RETURN TO USE INITIATIVE 2012 Demonstration Project TRANS CIRCUITS, INC.: Lake Park, Florida THE SITE: The Trans Circuits, Inc. Superfund site (the Site), located in Lake Park, Palm Beach County, Florida, occupies approximately one acre in the Tri-City Industrial Park. Etched Products, Inc. owned and operated an electroplating business on the Site from April 1976 until April 1978, when Trans Circuits, Inc. purchased the property. Trans Circuits' operations included metals stripping, etching, electrolysis and electrolytic plating, nickel and gold plating, and manufacturing components for electronic circuit boards. The facility used various solvents, acid-based stripping solutions, and plating solutions containing lead, tin, copper, nickel, fluoride and cyanide. In June 1985, Trans Circuits stopped operations and dismantled on-site facilities. In 1987, an air stripper treatment system was constructed on the Site to reduce the levels of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE). The system captured, treated and redistributed more than one million gallons of ground water during its two years of operation. In 1988, the City of Riviera Beach installed air strippers at their water plant to treat areawide volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination in the ground water. The City of Riviera Beach still operates these large- scale air stripping towers. At that time, it was clear additional remediation would be required and EPA listed the Site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in February 2000. EPA Fund-financed remedial activities began September 2002 and included excavation of contaminated soil, implementation of institutional controls, and additional operation and maintenance of air stripper towers for the City of Riviera Beach's water treatment plant during the construction of a new municipal well. EPA-lead cleanup activities remain underway and EPA is currently looking into ways to optimize the ground water remedy. Future remedial plans include bioremediation of ground water. PICTURED: Sampling barrels on the Site for ground water monitoring, (source: EPA) BARRIER: The bank had reclaimed this property and now had to address liability and land use questions in order to market a Superfund property for sale. SOLUTION: EPA hosted a Prospective Purchaser Inquiry call with the bank and a prospective purchaser and memorialized the discussion in a status letter. PICTURED: The aerospace parts manufacturing company prepares the newly-purchased building for reuse, (source: EPA) BEFORE: A vacant, but highly desirable commercial/industrial property owned by the bank. AFTER: The new home of an expanded facility for a locally- based aerospace parts manufacturing company. United States Environmental Protection Superfund Redevelopment Initiative 1—J § m Agency kAgency September 2012 1 ------- THE OPPORTUNITY: The Site's excellent location in a commercialized area within the Tri-City Industrial Park provides numerous redevelopment opportunities. With close proximity to local businesses and a location within a HUBZone, a U.S. Small Business Administration program providing federal contracting preferences to small businesses, the property is situated in an ideal location for commercial or industrial company facilities. Soon after the bank reclaimed the property from a previous owner, the Site sparked the interest of an aerospace parts manufacturing company, which owned property near the Site. The owner of the company, which specializes in turbine engine parts for industrial gas turbines and flight turbines, recognized the property as an ideal expansion opportunity for the company. The on- site building had high ceilings which would be suitable for company operations, plenty of parking and included a convenient office space. The company quickly contacted EPA. BARRIERS: Given the Site's history of contamination, the bank had concerns and questions about this newly acquired property and its status as a Superfund site. The bank needed additional information about Superfund liability, the site status and what potential land uses would be compatible with the remedy in order to feel comfortable discussing redevelopment possibilities with prospective purchasers, such as the aerospace parts manufacturing company. The potential purchaser would also need information to be sure that any construction plans and future uses would not affect the protectiveness of the remedy. THE SOLUTION: EPA had helped the previous owner understand the Site's Superfund status and provided information that allowed the company to purchase and reuse the property. Now the bank posed similar questions about what land uses were appropriate as well as how they could potentially market this reclaimed site. EPA began working with the bank and the manufacturing company to prepare the property for purchase. In October 2011, EPA hosted a Prospective Purchase Inquiry conference call with site stakeholders to discuss the current and anticipated future status of the Site, any incompatibilities with the proposed reuse, possible windfall liens and other potential site issues. After the call, EPA issued a site status letter outlining the history of the Site and anticipated future steps for the reuse of the property. THE SITE NOW: The prospective purchaser requested an extension of a 2000 Covenant Not to Sue, which EPA had issued to the previous site owner, acknowledging that the site owners can only reuse the property in a fashion that will continue to preserve the protectiveness of the remedy. With these documents in place and with ongoing collaboration between EPA and site stakeholders, the aerospace parts manufacturing company purchased the property in November 2011. Site contractors completed property renovations in late May 2012 and the company will begin aerospace parts manufacturing operations during the summer of 2012. The owner expects future operations to provide approximately 15 on-site jobs. EPA will remain involved as remedial efforts continue and work with future site owners and stakeholders to support protective reuses at the Site. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Bill Denman, Region 4 Superfund Redevelopment Coordinator and Remedial Project Manager, at denman.bill@epa.gov or (404) 562-8939. United States Environmental Protection i Agency Superfund Redevelopment Initiative September 2012 2 ------- |