UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION6 1445 ROSS AVENUE, SUITE 1200 DALLAS TX 75202-2733

Mr. Ryan Benefie ld, Deputy Director Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality 5301 N orthshore Drive North Little Rock, AR 7 2 118 -53 17
Dear. Mr. Benefield , T he United States Environmental Protecti o n Age n cy (E PA) is cons id ering proposing th e MacMillan Rin g Free Oil site in Norphl et Arkansas on the Supe rfund Natio nal Pri or ities List (N PL), pursuant to it s authority unde r Section 10 5 of the Co mprehens i ve Env ironmental Re sponse, Com pen sation and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. Section 9605. The NPL contai n s a list of priori ty s i tes with re leas es of hazardou s subs tances, pollutant s or co ntaminants that require evaluation for possib le remediation. In November 20 11 , the Arkansas Department of E nvironmental Quality (ADEQ ) as ked the E PA for assistance in e v a luating this site for NPL co n s ide ration. The EPA ha s bee n working coo peratively with your staff throughout the s ite assessment process and greatly appreciates th e ADEQ's assistance in e va l uating this s i te. It is the EP A's policy to determine the state ' s position on s ites that the EPA is co n si dering placi n g on the N PL. With thi s letter, the EPA is seeking the concurren ce of the State of Arkansas on adding the MacM ill an Ring Free site to the NPL.
MacMillan Ring Free Oi l is an abando ned industrial property located in Norph let, Uni o n County, Arkansas. The facility is bordered by a residential s ubdi v i s ion and the Norp hl et Public School on t he west, Hayes Creek on the north and east, and Massey C reek and bottom land s asso ciated with the creek to the s outhwest. MacMill an Ring-Free Oil Refin ery closed in 1987

. Th e facility was inactive from 1987 until 1989, when the property was sold to Nor-Ark Indu strial Corp (Nor-Ark) who used the on-site storage tanks for as phalt products until March of 1991, when the company filed for bankruptcy. T he facility was refurbished by Norphlet Chemical as a chemical manufacturing plant in earl y 2004 to produce tetrafluoroethane (Freon 13 4A ) refrigerant used in automobiles. The plant neve r operated as i ntended an d failed to produce the product. In 2007 the facil ity was abandoned and has remained vacant. The site area is approximately 100 acres.
T he EP A removal actions occurred at both the M c Millan Ring Free Oil Refinery and Norphlet Che m ical. Total E PA removal cos ts to date are in excess of 8 million dollars. Fo ll ow ing the remov a l actio n at Norphlet, th e Site was placed on th e State Priority List under the Arkansas Pollution Control and Eco l ogy Commission's Regulation No. 30. The Site was listed due to the potential for soil, surface water , and/or ground water co nt ami n ati o n on- and off

- si t e and th e need to remediate the Site to protective level s. The Arkansas Department of Env ironme ntal Quality (ADEQ) conducted a Comprehensi ve Site Assessment which developed remedial al ternatives rangi n g from 4 to 15 million dollars. Due to the large cost of the proj ected action, ADE Q referred the site to the EPA for NPL

Internet Address (URL) • http://www.epa.gov/reg i on6 Recycled/Recyclab l e • Printed wi th Vegetable 011 Based I nks on 100% Recycled Paper. Process Ch l orine Freeconsideration. Sampling results by the EPA in 2012 indicate contaminati on of the surface and s ub s urfa ce so il , ground water , and surface w ater / sed im e nt. Contaminan ts of co n ce rn included pol ycy clic aromatic hydrocarbo ns ( PAH s), TPH , and metals. The EPA i s committed to working cooperatively with the State and local community throughout the listing and subsequent Superfund cleanup process, and to en suring that the EPA's actions are conducted in an open and transparent manner. For a fund-financed rem edial action prior to initiation of the remedial action , t h e EPA and the State will collaborate in the development of a superfund state contract to provide the Sta te assurances required by CERCLA, including , for example , the Sta t e's statutory cost share for the remedial action and assumption of ope r ation and maintenance responsibilities.
The EPA is reque st ing a written response to this letter from your Governor's office or from the State Environmental A g ency by August 1, 20 1 3. The EPA has set this date to allow ad equate time to meet the proposed rule schedu le

. The response letter should indicate whether the State supports placement of the site on the NPL. I f the State does not support listing , the State should describe the alternative approach to placement on th e N PL that will ensure the identified priority site and associated release(s) will be addressed. The EP A will be sharing information with the community regarding the State's position, including posting t he information on the internet. The EPA will also invite the ADEQ to participate in any communit y meetings during the li sting process.
We will continue to work closely with and seek input from the State as the listing process proceeds. We appreciate your consideration of this matter. If additional information i s needed or you would l ike to meet to discus s this matter further, please contact me at (214) 665

- 670 I , or have your staff call Brenda Nixon C oo k, Region 6 NP L Coordinator, at (214) 665-7436.**Si ~e** **rely ,**  . . 0 · . -r· ­ 

## :1?/ v C

# l1**; ~u** **di etJ**  Carl Ed lund , PIE. 

## 0 Director Superfund Division

CC: Ms. Teresa Marks , ADEQ Ms. Tammie Hynum , ADEQ M s
. Te rry J eng, EPA-OSRTI