Sharon Steel Corp.
Mercer County, Pa.	
Site Description
The Sharon Steel Corporation Farrell Works Disposal Area site is located in Mercer County, Pa., very close to
the Ohio border. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in 1983. The site is southwest of the former
Sharon Steel Corporation Farrell Works Facility (the facility is not part of the site) and is bordered on the east
by the Shenango River. From 1900-81, the Sharon Steel Corporation used the site as a dumping area for
various wastes produced in the course of making steel. Slags (solids) and spent pickle liquor acid (liquids)
were the main wastes. The site is located in the flood plain of the Shenango River and there are several
wetland areas on site.
Current Site Status and Cleanup Actions to Date
•	From 1999-2001, EPA conducted a remedial investigation to determine areas of soil, air and
groundwater contamination.
•	A second investigation was performed from 2002 to 2003 and added a wetland assessment,
ecological characterization, biota assessment, and a sediment and hydro-geological assessment in the
deeper groundwater aquifer.
•	Operable Unit (OU) 1 consists of a total of 292 acres, which has been divided into two sections: OU1
North, consisting of 61 acres North of Ohio Street and OU1 South consisting of 231 acres South of
Ohio Street.
•	The final cleanup plan for OU1 was selected in a 2006 Record of Decision (ROD) and includes
construction of a biosolid vegetative cap, institutional controls, and long-term monitoring of
groundwater and surface water in the Shenango River.
•	The floodplain on the site will be addressed as part of the OU1 remedy including the floodplain
adjacent to OU2. Multiple pilot studies of the bio-solid technology were conducted and showed
favorable results for the OU1 remedy.
•	The OU1 remedial design was completed in February 2012. The construction of the remedy is planned
in two phases with Phase 1 to be the northern portion of OU1 and Phase 2 to be the southern portion
of OU1.
•	EPA issued the OU2 proposed plan for an asphalt cap in September 2012. The OU2 ROD is planned
for early 2014.
Unfunded Action
Fiscal Year 2013 work that was not funded involved the construction of the biosolid-enhanced cap with
vegetative cover, monitoring and institutional controls.
Current Funding Status
To date, EPA has not spent any funds for construction work at the site.
For more information on this site, please read the Sharon Steel site information on the Region 3
Superfund web site.

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