The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding today from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to start new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites and accelerate more than 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country, including the Hidden Lane Landfill Superfund Site in Sterling, Virginia.
“Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, we are moving faster than ever before to progress clean up at contaminated sites – from manufacturing facilities to landfills – in communities across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “But our work is not yet finished – we’re continuing to build on this momentum to ensure that communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination finally get the investments and protections they deserve.”
There are thousands of contaminated sites nationally due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out in the open, or improperly managed. Superfund cleanups help transform and repurpose contaminated properties into residences, retail and office space warehouses, solar power generation, and more. These include former manufacturing facilities, processing plants, landfills, and mining sites.
“This funding brings communities that much closer to being rid of legacy contamination that’s been hindering recreational access, economic redevelopment, and ultimately – the peace of mind that comes with knowing one’s air, land, and water are safe,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “EPA is steadfast in its efforts towards making that peace of mind a reality for all Virginians, regardless of the shortsightedness of industries past, while transforming contaminated properties and creating jobs in overburdened communities.”
The Hidden Lane Landfill was a 25-acre privately owned and operated disposal facility north of Virginia Route 7 between the Broad Run Farms and Countryside communities. It lies immediately adjacent to the floodplain of the Potomac River. Starting in 1971, the facility accepted a variety of solid wastes including construction and demolition wastes, land clearing wastes and other items such as appliances, tires, paper and cardboard.
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is making a huge difference in communities across Virginia,” said Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA). “I’m glad to see this federal funding go to the Hidden Lane Landfill Superfund Site in Sterling to help clean up contamination and protect the local community from hazardous waste and toxins.”
In February 2022, after seeking public comment, EPA announced the cleanup plan in a Record of Decision (ROD) for the Hidden Lane Landfill Superfund Site. The ROD documents the plans to address the landfill cap and the source area of site groundwater contamination. Cleanup plans include landfill cap repair and maintenance with land use controls, excavation with off-site disposal of principal threat source material, and bioremediation of the groundwater.
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has launched projects across the Commonwealth that create jobs and better our communities,” said Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA). “I am thrilled to see Hidden Lane Landfill receive cleanup funds as part of a continued effort to ensure that those living closest to this site are safe from potential contaminants.”
Please visit the Hidden Lane Superfund Site for more information.
The $1 billion investment announced today is the second wave of funding from the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work. With the first wave of funding announced in December 2021, EPA deployed more than $1 billion for cleanup activities at more than 100 sites across the country. Thanks to this historic funding, EPA started 81 new cleanup projects in 2022, including projects at 44 sites previously on the backlog. By starting four times as many construction projects as the year before, EPA is aggressively bringing more sites across the country closer to finishing cleanup.
EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. Out of the 22 sites in this round of funding, 60% are in communities with the potential for environmental justice concerns based on data from EJSCREEN, a mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.
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