The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with concurrence from the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection, has selected the cleanup plan to address contaminated waste and soils associated with the Clearview Landfill portion of the Lower Darby Creek Area Superfund Site, also known as Operable Unit 1 (OU1).  The Clearview Landfill spans ~60 acres in southwest Philadelphia, situated alongside the Darby Creek and yards from a residential neighborhood in Eastwick.

In summary, the EPA selected an Evapotranspiration (ET) Cover as the cleanup plan for Clearview Landfill OU1 site. An ET cover is a thick layer of soil with a dense stand of trees and vegetation planted on its surface. The soil and tree cover naturally absorbs precipitation and holds it until the water can evaporate or be used by the trees and vegetation. The roots of the trees and vegetation also prevent erosion of the landfill cover.

Additional parts of the plan include: excavating contaminated soils outside the ET cover; long-term erosion controls along creek banks; permanent relocation of businesses from the landfill; collecting and treating the leachate using a sub-surface trench along the creeks and engineered wetlands; long-term maintenance and monitoring of the remedy; legal controls to protect the remedy and the public.

The selected cleanup plan is documented in the Record of Decision (ROD). The EPA will work with the Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) to design the cleanup plan, which could take 12-36 months.

The EPA advocates meaningful, active community participation during the Superfund cleanup. Josh Barber, EPA Remedial Project Manager, and Larry Brown, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator, meet with community organizations and residents most affected by cleanup activities. They seek ongoing input from the Eastwick community, and offered technical assistance resources to enhance two-way communication.

The Clearview Landfill full ROD and other documents are available to read on the internet, on the US EPA website for the Lower Darby Creek Area. Note that the full ROD is 326 pages long, 41MB, requiring ample computer space and time to download. EFNC recommends reading at minimum (1) the 4-page Fact Sheet, and (2) the 19-page ROD sections 11-13, which details Selected Remedy, Statuatory Determinations, and diagram of the site.
(1) – Clearview Landfill ROD Fact Sheet (4 pages, PDF, Sept 2014)
(2) – Clearview Landfill ROD – Sections 11-13 with site diagram (19 pages, PDF, Sept 2014)
(3) – Clearview Landfill full ROD (326 pages, PDF, Sept 2014)

The EPA is holding a legally-required public meeting to present details of the Record of Decision and cleanup plan for the Clearview Landfill.  Meeting details:
Thursday, October 23, 2014
6:30 – 8:30 PM
Eastwick Community Recreation Center
80th Street and Mars Place
Philadelphia, PA  19153

EPA Contact Info:
Josh Barber – EPA Remedial Project Manager – (215) 814-3393, barber.joshua@epa.gov
Larry Brown – EPA Community Involvement Coordinator – (215) 814-5527 or (800) 553-2509, brown.larry@epa.gov

The Eastwick community has endured a host of environmental justice issues for decades, including ill-planned urban renewal; chronic and widespread flooding; toxic emissions from nearby airport, oil refineries and mega-highway; and two superfund landfill sites that operated without permit from the 1950’s through the 1970’s and afterwards.  Eastwick Friends & Neighbors Coalition (EFNC) is committed to planning for an environmentally, economically and socially sustainable future for Eastwick. EFNC strives to engage and inform residents and stakeholders about community issues, and work alongside partners and supporters for a bright future.

EFNC urges everyone to attend the EPA’s Clearview Landfill meeting on October 23. We also urge you to sign up to receive informational emails from the EPA, as they proceed with next steps in Clearview Landfill.  Sign up to receive EPA emails on their website. Simply enter your email address (name is optional) in the “Mailing List” box in the lower right corner. This is a good way for the EPA to communicate information, and you may unsubscribe from their emails at any time. EPA Community Involvement information – click here.