
PICTURED: Cleared area on the site property, ready for reuse,
(source: EPA)
BEFORE: Abandoned salvage yard full of contaminated
equipment.
AFTER: Fully-remediated property located in an excellent
location for industrial or commercial use and available for
redevelopment.
United States
Environmental Protection	Superfund Redevelopment Initiative
1—J § m Agency
kAgency
June 2012 1

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BARRIERS: The current owner purchased the property without knowing the full history of the Site.
The lack of early communication and ciarity about the Site's Superfund status and appropriate iand
uses made it difficult to market to the property to prospective purchasers.
THE SOLUTION: In an effort to clarify appropriate land uses and to ensure the long-term future
protectiveness of the remedy, the Site owner worked with Duval County, Florida Department of
Environmental Protection (FDEP) and EPA to implement detailed zoning requirements for the property.
EPA has prepared a draft restrictive covenant, which implements institutional controls at the Site and
identifies types of reuses that are not compatible for the Site. The restrictive covenant also outlines the
actions that need to be taken to ensure continued protectiveness of the remedy. Three distinct areas
are identified in the restrictive covenant. There are no land use restrictions for the largest of the three
areas. The remaining two areas contain use restrictions compatible with the Site remedy, including
restrictions on the use of the on-site monolith area, which requires prior approval by the EPA and
FDEP. While the covenant limits a small area in the northwestern corner of the Site to commercial and
industrial land uses, the vast majority of the Site is free from any contamination; therefore, land use
restrictions are not required in those areas. The draft restrictive covenant is currently being reviewed by
the EPA, the site owner, the potentially responsible parties and FDEP and is anticipated to be signed
and recorded in 2012.
THE SITE NOW: Portions of the Site are currently being used for cattle grazing. The property
owner has begun marketing the property for sale and several companies have already shown interest
in the Site. Because the Site is in an easily accessible location and has adequate zoning to allow for a
wide range of reuses, sale and reuse of the property is anticipated for the near future.
PICTURED: (left and right) Fenced cattle grazing areas on the Site, (source: EPA)
FOR MORE INFORMA ION, PLEASE CON AC PeterThorpe, Remedial Project Manager,
at thorpe.peter@epa.aov or (404) 562-9688; or Bill Denman, Region 4 Superfund Redevelopment
Coordinator, at denman.blll@epa.gov or (404) 562-8939.
oEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Superfund Redevelopment Initiative
June 2012 2

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