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Former ESCO (Muskegon, Muskegon County)

Former ESCO (Muskegon, Muskegon County)

Disclaimer: Web content may not be routinely updated on this page.

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

EGLE site lead

Peter Van Heest, VanHeestP@Michigan.gov or 616-439-8019.

Background

This site is located at 1221 E. Barney and operated as a chemical manufacturer from 1967 to 2017. A fire occurred in the facility in 1977. The facility was equipped with an Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) fire suppression system, and a release of AFFF reportedly occurred in response to the 1977 fire. Groundwater was sampled on this property by the new property owner as part of a routine Baseline Environmental Assessment (BEA).

This site is located within the Little Black Creek watershed, and Little Black Creek runs through the Former ESCO property. The groundwater flow in the area is to the south and southeast towards Little Black Creek.

Content posted December 2019.

Former ESCO - 1221 E Barney Map

Site map

See an aerial view of the location of the site.

Expand the map

Drinking water

Properties in the immediate area are serviced by municipal water. EGLE has tested all municipal water supplies. View the results for the city of Muskegon.

Anticipated activities

Unless the state finds a viable liable party, a state-funded investigation may occur when EGLE Division and District priorities and resources allow. In the meantime, EGLE will continue to stay involved in any land use changes that may impact the site, and if human receptors are identified.

Historical timeline

    • On December 12, 2018, the new property owner of the former ESCO site had three groundwater samples collected as part of the Baseline Environmental Assessment (BEA) process. The samples were collected from one shallow, temporary monitoring well, and two deep monitoring wells. The shallow temporary monitoring well was located on the eastern portion of the property near the AFFF fire suppression system shed. The two deep wells were located between the AFFF fire suppression system shed and Little Black Creek.
    • On June 19, 2019, the BEA report was submitted to EGLE and showed the shallow, temporary monitoring well had a result of 350 ppt PFOS+PFOA and 940 ppt Total Tested PFAS.  One deep monitoring well had a result of 10 ppt PFOS+PFOA and 10 ppt Total Tested PFAS, and the other deep monitoring well was Non-Detect for Total Tested PFAS. Because the Baseline Environmental Assessment was submitted to the state, the new property owner is not liable for the pre-existing contamination, although they do have to take measures to ensure that their use of the property doesn’t make the contamination worse.

      Sampling Results Summary: PFOS and PFOA Only 

      Type of Sample

      Date Sampled (or Range)

      Numberof Samples

      Number of Results Received

      		 Number of Non-Detects Number Between Non-detect and Standard* Number Greater Than or Equal to Standard

      Groundwater Monitoring Wells

      		 December 12, 2018 3 3 1 1 1
      Cumulative 3 3 1 1 1
       

      *Groundwater results are compared to EGLE Part 201 Criteria of 70 ppt PFOS+PFOA.

      Sampling Notes

      • Other PFAS analytes were detected in samples. There are no federal or state standards for these analytes.