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RACER Flint West (Flint, Genesee County)

RACER Flint West (Flint, Genesee County)

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Please contact the Site Lead for the most up-to-date status of this site.

EGLE site lead

Shaun Shields, ShieldsS5@Michigan.gov or 517-331-8950.

Background

Revitalizing Auto Communities Environmental Response Trust (RACER) Flint West located at the northwest corner of Glenwood Avenue and Stevenson Street is a 3.14-acre parcel, part of the 4.98-acre RACER Trust Flint West Site #12990. The site location adjacent to Chevy Commons area and was once part of the former GM AC Rochester Flint West manufacturing facility which operated from 1916 to 1997. Prior manufacturing operations at the site included chrome plating, heat treating, forging and forming operations. After manufacturing ceased, most building and manufacturing infrastructure was removed. Today, an electric substation is present on-site, but the remainder of the site is primarily pavement. Corrective action at the site is implemented by RACER Trust with oversight by US EPA. Environmental investigations and cleanup are in progress and have identified soil and groundwater contamination associated with former manufacturing processes. PFAS sampling was performed due to previously documented contamination, and chromium plating units historically operated on-site.

Ground cover consists primarily of pavement with some exposed soil. Underlying soils consist mostly of sandy soils with some clay lenses, which contain shallow groundwater. A clay layer is beneath the sandy soils and ranges from 13 to 23 feet below ground surface.& Site groundwater flow is primarily northwest toward the Flint River, which is approximately 800 feet to the north.

Content posted October 2022.

RACER Flint West MPART Map

Site map

See an aerial view of the location of the site.

Expand the map

Drinking water

Municipal water is the main source of drinking water in the City of Flint, there is no known impact to drinking water wells.

Anticipated activities

Additional PFAS sampling of on-site groundwater monitoring wells are planned to occur with future groundwater monitoring events as part of the on-going corrective action process.

Historical Timeline

    • In January 2018, RACER's contractor performed PFAS sampling of several groundwater monitoring wells. The results did not exceed previous part 201 cleanup criteria (70 ppt) for PFOS + PFOA.
    • Between 2018 and 2020, RACER's contractor conducted additional PFAS sampling to further delineate PFAS concentrations in groundwater on-site.
    • On July 29, 2020, EGLE received PFAS monitoring data from RACER, indicating levels of PFOS and PFOA, exceeding Part 201 groundwater cleanup criteria. The highest PFOS sample result was 93 ppt, collected from a groundwater monitoring well in the northeast corner of the site.  The highest PFOA sample result was 12 ppt, collected from a monitoring well in the eastern corner of the site.
    • On September 10, 2020, this site investigation was discussed at the virtual MPART PFAS Regional Informational Webinar - Lansing Region.
    • In October 2020, RACER's contractor submitted to EPA a workplan to further investigate and delineate PFAS contamination at the site.
    • In April 2021, EPA approved a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) to accompany the approved October 2020 workplan for additional PFAS investigation at the site.
    • In April 2021, PFAS soil and groundwater sampling was conducted in accordance with the approved workplan and QAPP. Results and a report are expected in Summer 2021.
    • EGLE conducted surface water sampling for PFAS in the Flint River Watershed in 2021 with several samples collected near the Racer Flint West Site.
    • On September 22, 2021, EGLE received the investigation report which included the sampling results from the PFAS soil and groundwater site investigation conducted in April 2021. The highest concentration of PFAS detected in groundwater was 170 ppt of PFOS.
    • On November 24, 2021, EGLE received a semi-annual groundwater monitoring report including PFAS monitoring data from on-site groundwater wells. Results were consistent with previous monitoring data.
    • In January 2022, EGLE received a report detailing additional subsurface PFAS investigation at the site.

    Sampling Results Summary

    Type of Sample

    Date Sampled
    (or range)

    Number of Sample
    Results Received

    Number of Samples
    above Criteria*
    Groundwater Monitoring Wells January 2018 - November 2021 109 59
    *Residential well and groundwater monitoring well results are compared to EGLE Part 201 criteria for 7 PFAS compounds: PFOS (16 ppt), PFOA (8 ppt), PFNA (6 ppt), PFHxS (51 ppt), PFHxA (400,000 ppt), PFBS (420 ppt), and HFPO-DA (370 ppt).

    Sampling notes

    • None at this time.