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Roosevelt Refinery (Mt. Pleasant, Isabella County)

Roosevelt Refinery (Mt. Pleasant, Isabella County)

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

EGEL site lead

Larry Engelhart, EngelhartL@Michigan.gov or 989-891-6946.

Background

This site is located at 600 W. Pickard in Mt. Pleasant. This was a crude oil refinery that operated from the 1930s to the early 1970s. This was a crude oil refinery that operated on the north end of Mt. Pleasant from the 1930s to the early 1970s when it was decommissioned and later dismantled. The property is adjacent to the Chippewa River on the east. The Chippewa River runs through the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribal area; the Tribe was notified of PFAS contamination on November 13, 2017.

Content posted July 2021.

Aerial Map of Roosevelt Refinery, Mt. Pleasant, Isabella County

Site map

See an aerial view of the location of the site.

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Drinking water

Not applicable; historical data based on geological and analytical information have not shown a threat to drinking water aquifers used in the vicinity of the site. Recent data of the deeper monitoring wells at the facility tested for PFAS has not shown a concern. There are no known drinking water wells located at the site or in the immediate vicinity. The impacted groundwater at the site is shallow and the groundwater surface water interface (GSI) pathway is the main focus. For additional information on residential well testing and results, visit the Frequently Asked Questions. EGLE has sampled all municipal water supplies for PFAS. View the results for the city of Mt. Pleasant.

Anticipated activities

EGLE is reviewing the Draft Groundwater Monitoring Plan dated May 10, 2021. EGLE will continue to evaluate the effectiveness of the Plume Stop Injections (August -September). MRP properties has scheduled additional groundwater sampling to occur in late June/July 2021, for the continued assessment of the Plume Stop Injections. Additional monitoring will occur to verify the effectiveness of the injections to clean up the PFAS.

Historical Timeline

    • In August 2017, EGLE requested that MRP Properties sample the groundwater due to the site being a former refinery because the refinery stored/used fire suppression substances. MRP Properties collected groundwater samples at seven locations on-site.
    • In October 2017, EGLE was made aware of PFAS concentrations at the Roosevelt Refinery site over 70 ppt PFOS+PFOA.
    • On November 13, 2017, EGLE met with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and briefed the Tribe on the status of the PFAS contamination.
    • In October 31, 2017, EGLE requested MRP Properties further define the extent of the PFAS plume on-site.
    • On January 9, 2018, EGLE was contacted by the Tribe to discuss potential grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and/or the State of Michigan for PFAS sampling.
    • On April 2 and 3, 2018, MRP Properties conducted additional PFAS sampling of groundwater monitoring wells.
    • On August 10, 2018, MRP Properties submitted a work plan for EGLE review to install additional monitoring wells, sample monitoring wells, and evaluate conditions in order to develop a conceptual site model.
    • On September 18, 2018, MRP Properties completed additional groundwater monitoring well sampling following the approval of a work plan from September 6, 2018.  
    • On August 03, 2018, EGLE was contacted by the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe requesting quarterly meetings to discuss the Roosevelt facility and other sites within the reservation.   
    • On September 19, 2018, EGLE staff met with the Tribe, USEPA, and other local units of government and provided an update on the Roosevelt facility, including a PowerPoint presentation and a site tour. This was the first quarterly meeting between these parties.
    • On October 9, 2018, EGLE received the results from the September 18, 2018, groundwater sampling event.
    • On October 25, 2018, samples of fish and surface water from the Chippewa River, upstream and downstream of the former Roosevelt facility were collected. In addition, a Mt. Pleasant Wastewater Treatment Plant outfall sample was collected. Results have not been received for fish samples. Current expectations for fish sample results are for April 2019.
    • On October 25, 2018, EGLE met with MPR Properties and their environmental consultant to discuss analytical results and next steps.
    • On February 5, 2019, a quarterly meeting occurred in the Saginaw Bay District Office with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. Also, in attendance were representatives from the City of Mt. Pleasant. Discussions included the former Roosevelt Refinery location along with other locations. 
    • On March 27, 2019, EGLE met with MRP Properties and their environmental consultant to discuss, future investigations, a schedule, and updating other documents for the site. 
    • On April 25, 2019, a Proposed Continued Assessment of PFAS and Timeline Report for the Roosevelt facility was provided to EGLE. 
    • On April 25, 2019, a schedule has been provided which includes:  Source area investigation including soils delineation to be completed by June 30th, 2019.   Eight additional temporary monitoring wells will be included in the investigation.  Groundwater sampling will be completed by July 31, 2019.  An assessment of the PFAS data will be completed by September 30,2019.    Also, MRP properties will meet with EGLE to discuss results and remedial options. 
    • On May 14, 2019, EGLE received fish sample results from the Chippewa river.  PFOS concentrations in fish were low overall, only one fish exceeded the lowest MDHHS screening value of 9ppb.  Based on the data PFOS would not be a cause of consumption advice. 
    • On June 25th and June 27, 2019, 29 groundwater samples were collected.  21 of those samples collected were collected from monitoring wells that had previously been sampled.  8 additional monitoring wells were also sampled near wetlands at the northwestern portion of the property.
    • On October 3, 2019, MRP Properties provided EGLE a report which compiles results of a 2019 PFAS assessment at the facility.  The report indicated additional groundwater sampling was conducted in June 2019; numbers are reflected on the sampling chart.  
    • On December 12, 2019, EGLE met with MRP Properties and their consultant.   Members of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and EPA were invited to attend the meeting.   MRP properties provided a briefing of recent sampling and indicated they are leaning towards proposing in-situ injection of a protective and treatment barrier to prevent the PFAS from entering the Chippewa River. 
    • In the first and second quarters of 2020, remedial options were evaluated. 
    • On June 9, 2020, EGLE reviewed a workplan to inject plume stop at the facility as a remedial action.
    • In August 2020, EGLE and MRP properties discussed analytical results and discussed final remedy option.   

    Historical Sampling Chart: data is reflective of criteria prior to 8/3/2020:
    PFOS + PFOA Only
    This chart reflects data received prior to 8/3/2020.

    Type of Sample

    Date Sampled

    Number of Samples

    Number of Results Received

    Number of Non-detects

    Number Between Non-detect and standard*

    Number of>Standard
    Groundwater Aug 2017 - Present 83 83 3 39 41
    Surface Water Oct 25, 2018 6 6 0 6 0
    Effluent (WWTP) Oct 25, 2018 2 2 0 2 0
    Cumulative 91 91 3 47 41

    *Groundwater results are compared to EGLE Part 201 Criteria of 70 ppt PFOS+PFOA.
    *Surface water and effluent results are compared to Rule 57 surface water quality values of 12 ppt for PFOS and 12,000 ppt for PFOA.

    • On August 17, 2020, remediation of PFAS at the former Roosevelt Refinery began.  Colloidal activated carbon (Plume Stop) is being injected into the shallow soils and groundwater. Injections will continue through September 18, 2020. 
    • On September 2, 2020, representatives with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe along with representatives with EPA were on-site to observe injection of plume stop materials to help stop PFAS contamination from entering the Chippewa River.  
    • On December 12, 2020, EGLE received laboratory results from the November 2-3, 2020 groundwater monitoring event by MRP properties
    • On January 19, 2021, EGLE received a report dated January 15, 2021, (Area A colloidal Activated Carbon Treatment Injections) by Hamp Mathews & Associate on behalf of MRP Properties Company, LLC.  
    • On May 17, 2021, EGLE received a Draft Groundwater Monitoring Plan dated May 10, 2021, by Hamp Mathews & Associates on behalf of MRP Properties Company, LLC.  

    Sampling Results Summary

    Type of Sample

    Date Sampled
    (or range)

    Number of Sample Results Received

    Number of Samples Above Criteria
    Groundwater Monitoring
    Wells    		 November 2020 13 12
    Groundwater Monitoring
    Wells    		 March 2021 15 13

    * 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

    • On August 3, 2020, new Part 201 Criteria went into effect.  Historical sampling data compared to Part 201 Criteria >70 is captured in the historical timeline below.
    • Other PFAS analytes were detected in samples. There are no federal or state standards for these analytes.