OSWER/OSRTI

Washington, DC 20460

NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST (NPL)

[The description of the site (release) is based on information available at the time the site was evaluated with the HRS. The description may change 

as additional information is gathered on the sources and extent of contamination.]

For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these 

substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at 

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.

***Final Site*** March 2012

SAUER DUMP Dundalk, Maryland

Baltimore County 

 Site Location:

The 2.48-acre site is located in the Dundalk area of Baltimore, Maryland. It is bordered by a cove of the Back River, tidal 

wetlands to the south, and non-tidal wetland areas along the northwestern, southwestern and southeastern borders. The 

Back River is a tributary to the Chesapeake Bay.

 Site History:

The property is an inactive, privately owned, unpermitted, former dump. The property was originally a marshland that was 

filled and stabilized by a past owner. During dump operations from the 1960s through the1980s, hazardous substances were

improperly stored and disposed of on the property. The current property owner is Wittstadt Hunting Club, Inc. Current 

operations include vehicle maintenance and storage. All-terrain vehicles have been used on the property, causing erosion 

and exposing contaminated soils.

 Site Contamination/Contaminants:

The main source on the site is contaminated soils which cover most of the 2.48-acre property. Wastes observed on the 

property during site investigations included drums, storage tanks, salvage items such as scrap metal, empty tanks, 

abandoned trucks, tractor-truck trailers, open roll-off containers, heavy construction equipment, and junked cars. Charred 

areas and burned paint waste have also been observed. Studies conducted at the property found that concentrations of 

semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pesticides in the soil and 

sediment are present at elevated levels.

 Potential Impacts on Surrounding Community/Environment:

The property is zoned as a Resource Conservation Critical Area under the state Critical Area Act. The Critical Area Act 

recognizes that the land immediately surrounding the Bays and their tributaries has the greatest potential to affect water 

quality and wildlife habitat and thus designates all lands within 1,000 feet of tidal waters or adjacent tidal wetlands as 

“Critical Area.” The Back River is also heavily used for recreational fishing and is an important habitat for many species of 

fish and shellfish in the area.

 Response Activities (to date):

In 2005, the responsible parties constructed a fence around the former dump area to prevent access to most of the property

and installed plastic sheeting over contaminated areas. The shoreline has also been stabilized in areas where erosion was 

significant. 

 Need for NPL Listing:

The State of Maryland referred the site to the EPA because of the need for a comprehensive cleanup. The EPA received a 

letter of support for placing this site on the NPL from the state.