The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a proposed plan to address groundwater contamination at the Motorola, Inc. 52nd Street Superfund site in Phoenix. This marks an important development in the ongoing cleanup efforts. The agency is inviting public input on the plan, which targets a specific section known as Operable Unit 3 (OU3). OU3 is located in Central Phoenix and is bordered by McDowell Road, 20th Street, Buckeye Road, and 7th Avenue.
The proposed plan outlines the health and environmental risks posed by the contamination and details the EPA’s preferred cleanup strategy. It presents six options for removing unsafe drinking water contaminants and allows the community to review and comment on these options. The strategies were developed considering current and future land use within OU3, including potential groundwater use as drinking water.
“The EPA encourages people to provide input on the proposed cleanup plan for the Motorola 52nd St. Superfund site,” said Michael Montgomery, EPA Director of Region 9 Superfund and Emergency Management Division. “This is a big step forward to protect groundwater and ensure a future supply of safe drinking water for the Phoenix community.”
Groundwater contamination at the site resulted from industrial activities such as dry cleaning; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment manufacturing; railroad operations; semiconductor manufacturing; and aerospace engineering. Chemicals released from these activities have affected groundwater quality at OU3 with contaminants including trichloroethene (TCE), 1,4-dioxane, 1,1-dichloroethane (DCA), 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, and naphthalene.
A public comment period of 45 days began on November 1, 2024. The EPA plans to host a public meeting about the Proposed Plan on November 13, from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm at Burton Barr Central Library's Nina Mason Pulliam Auditorium in Phoenix.
For more information about attending the meeting or accessing further details online or in person, interested individuals can visit EPA’s Motorola site webpage.
