EPA Superfund Site

FOOTE MINERAL CO.

PA | EPA ID PAD077087989

About this site’s exposure pathways: As of June 2025, the Foote Mineral Superfund Site is considered “Insufficient Data to make a Human Exposure evaluation” (HEID) because of a newly identified exposure pathway and/or contaminant(s). At this time, the groundwater plume is undefined both laterally and vertically. Due to the unknown nature of the extent of the Site-related groundwater plume, it's unknown if there are private drinking water wells located downgradient of the Site that are in-use and potentially impacted by Site-related groundwater contamination. The site was previously categorized as Current Human Exposures Under Control and All Protective Remedy(ies) in Place (HEPR). The remedy is source control via soil excavation and consolidation into a capped quarry on the Property and continued long-term groundwater monitoring. The main contaminant of concern at the Site is lithium in groundwater. Site decision documents designated a cleanup goal of 260 micrograms per liter (ug/L), and lithium concentrations exceed this cleanup goal in almost all Site-related groundwater monitoring wells. As part of the initial remedial activities at the Site, nearby residences were connected to public water and thereby eliminating that exposure pathway. However, the EPA recommended in the last Five-Year Review (2019) to lower the cleanup goal to 40 ug/L. Because the extent of Site-related groundwater contamination is unknown, it is unknown if the plume has extended to areas where private drinking water wells could be in-use. Additionally, while concentrations of Site-related contaminants have decreased over time, the remedy has been in place for nearly 20 years and concentrations are still significantly elevated. Groundwater contamination is also discharging to surface water, although there are currently no surface water cleanup goals established for the Site. Thus, the remedy may need to be optimized in order to better control groundwater contamination. The EPA uses this Human Exposure status when there is a lack of evidence to suggest that actual or reasonably anticipated human exposures are occurring and that those exposures are above acceptable risk-based levels. The planned activities to collect sufficient information to evaluate this new exposure pathway and/or contaminants(s) are to install additional monitoring wells in order to delineate the extent of the groundwater plume, both laterally and vertically, in OU-1. Once the plume is delineated, the EPA will conduct a well survey to determine if there are private drinking water wells in-use downgradient of the Site. If private wells are identified, the EPA will collect drinking water samples to be evaluated for the presence of Site-related COCs. The EPA currently anticipates that there will be sufficient data to make a Human Exposure evaluation by May 2029 because by that time sufficient analytical data will have been collected from the groundwater and/or drinking water, as needed, in order to determine the extent of Site-related groundwater contamination and if downgradient drinking water wells are impacted, as needed. In addition, EPA is currently in the process of finalizing the Fifth Five-Year Review Report, due to be signed by 09/30/2024, which will address the data gaps and advise additional investigation efforts (i.e., install monitoring wells, collect groundwater samples) in order to determine the extent of Site-related groundwater contamination and the potential exposure route via potential private drinking water wells. The Five-Year Review Report will also address remedy deficiencies and will recommend additional remedy evaluation.