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Region 7

Fact Sheet

Iowa

Kansas

Missouri



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Nebraska

May 2003

Five-Year Review Begins

Mid-America Tanning Superfund Site, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa

INTRODUCTION

The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) conducts regular five-year
reviews on certain Superfund sites, as
required by the Superfund law [42 U.S.C.
§ 9621(c)]. EPA Region 7 and the Iowa
Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
have started their first five-year review of
the Mid-America Tanning Superfund site
near Sergeant Bluff, Iowa. The site is
located in Woodbury County, Iowa,
approximately 10 miles south of Sioux
City and about 6 miles south of Sergeant
Bluff.

Before remedial actions began, the site
posed a potential threat to public health
through direct contact with:
contaminated soils,
building surfaces, and
impoundments,
and through potential migration of
chromium into the surrounding
groundwater.

BACKGROUND

The site is a former leather tannery which
operated from 1970 to 1989. Process
wastewater containing chromium was
discharged to on-site surface
impoundments. Chromium contaminated
sludge accumulated at the bottom of the
surface impoundments and was disposed
of on-site in trenches and in surface soil.
When the facility ceased operations in
1989, there were an estimated 5,000
gallons of chromium tanning solution on
the site along with 525 gallons of sulfuric
acid used in the tanning process.

EPA initiated a removal action in 1990,
which included:

excavation and stockpiling of
contaminated sludge from the on-site
burial trenches,
containment and treatment of
chromium tanning solutions,
containment and neutralization of
sulfuric acids, and
cursory decontamination of the
buildings.

In 1994, EPA issued an Administrative
Order to Foxley Cattle Company, a
Potentially Responsible Party (PRP), to
perform a second removal action to
address re-contamination concerns. The
removal action performed by Foxley was
completed in 1995 and consisted of:
decontaminating buildings,
removal and disposal of drummed
wastes, and

securing the site buildings and man-
holes.

In 1999, EPA conducted the final
remedial action at the site. The work
included:

the excavation of contaminated soil,
sediment, and sludge, then placing
those materials in landfill areas,
• treatment of free wastewaters located
in several site impoundments,
installation of floating geosynthetic
covers on existing site lagoons,
decontamination by steam cleaning of
selected site facilities, and
installation of chain link fencing.

Groundwater monitoring showed no
contamination of the groundwater.
Institutional controls including deed

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restrictions were put into place to protect
any future purchasers of the site.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

During the five-year review, EPA studies
information on the site, and inspects the
site to make sure it continues to be
protective. We encourage the community
to tell us about site conditions or concerns
you may have.

At the end of the review, a final report will
be prepared and will be available in the
site information repositories.

Detailed site information can be found at
the following locations:

City Hall

401 Fourth Street
Sergeant Bluff, IA

EPA Record Center
901 North 5th Street
Kansas City, KS

If you have questions or need additional
information, please contact:

Fritz Hirter

Office of External Programs
U.S. EPA Region 7
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
Phone: 913-551-7003 or
Toll Free: 1-800-223-0425
E-mail: hirter.fritz@epa.gov

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