Arizona Superfund Site: Motorola, Inc. (52Nd Street Plant)
Fight Air Pollution & Water Pollution With an Environmental Toxic Tort Lawsuit

Are you in need of a Toxic Tort Attorney in The Grand Canyon State? The EPA has designated Motorola, Inc. (52Nd Street Plant) in Arizona as a Superfund site due to its levels of environmental toxins and harm to the natural world. You can read the report for the site below.

Some Superfund sites are on the National Priority Site Lists. The National Priorities List ("NPL") is the list of hazardous waste sites in the United States eligible for long-term remedial action financed under the federal Superfund program. Environmental Protection Agency regulations outline a formal process for assessing hazardous waste sites and placing them on the NPL. The NPL is intended primarily to guide the EPA in determining which sites warrant further investigation.

Sites are listed on the NPL upon completion of Hazard Ranking System (HRS) screening, public solicitation of comments about the proposed site, and after all comments have been addressed. EPA may delete a final NPL site if it determines that no further response is required to protect human health or the environment. Sites where a remediation was completed through the Superfund program are typically deleted from the NPL.

Living near Superfund Sites in Arizona may place you and your loved ones more vulnerable to developing a disease from proximity to the site and experiencing a loss of value for your property, but there are steps you can take to fight back: The EPA says,

[We have] set up a "Post Construction Completion" (or PCC) strategy to ensure that Superfund response actions provide for the long-term protection of human health and the environment. EPA's Post Construction Completion activities also involve optimizing remedies to increase effectiveness and/or reduce cost without sacrificing long-term protection of human health and the environment.

Below you can read the EPA report for the Motorola, Inc. (52Nd Street Plant) Superfund site. If you, a loved one, or someone in your community has suffered due to toxic pollution in Motorola, Inc. (52Nd Street Plant), or if your property has lost value because of pollution, you will need a toxic tort attorney who knows the people of the State of Arizona . Get started by filling out this simple form. There is no obligation, and your case will be evaluated within 24 hours. To refer a friend, neighbor, or loved one, follow this link to let them know about the environmental toxic tort attorneys at Weitz & Luxenberg.

Motorola, Inc. (52Nd Street Plant)

This site is not a Federal Facility.

Updated: May 10, 2005

MOTOROLA, INC. (52nd STREET PLANT)
AZIZONA
EPA ID# AZD009004177

EPA Region 9
City: Phoenix
County: Maricopa
Other Names: Motorola 52nd Street; Motorola, Inc. Discrete Semiconductor

Site Responsibility:

This site is being addressed through Federal, State, and potentially responsible parties' actions.

NPL LISTING HISTORY

Proposed Date:10/15/1984

Final Date:10/04/1989

Deleted Date:

Soil and groundwater underlying the site contain various chlorinated hydrocarbons from solvent use. People who accidentally ingest or come into direct contact with contaminated groundwater or soil may be at risk.

Motorola has taken several initial actions to monitor and develop treatment remedies for contaminated groundwater and soil. In 1983 and 1984, Motorola installed 22 on-site and six off-site monitoring wells. In the period from 1986 through 1992, numerous additional monitoring wells were installed. In 1986, the company initiated an on-site groundwater treatment program that included treatability testing, design, and installation of a pilot treatment plant; treatment of groundwater; and use of the effluent in the plant's air fume scrubbers. Full-scale treatment was implemented in 1992 (see OU1).

OU 1
First Interim Cleanup Action, Operable Unit One (OU1): In 1988, the EPA and ADEQ selected an interim remedy for the site, called Operable Unit One (OU1), to clean up a portion of the Motorola facility through soil gas extraction (SVE) and groundwater pump and treatment methods. The remedy was selected to prevent further contamination to groundwater by recovering the contaminated on-site soil gas and groundwater and also capturing off-site groundwater at 44th Street.

Motorola, under ADEQ oversight, completed construction of a full-scale groundwater extraction and treatment facility, and it has been operating since 1992. On-site and off-site (at 44th Street) contaminated groundwater is being pumped and treated at an on-site treatment facility by air stripping, and the air emissions are treated with granular activated carbon. The treated groundwater is then used in the manufacturing processes, replacing water that was previously supplied by the City of Phoenix. Motorola also completed soil vapor extraction (SVE) pilot studies on the Courtyard and Southwest Parking Lot areas of the facility in 1993. Design and construction of a full scale pilot Air Sparging/SVE system in the Southwest Parking Lot area (SWPL) was completed in 1996 and operated in 1997.

STATUS: The OU 1 groundwater treatment system (air strippers with off-gas treatment using granular activated carbon) was shut off in April 2003 due to damage to the air emissions treatment equipment (carbon vessels). Motorola had initially proposed to ADEQ by-pass of the air emissions equipment so that the system could be restarted with direct emissions to the air, but due to concern by ADEQ and the public, Motorola is now considering alternative techniques to control the emissions so start-up can resume.

OU 2
Second Interim Cleanup Action, Operable Unit Two (OU2): Motorola, under ADEQ oversight, conducted an investigation of the groundwater contamination in the area downgradient of OU1. The contamination was discovered to extend to at least 20th Street, several miles west of the Motorola facility. Contamination from the Honeywell (formerly AlliedSignal) facility at 34th Street, and possibly other facilities, is suspected to be contributing to the groundwater contamination in the area. In 1994, ADEQ and EPA selected an interim groundwater pump and treatment remedy to contain the plume near 16th Street and treat the water to drinking water standards. This remedy was selected to prevent further spreading of contamination and to begin cleaning the groundwater in the area. The remedy is described in the 1994 Record of Decision for Operable Unit Two.

Motorola began the design for the OU 2 remedy in late 1996 and completed the design in 1999, under ADEQ oversight. During the design process, EPA and ADEQ made two significant changes to the 1994 Record of Decision: the planned end use of the treated water was changed from reinjection into the aquifer to discharge to the Salt River Project (SRP) Grand Canal for agricultural irrigation purposes; and the treatment technology was modified from air stripping to granular activated carbon and ultraviolet oxidation. These changes are documented in a September 1999 Explanation of Significant Differences.

The final design was approved by ADEQ and EPA in December 1999. The system was designed to acheive capture of the plume at 20th Street in it's first year of operation. Under an EPA Unilateral Administrative Order, Honeywell and Motorola completed construction of the treatment system in August 2001 and have been operating the system since September 2001. The current system consists of 3 extraction wells, conveyance piping from the wells to the treatment plant at 20th Street and Washington, treatment (VOC removal) using granular activated carbon, piping of the treated water to the SRP Grand Canal discharge point at 35th Street east of Roosevelt, and a monitoring well netowork to evaulate system effectiveness. A UV/Ox system has also been installed at the treatment plan to address treatment of vinyl chloride should it be necessary in the future.

Over 3.5 million gallons of water is treated and discharged per day. The system is shut down for 1 month annually to allow for the SRP canal maintanance period. The length of time the groundwater treatment system will need to be operated has not yet been established, and will be established after final cleanup goals and a final cleanup strategy for OU 2 has been selected by EPA and ADEQ.

STATUS: An Effectiveness Report for the first year of OU 2 operations was submitted to EPA in April 2003, and the second annual Effectiveness Report for 2003 operations is expected in April 2004. The treatment plant has been operating very well to remove contamination from the groundwater. Since the system has been operating, groundwater levels have been declining, and extraction rates at the system have been lowered, particularly in the south well. Excess capture is observed at the north well, and the north well has been shut down. The system appears to have achieved capture of the entire width and depth of the plume at 20th Street, however there is uncertainty regarding the exact location of capture near the south extraction well, and the location of the contamination. Motorola and Honeywell have installed additional monitoring wells to better define the location of capture, and the location of the plume, are currently reviewing the information from the new wells.

OU 3
Study Area Investigation, Operable Unit Three (OU3): EPA and ADEQ are investigating groundwater contamination in the OU3 study area. The area generally extends from 20th Street on the east to 7th Avenue on the west, and is between McDowell Road on the north and Buckeye Road on the south. EPA began a groundwater investigation of this area to determine the extent of groundwater contamination that may be due to the Motorola 52nd Street Site. EPA initiated the first phase of groundwater investigation in late 2001, and has completed a total of 28 new monitoring wells at 13 locations, in two phases of mobilizations. The information from the monitoring wells will help EPA and ADEQ determine a final investigation and cleanup strategy. EPA samples the new wells quarterly for the first year, and semi-annually thereafter.

STATUS: EPA completed the second phase of groundwater well installations from February-May 2003 and plans to prepare a groundwater investigation report in May 2004 after a few rounds of data can be collectd. The report will summarize the results of the data collected so far and provide recommendations and a plan for completion of a remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS) for the Study Area. A RI/FS workplan is planned for September 2004.

Honeywell 34th Street

Facility Investigation: The Honeywell 34th Street facility is an 118-acre an aerospace manufacturing plant located at 34th Street and Air Lane, in the OU2 area. Honeywell also used chlorinated solvents in its operations, including TCE and 1,1,1-TCA. Investigations to date have determined that on-site soil and groundwater, as well as off-site groundwater west of the facility, have been contaminated.

Honeywell has been performing investigations at their site since 1992 to characterize soil and groundwater contamination on portions of the facility. They have installed approximately 33 on- and 25 off-site groundwater monitoring wells and have conducted several shallow soil gas investigations. They have also have designed, constructed and operated a pilot soil vapor extraction (SVE) system in an area of the site since 1997. Under a 1999 Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) with ADEQ, they are currently completing characterization of the potential soil sources at their entire facility, and currently installing about 31 additional groundwater monitor wells to characterize the extent of the off-site groundwater contamination. This site characterization work will support a cleanup strategy for the sources at the Honeywell facility.

STATUS: Honeywell has completed installation of the monitoring wells under their April 2003 Work Plan. Honeywell's Draft Remedial Investigation Report is expected in September 2004.

Additional Facility Investigations: EPA also seeks to identify additional companies that may have contributed to the contamination in the OU2 and OU3 areas. Since July 2000, EPA has sent over a hundred information request letters to various companies that may have information about solvent use at industrial facilities in the area. In September 2003, EPA identified additional potentially responsible parties (PRPs) to the site, and will be working with the PRPs to investigate the potential contamination at these facilities.

STATUS: EPA and ADEQ expect to conduct negotiations for facility investigations with the PRPs between April 2004 and July 2004. EPA is working with facilities located in OU3 and ADEQ is working with facilities located in OU2.

The interim actions undertaken by Motorola and Honeywell, and the soil and groundwater recovery and treatment systems have made the site safer while additional cleanup activities are being planned.

The public information repositories for the site are at the following locations:

Arizona Dept. of Environmental Quality, Remedial Projects Unit
1110 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007-2935
(602) 771-4154

Phoenix Public Library,
Saguaro Branch
2802 North 46th Street
Phoenix, AZ
(602) 262-6801

Phoenix Public Library,
Central Branch
1221 N. Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602) 262-4636

The most complete collection of documents is the official EPA site file, maintained at the following location:

Superfund Records Center
Mail Stop SFD-7C
95 Hawthorne Street, Room 403
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 536-2000

Enter main lobby of 75 Hawthorne street, go to 4th floor of South Wing Annex.

EPA SITE MANAGER:

Nadia Hollan

ADDRESS:

US EPA Region 9
75 Hawthrone St. , Mail Stop SFD-8-2
San Francisco, CA 94105

PHONE NUMBER:

(415) 972-3187 ph
(415) 947-3526 fax

E-MAIL ADDRESS:

Hollan.Nadia@epa.gov

EPA COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT COORDINATOR:

Viola Cooper

ADDRESS:

US EPA Region 9
75 Hawthrone St. , Mail Stop SFD-3
San Francisco, CA 94105

PHONE NUMBER:

(415) 972-3243 or toll-free message line 1-800-231-3075

E-MAIL ADDRESS:

Cooper.Viola@epa.gov

PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTER:

(415) 947-8000 or toll-free (866) 372-9378

E-MAIL ADDRESS:

r9.info@epa.gov

STATE CONTACT:

Kris Kommalan, Project Manager
Monica Mascareno, Community Involvement Coordinator

ADDRESS:

ADEQ
1110 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007-2935

PHONE NUMBER:

Kris: (602) 771-4193
Monica: (602) 771-4710

PRP CONTACT:

Motorola: Tom Suriano
Honeywell: Troy Meyer/Steve Bowles

ADDRESS:

PHONE NUMBER:

Motorola: (602) 952-3238
Honeywell: (973) 455-4279/(602) 365-4018

COMMUNITY CONTACT:

Our Community Involvement Plan contains a list of community contacts for this site. Please contact EPA or ADEQ for this information, or contact your local neighborhood association, group, or city councilman.

ADDRESS:

PHONE NUMBER:

State Environmental Protection Agency

US Environmental Protection Agency

(800) 852-7550

(800) 424-8802

STATE:

AZ

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT:

01

EPA ORGANIZATION:

SFD-8-2

• Site Description and History

•  Maps
•  Images

•  Description
•  Environmental Data

•  Response Action Status

EPA SITE MANAGER:

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PHONE NUMBER:

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EPA COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT COORDINATOR:

ADDRESS:

PHONE NUMBER:

E-MAIL ADDRESS:

PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTER:

E-MAIL ADDRESS:

STATE CONTACT:

ADDRESS:

PHONE NUMBER:

PRP CONTACT:

ADDRESS:

PHONE NUMBER:

COMMUNITY CONTACT:

ADDRESS:

PHONE NUMBER:

STATE:

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT:

EPA ORGANIZATION:

source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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see also:

Indian Bend Wash Area Environmental Pollution in Arizona- Site: Indian Bend Wash Area
Indian Bend Wash Area Superfund Site Info - Fight Air Pollution, Water Pollution

Nineteenth Avenue Landfill Environmental Pollution in Arizona- Site: Nineteenth Avenue Landfill
Nineteenth Avenue Landfill Superfund Site Info - Fight Air Pollution, Water Pollution

AZ Environmental Pollution Lawsuit: Arizona Superfund Sites
Legal information for environmental pollution lawsuit in Arizona.