FOOTE MINERAL CO.

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. There is currently no remedy for groundwater. The main contaminant of concern (COC) 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, EPA recommended Second and Third Five-Year Review (FYR) reports (released in 2019 and 2024, respectively) 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, a remedy for groundwater cleanup is needed. The Third FYR report addresses data gaps and advises additional investigation efforts (i.e., install monitoring wells, collect groundwater samples) to determine the extent of Site-related groundwater contamination and the potential exposure route via potential private drinking water wells. The Third FYR Report also addresses remedy deficiencies and will recommend additional remedy evaluation. In 2026, EPA conducted a well survey and identified several potential private drinking water wells within the groundwater Area of Concern (AOC) established in the Site’s Record of Decision (ROD). EPA will contact these residences and determine if the wells exist, and if so, request to sample for Site-related COCs. Additionally, beginning in 2026, EPA will install additional groundwater monitoring wells and collect samples to gather sufficient information to evaluate this new exposure pathway and/or contaminants(s) in OU-1. Once the plume is better delineated, EPA will conduct another well survey to determine if there are private drinking water wells in-use downgradient of the Site. If private wells are identified, EPA will collect drinking water samples to be evaluated for the presence of Site-related COCs. 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.