[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 136 (Monday, July 16, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 32798-32804]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-15144]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 300

[EPA-HQ-SFUND-1990-0011; FRL-9980-64--Region 5]


National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan; 
National Priorities List: Partial Deletion of the Beloit Corporation 
Superfund Site

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Direct final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 is 
publishing a direct final Notice of Deletion of the Research Center 
Property (RCP) of the Beloit Corporation Superfund Site (Site), in 
Rockton, Illinois from the National Priorities List (NPL). This partial 
deletion includes all media at the 20-acre RCP. The rest of the Site 
remains on the NPL and is not affected by this action. The NPL, 
promulgated pursuant to Section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, as amended, 
is an appendix of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution 
Contingency Plan. EPA is publishing this direct final partial deletion 
with the concurrence of the State of Illinois because all appropriate 
response actions at the RCP under CERCLA have been completed, other 
than maintenance, monitoring and five-year reviews. However, this 
partial deletion does not preclude future actions under Superfund.

DATES: This direct final partial deletion is effective September 14, 
2018 unless EPA receives adverse comments by August 15, 2018. If 
adverse comments are received, will publish a timely withdrawal of the 
direct final partial deletion in the Federal Register informing the 
public that the partial deletion will not take effect.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
SFUND-1990-0011, by one of the following methods: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions for submitting 
comments. Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or removed from 
Regulations.gov. The EPA may publish any comment received to its public 
docket. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia submissions (audio, 
video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written comment. The written 
comment is considered the official comment and should include 
discussion of all points you wish to make. The EPA will generally not 
consider comments or comment contents located outside of the primary 
submission (i.e., on the web, cloud, or other file sharing system). For 
additional submission methods, the full EPA public comment policy, 
information about CBI or multimedia submissions, and general guidance 
on making effective comments, please visit http://www2.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.
    Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#adceccc3c283dfccc3c9c2c1ddc5edc8ddcc83cac2db"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1370727d7c3d61727d777c7f637b537663723d747c65">[email protected]</span></a>.
    Mail: Randolph Cano, NPL Deletion Coordinator, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency Region 5 (SR-6J), 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, 
IL 60604, (312) 886-6036.
    Hand deliver: Superfund Records Center, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, 7th Floor South, 
Chicago, IL 60604, (312)886-0900. Such deliveries are only accepted 
during the Record Center's normal hours of operation, and special 
arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. The 
normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 
excluding Federal holidays.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-SFUND-
1990-0011. The http://www.regulations.gov website is an ``anonymous 
access'' system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact 
information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you 
send an email comment directly to EPA without going through http://www.regulations.gov, your email address will be automatically captured 
and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket 
and made available on the internet. If you submit an electronic 
comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact 
information in the body of your comment and with any

[[Page 32799]]

disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to 
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA 
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid 
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of 
any defects or viruses.
    Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some 
information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information 
whose disclosure is restricted by statue. Certain other material, such 
as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy. 
Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically 
in http://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at:
    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, Superfund Records 
Center, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, 7th Floor South, Chicago, IL 60604, 
Phone: (312) 886-0900, Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 
excluding Federal holidays.
    Talcott Free Library, 101 East Main Street, Rockton, IL 61072, 
Phone: (815) 624-7511, Hours: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00 a.m. 
to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday and Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday 
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randolph Cano, NPL Deletion 
Coordinator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 (SR-6J), 77 
West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60604, (312) 886-6036, or via email 
at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1c7f7d7273326e7d727873706c745c796c7d327b736a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="84e7e5eaebaaf6e5eae0ebe8f4ecc4e1f4e5aae3ebf2">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. Introduction
II. NPL Deletion Criteria
III. Partial Deletion Procedures
IV. Basis for Site Partial Deletion
V. Partial Deletion Action

I. Introduction

    EPA Region 5 is publishing this direct final Notice of Partial 
Deletion for the Beloit Corporation (Beloit Corp.) Site (Site), from 
the National Priorities List (NPL). This partial deletion pertains to 
the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property portion of the Site, 
PIN 03-12-452-003, located at 1155 Prairie Hill Road, Rockton, 
Illinois. The NPL constitutes Appendix B of 40 CFR. Part 300 which is 
the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan 
(NCP), which EPA promulgated pursuant to Section 105 of the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act 
(CERCLA) of 1980, as amended. EPA maintains the NPL as the list of 
sites that appear to present a significant risk to public health, 
welfare, or the environment. Sites on the NPL may be the subject of 
remedial actions financed by the Hazardous Substance Superfund (Fund). 
This partial deletion of the Beloit Corp. Site is proposed in 
accordance with 40 CFR 300.425(e) and is consistent with the Notice of 
Policy Change: Partial Deletion of Sites Listed on the National 
Priorities List. 60 FR 55466 (Nov. 1, 1995). As described in Sec.  
300.425(e)(3) of the NCP, a portion of a site deleted from the NPL 
remains eligible for Fund-financed remedial action if future conditions 
warrant such actions.
    Section II of this document explains the criteria for deleting 
sites from the NPL. Section III discusses the procedures that EPA is 
using for this action. Section IV discusses the Former Beloit Corp. 
Research Center Property, PIN 03-12-452-003 of the Beloit Corp. 
Superfund Site and demonstrates how it meets the deletion criteria. 
Section V discusses EPA's action to partially delete this portion of 
the Site from the NPL unless adverse comments are received during the 
public comment period.

II. NPL Deletion Criteria

    The NCP establishes the criteria that EPA uses to delete sites from 
the NPL. In accordance with 40 CFR 300.425(e), sites may be deleted 
from the NPL where no further response is appropriate. In making such a 
determination pursuant to 40 CFR 300.425(e), EPA will consider, in 
consultation with the State, whether any of the following criteria have 
been met:
    i. Responsible parties or other persons have implemented all 
appropriate response actions required,
    ii. All appropriate Fund-financed response under CERCLA has been 
implemented, and no further response action by responsible parties is 
appropriate; or
    iii. The remedial investigation has shown that the release poses no 
significant threat to public health or the environment and, therefore, 
the taking of remedial measures is not appropriate.
    Pursuant to CERCLA Section 121(c) and the NCP, EPA conducts five-
year reviews to ensure the continued protectiveness of remedial actions 
where hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants remain at a 
site above levels that allow for unlimited use and unrestricted 
exposure. EPA conducts such five-year reviews even if a site is deleted 
from the NPL. EPA may initiate further action to ensure continued 
protectiveness at a deleted site if new information becomes available 
that indicates it is appropriate. Whenever there is a significant 
release from a site deleted from the NPL, the deleted site may be 
restored to the NPL without application of the hazard ranking system.

III. Partial Deletion Procedures

    The following procedures apply to the deletion of the Former Beloit 
Corp. Research Center Property, PIN 03-12-452-003 of the Beloit Corp. 
Site:
    (1) EPA has consulted with the State of Illinois prior to 
developing this direct final Notice of Partial Deletion and the Notice 
of Intent for Partial Deletion published in the ``Proposed Rules'' 
section of the Federal Register.
    (2) EPA has provided the State thirty (30) working days for review 
of this action and the parallel Notice of Intent for Partial Deletion 
prior to their publication today, and the State, through the Illinois 
Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), has concurred on the partial 
deletion of the Site from the NPL.
    (3) Concurrent with the publication of this direct final Notice of 
Partial Deletion, a notice of the availability of the parallel Notice 
of Intent for Partial Deletion is being published in two major local 
newspapers, the Rockton Herald and the Rockford Register Star. The 
newspaper notices announce the 30-day public comment period concerning 
the Notice of Intent for Partial Deletion of the Site from the NPL.
    (4) EPA placed copies of documents supporting the partial deletion 
in the deletion docket and made these items available for public 
inspection and copying at the Site information repositories identified 
in the ADDRESSES Section of this rule.
    (5) If adverse comments are received within the 30-day public 
comment period on this partial deletion action, EPA will publish a 
timely notice of withdrawal of this direct final Notice of Partial 
Deletion in the Federal Register before its effective date and will 
prepare a response to comments and continue with the deletion process 
on the basis of the Notice of Intent for Partial Deletion and the 
comments already received.
    Deletion of a portion of a site from the NPL does not itself 
create, alter, or revoke any individual's rights or obligations. 
Deletion of a portion of a site from the NPL does not in any way alter 
EPA's right to take enforcement actions, as appropriate. The NPL is 
designed primarily for informational purposes and to assist EPA 
management. Section 300.425(e)(3) of

[[Page 32800]]

the NCP states that the deletion of a site from the NPL does not 
preclude eligibility for further response actions, should future 
conditions warrant such actions.

IV. Basis for Partial Site Deletion

    The following information provides EPA's rationale for deleting the 
Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property, PIN 03-12-452-003, of the 
Beloit Corp. Site from the NPL:

Site Background and History

    The Beloit Corp. Site (CERCLIS ID ILD021440375) is located in 
Rockton, Winnebago County, Illinois. The Site consists of one, site-
wide operable unit. The Site includes the approximately 200-acre former 
Beloit Corp. property and additional adjacent areas, including the 
Blackhawk Acres residential subdivision, and other industrial 
properties adjacent to the subdivision, including the former Soterion/
United Recovery facility, a portion of the Taylor, Inc. property and 
the Safe-T-Way property. The Site is bound on the north by Prairie Hill 
Road, on the west by the Rock River, on the south by a line projected 
from the Rock River along the south edge of a Village of Rockton 
easement and access road to Blackhawk Boulevard, and on the east by 
Blackhawk Boulevard. See Figures 1 and 2 in Maps--Beloit Corp. Site and 
Area for Partial Deletion, Docket Document ID No. EPA-HQ-SFUND-1990-
0011-0286 in the Docket.
    The Beloit Corp. used approximately 20 acres of its 200-acre 
property for a research center (the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center 
Property), and 55 acres for a manufacturing plant, a wastewater 
treatment plant and lagoons, a gravel pit, and parking and outdoor 
storage areas. The Beloit Corp. used about 39 acres of open field south 
of its manufacturing and storage areas for foundry sand disposal and 
fibrous sludge spreading. About 86 heavily wooded acres of the Beloit 
Corp. property located west and south of the operations areas remain 
vacant and are within a backwater and floodplain area of the Rock 
River.
    The Beloit Corp. property is divided into several parcels of land 
and has been redeveloped. The northern parcel of the Site is the 
location of the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center, PIN 03-12-452-003, 
and is the property EPA is deleting from the Site (see Property Map for 
03-12-452-003 in Maps--Beloit Corp. Site and Area for Partial Deletion, 
Docket Document ID EPA-HQ-SFUND-1990-0011-0286 in the Docket). This 
property is approximately 20.757 acres and is owned by the Rock River 
Land Development Company (Rock River). The address for this property is 
1155 Prairie Hill Road, Rockton, Illinois. The property is zoned for 
heavy industrial use and is occupied by Andritz Paperchine, a supplier 
of papermaking technology.
    The remaining western and southern parcels of the former Beloit 
Corp. property are owned by Lubrizol Holding, Inc. (Lubrizol) and are 
not being deleted as part of this action. These parcels include the 
locations of the former Beloit Corp. manufacturing building, the former 
Beloit Corp. wastewater treatment plant and lagoons, the vacant fields, 
woods and floodplain areas, EPA's groundwater extraction and treatment 
system cleanup remedy, and the majority of EPA's groundwater monitoring 
well network (former Beloit Corp. Manufacturing Property). The PINs for 
these properties are 03-13-201-002, 03-12-452-002, 03-12-376-001, 03-
13-126-001, 03-13-176-004. These parcels are also zoned for heavy 
industrial use. This part of the Site is occupied by Chemtool Inc. 
(Chemtool) and is used to manufacture specialized industrial 
lubricants. The address for the portion of the Site remaining on the 
NPL is 1165 Prairie Hill Road, Rockton, Illinois.
    The Beloit Corp. property was farmland until Beloit Corp. purchased 
it in 1957. The property has been used for industrial purposes since 
1957. Beloit Corp. manufactured machines at the Site that produced 
layered paper products from paper pulp. Beloit Corp. used solvents at 
its plant for parts cleaning operations. Beloit Corp. used petroleum-
based, non-chlorinated solvents until the mid-1970s, and chlorinated 
solvents from the mid-1970s until 1983. The exact composition of the 
chlorinated solvents and the amounts Beloit Corp. used are unknown. 
Beloit Corp. used mineral spirits for metal degreasing and parts 
cleaning from 1983 until the facility closed in 1999.
    IEPA began investigating potential contamination on the Beloit 
Corp. property and in the surrounding area in the 1980s. In 1986, IEPA 
sampled residential wells in the Blackhawk Acres subdivision adjacent 
to the Beloit Corp. facility. Sixteen of the 55 private drinking water 
wells that were sampled were contaminated.
    IEPA's investigations determined that the most likely source of the 
groundwater contamination in the Blackhawk Acres subdivision was the 
Beloit Corp. EPA proposed the Beloit Corp. property and the surrounding 
area to the NPL as the Beloit Corp. Superfund Site on June 24, 1988 (53 
FR 23988). EPA finalized listing the Beloit Corp. Site on the NPL on 
August 30, 1990 (55 FR 35502).
    Beloit Corp. entered into a Consent Decree with IEPA in 1991 to 
conduct a Remedial Investigation (RI) and Feasibility Study (FS) at the 
Site. The RI found that the groundwater is contaminated with volatile 
organic compounds (VOCs) including tetrachloroethene (PCE), 1,1,1-
tricloroethane (1,1,1-TCA), and trichloroethene (TCE).
    In 1993, IEPA determined that three residential wells in the 
Blackhawk Acres subdivision contained TCE in groundwater above the 
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) established under the Safe Drinking 
Water Act. IEPA subsequently fitted these three residential wells 
contaminated above the MCL with carbon filtration systems plus IEPA 
fitted a fourth residential well with a carbon filtration system. The 
filtration systems continue to be maintained by IEPA. In 1999, IEPA 
connected a fifth residence with contaminated well water to the Rockton 
municipal water supply when the contamination was discovered in 1998.
    The highest area of groundwater contamination is located under the 
southern area of the Erection Bay section of the Beloit Corp. 
manufacturing building. The primary groundwater contaminant in this 
area is PCE. The PCE contamination is believed to be due to the 
discharge of VOCs to the ground surface before Beloit Corp. constructed 
the Erection Bay over this area in 1989. The groundwater contamination 
is in the upper aquifer and generally flows from north to south. The 
groundwater contamination does not impact the Former Beloit Corp. 
Research Center Property, which is upgradient of the contaminant plume 
and EPA is deleting from the NPL in this action.
    IEPA issued an Action Memorandum to Beloit Corp. in 1996 to 
implement an Interim Source Control Action (ISCA) at the Site. The 
Action Memorandum required immediate measures to control the high 
levels of VOC groundwater contamination near the Beloit Corp. 
manufacturing building.
    Beloit Corp. conducted an Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/
CA) to evaluate potential ISCA alternatives. The non-time critical 
removal action objectives developed in the EE/CA were to: Limit the 
potential for the migration of VOCs in groundwater at the Site through 
the installation of a groundwater containment system; initiate the 
removal of VOCs from the groundwater at the source area (the vicinity 
of the Erection Bay and groundwater

[[Page 32801]]

monitoring well W23); install and operate an appropriate treatment 
system for groundwater generated by the containment system to limit 
unacceptable discharges or emissions; and dispose of waste streams from 
the action.
    IEPA selected a groundwater pump and treat system as the ISCA. 
Beloit Corp. developed a Removal Action Design Report and constructed 
the groundwater extraction and treatment system in 1996. The pump and 
treat system consists of four extraction wells and an air stripper 
tower adjacent to the southwest corner of the Beloit Corp. 
manufacturing building on PIN 03-13-201-002. This system is currently 
operated by IEPA. The treated groundwater is discharged to the Rock 
River at an outfall located on Beloit Corp.'s former wastewater 
treatment plant and lagoons property, PIN 03-12-452-002, under a 
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.
    Beloit Corp. filed for bankruptcy in 1999. As part of the 
bankruptcy, the court entered an order which, among other things, 
transferred the ownership of Beloit Corp.'s assets and liabilities, 
including the Beloit Corp. property, to the Beloit Liquidating Trust 
(the Trust). The ownership of the Beloit Corp. property then 
transferred to Giuffre II, LLC (Giuffre). The United States and Giuffre 
signed a settlement agreement in February 2002 under section 122(h) of 
CERCLA (the section 122(h) Agreement). The State of Illinois was also a 
party to the settlement agreement. The State of Illinois signed the 
agreement in April 2002.
    The section 122(h) Agreement settled and resolved the potential 
liability of Giuffre resulting from its ownership and/or operation of 
the Beloit Corp. property. The purpose of the section 122(h) Agreement 
was to facilitate the cleanup of the Site and the reuse of the 
property.
    On March 18, 2003, Giuffre sold the Former Beloit Corp. Research 
Center Property portion of the Site (the part of the Site being deleted 
as part of this action, outside the area of groundwater contamination) 
to PPC Investment Group LLC (PPC). PPC leased the property to 
Paperchine. PPC sold the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property 
to Rock River on January 5, 2015. Rock River continues to lease the 
Property to Paperchine (now known as Andritz Paperchine).
    Giuffre deeded the remaining areas of the former Beloit Corp. 
property (i.e., the Former Beloit Corp. manufacturing building, former 
wastewater treatment plant and lagoons, parking and storage areas and 
vacant/floodplain areas) to Rock River on January 31, 2008. Rock River 
subsequently leased this property to Chemtool. Lubrizol acquired 
Chemtool and purchased the remaining former Beloit Corp. property on 
August 30, 2013. Lubrizol continues to operate at the Site as Chemtool.
    This partial deletion pertains to all media at the approximately 
20.757-acre Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property portion of the 
Beloit Corp. Site, PIN 03-12-452-003, located at 1155 Prairie Hill 
Road, Rockton, Illinois (see Property Map for 03-12-452-003 in Maps--
Beloit Corp. Site and Area for Partial Deletion, Docket Document ID 
EPA-HQ-SFUND-1990-0011-0286 in the Docket).

Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS)

    Beloit Corp. conducted the RI in four phases between 1992 and 1998. 
The Phase I and II investigations identified and investigated the 
source area(s) of the VOCs at the Site. The Phase III investigation 
determined the extent of the VOC groundwater contamination. The Phase 
IV investigation evaluated potential sources of a deeper TCE 
contaminant plume in the upper aquifer in wells in the southern portion 
of the Beloit property, the southern Blackhawk Acres subdivision and in 
the Village of Rockton. The Phase IV investigation also evaluated 
whether VOCs detected at a home in the Blackhawk Acres subdivision were 
migrating from an upgradient source area, and determined what effect 
the ISCA pump and treat system was having on groundwater in the 
southern portion of the Blackhawk Acres subdivision.
    The RI investigated the former Beloit Corp. foundry sand disposal 
area, former on-Site wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) lagoons, fibrous 
sludge spreading area where sludge from WWTP lagoons was applied, 
storage yard area, Erection Bay, chip pad, former dry well, welding 
area, loading dock, paint room, a nearby gravel pit, the Blackhawk 
Acres subdivision, the Rock River and the wetlands west of the Beloit 
Corp. operations areas, Rockton Excavating's property, the Village of 
Rockton, and the Soterion property.
    The RI determined that the primary groundwater contamination at the 
Site originates under the southern area of the Erection Bay section of 
the Beloit Corp. manufacturing building. This area is located on PIN 
03-13-201-002 within the Former Beloit Corp. Manufacturing Property, 
not the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property. The groundwater 
contamination is located in the shallow zone of the upper aquifer, from 
the water table, which is about 20 feet below ground surface (ft-bgs), 
to a depth of approximately 60 ft-bgs. The groundwater contamination 
flows generally from north to south, off-Site and away from the Former 
Beloit Corp. Research Center Property.
    The groundwater contamination is believed to be due to the 
discharge of VOCs to the ground surface in this area before Beloit 
Corp. constructed the Erection Bay over this location in 1989. Soil and 
soil gas sampling in this area during the RI and during an additional 
Source Area Investigation in 2007, however, could not find any 
significant residual levels of VOCs in any unsaturated soil at the 
Site, including below the floor of the Erection Bay building.
    The RI found a plume of deeper groundwater contamination at the 
Site in the upper aquifer near the southeast corner of the Former 
Beloit Corp. Manufacturing Property. This groundwater contamination 
also flows off-Site, towards Rockton and the Rock River. This 
groundwater contamination is also downgradient of, and flows away from 
the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property.
    The groundwater in the deeper plume is contaminated primarily with 
TCE and is found at a depth of approximately 70 ft-bgs. The source of 
the deeper, TCE Plume could not be located, but is believed to be in 
the vicinity of groundwater monitoring wells W26C and W18, near the 
southeast corner of the Former Beloit Corp. Manufacturing Property and 
the northwest corner of the Soterion facility. Extensive sampling of 
the soils and groundwater in these areas did not indicate the presence 
of residual TCE in the soils. The groundwater data however, provides 
evidence that a historical release of TCE occurred in this area, even 
though the source has since dissipated.
    The only structure on the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center 
Property (the part of the Site that is being deleted) that was operated 
by Beloit Corp. was its research center. Beloit Corp. built the 
research center in 1960 and used the building to design and demonstrate 
its papermaking machines.
    Beloit Corp. conducted a Feasibility Study (FS) to evaluate cleanup 
alternatives to address the groundwater contamination at the Site. The 
FS did not develop cleanup alternatives to address other Site media 
because the baseline risk assessment did not identify any unacceptable 
risks associated with exposure to the other media including surface and 
subsurface soil, dust, vapor, surface water or sediment.

[[Page 32802]]

Selected Remedy

    EPA's and IEPA's remedial action objectives for the Site are to: 
Prevent exposure to contaminated groundwater; prevent or minimize 
further migration of the contaminated groundwater plumes located at and 
downgradient of the Beloit Corp. manufacturing building; and to 
remediate the contaminated groundwater to the more stringent of either 
the MCLs or applicable State of Illinois Groundwater Quality Standards 
(35 IAC Part 620), including 35 IAC Part 620.410 Class I Groundwater 
Quality Standards for Class I Potable Resource Groundwater, or 35 IAC 
Part 620.450 Alterative Groundwater Quality Standards.
    The only remedial alternative EPA and IEPA considered for the 
Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property was institutional controls 
(ICs). EPA and IEPA did not evaluate an active groundwater remedy for 
the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property because the RI 
determined that the groundwater in this area of the Site was not 
contaminated.
    EPA and IEPA issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for the Site in 
2004. The ROD selected a cleanup remedy for the Site which included: 
Continued operation and monitoring of the groundwater pump and treat 
ISCA system located on the Former Beloit Corp. Manufacturing Property; 
VOC source area treatment on the Former Beloit Corp. Manufacturing 
Property by in-situ chemical oxidation; monitored natural attenuation 
to address the off-property and off-Site groundwater contamination; and 
ICs.
    The only remedy component applicable to the Former Beloit Corp. 
Research Center Property in the ROD is the ICs. The ICs would be in the 
form of a restrictive covenant and would prohibit the use of shallow 
groundwater on the Beloit Corp. property (i.e., the Former Beloit Corp. 
Manufacturing Property and the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center 
Property) for potable purposes until the drinking water standards in 
the groundwater are attained. The ROD specifies that the current 
facilities at the Beloit Corp. property use groundwater from a lower 
groundwater aquifer that is not affected by the VOC contamination, and 
that this deeper groundwater can continue to be used.
    IEPA conducted additional investigations in the former 
manufacturing plant source area of the Site in 2006 for the remedial 
design. IEPA's investigations indicated that the source area of the 
groundwater contamination is larger than previously indicated (but not 
on the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property), and that the 
aquifer material is not conducive to in-situ chemical treatment.
    EPA and IEPA issued an Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD) 
in 2007 modifying the Site remedy. The ESD changed the treatment 
component of the remedy from in-situ chemical oxidation to installing 
one or more additional extraction wells south and southeast of the 
Erection Bay on the Former Beloit Corp. Manufacturing Property. The new 
extraction wells would capture additional groundwater contamination. 
The groundwater from the additional wells would be conveyed to the 
existing ISCA air-stripper for treatment and discharged to the Rock 
River under the NPDES permit. The ESD also included pneumatic 
fracturing at the additional extraction well locations to loosen up the 
soil to increase the effectiveness of the new wells.
    The ESD did not alter the conclusion that the southern area of the 
Erection Bay in the manufacturing plant area of the Former Beloit Corp. 
Manufacturing Property is the primary source of the groundwater 
contamination at the Site. The ESD did not change the IC component for 
the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property or require any 
additional remedial action for the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center 
Property.
    The ROD as modified by the ESD, requires: (1) The continued 
operation of the existing groundwater pump and treat ISCA system at the 
source area on the Former Beloit Corp. Manufacturing Property (not on 
the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property); (2) installing 
additional extraction wells in the source area on the Former Beloit 
Corp. Manufacturing Property (not on the Former Beloit Corp. Research 
Center Property); (3) groundwater monitoring; (4) operating and 
maintaining (O&M) the ISCA pump and treat system on the Former Beloit 
Manufacturing Property (not on the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center 
Property), and (5) implementing ICs to prohibit the withdrawal of the 
shallow groundwater for potable use.

Response Actions

    IEPA completed the remedial action to expand and increase the 
effectiveness of the 1996 groundwater pump and treat system on the 
Former Beloit Manufacturing Property in 2008. IEPA expanded the 
groundwater pump and treat building to accommodate the increase in the 
volume of extracted groundwater, installed three new groundwater 
extraction wells, and shut down one extraction well (EW01) to adjust 
the zone of groundwater extraction to better target the source area.
    IEPA conducted pneumatic fracturing at the three additional 
extraction well locations to increase the volume of water pumped out by 
the extraction wells in the source area. IEPA connected the new 
extraction wells to the groundwater treatment system and tested the 
system to ensure it was properly operating. EPA documented the 
completion of the remedial action construction activities in a 
September 29, 2008 PCOR (Docket Document ID EPA-HQ-SFUND-1990-0011-
0260).

Cleanup Levels

    The cleanup levels for the groundwater contaminants at the Beloit 
Corp. Site are federal MCLs and/or Illinois Class I standards, 
whichever are more stringent. The RI determined that the groundwater 
below the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property is upgradient 
of, and is not affected, by the groundwater contamination at the Site, 
and that the groundwater below the Research Center Property already 
meets the cleanup levels for the Site.
    IEPA conducted an updated hydraulic capture zone analysis of the 
expanded groundwater extraction system in 2013. The updated capture 
zone analysis further confirms that the VOC-contaminated groundwater 
originating from the former Erection Bay source area is being captured 
and treated by the expanded ISCA pump and treat system, and is not 
affecting the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property. The results 
of the capture zone analysis are provided in the Task 1 Follow-Up 
Activities to the Five-Year Review Report, June 2014 (Docket Document 
ID EPA-HQ-SFUND-1990-0011-0269).
    Annual VOC sampling of a deep, water supply well located on the 
Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property (well WW441K) also 
confirms that the groundwater in the lower aquifer below the Former 
Beloit Corp. Research Center Property has not been affected by Site 
contamination. Well WW441K is located in the lower aquifer, which is 
separated from the upper aquifer by approximately 40 feet of silty 
clay. The well is screened from 175 to 185 ft-bgs and from 225 to 235 
ft-bgs, and is approximately 100 feet deeper than the deepest 
contamination detected at the Site.
    Well WW441K is used to supply water for employee toilets and sink 
uses, and for limited cleaning purposes. The Illinois Department of 
Public Health requires the well to be sampled annually for VOCs and for 
other contaminants as scheduled (Water

[[Page 32803]]

System ID IL3121418). The VOC analytical results for 2012 through 2017 
for WW441K show no detected VOCs. The 2013 analyses of pesticides, 
herbicides, semi-volatile organic compounds and metals show no 
detectable organics and metals concentrations below drinking water 
standards in the water.
    A second, deeper water supply well is located on the Former Beloit 
Corp. Research Center Property (WW441L). Well WW441L is an open 
borehole well from 330 ft-bgs to 554 ft-bgs and is maintained as a 
backup well for fire protection. Based on other Site information and 
data, well WW441L is also not expected to be impacted by Site-related 
contamination. Additional information about wells WW441K and WW441L is 
provided in the Technical Memorandum: Paperchine Investment Group LLC 
Water Supply Wells at Beloit Corp. NPL Site, June 2017, Docket Document 
ID EPA-HQ-SFUND-1990-0011-0284.

Operation and Maintenance (O&M)

    The only O&M required for the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center 
Property is to maintain and monitor upgradient groundwater monitoring 
wells on the property as needed, and to maintain, monitor and enforce 
the ROD-required IC.
    PPC filed a Uniform Environmental Covenant, pursuant to the 
Illinois Uniform Environmental Covenants Act [UECA, 765 Illinois 
Compiled Statutes (ILCS) 122] on the Former Beloit Corp. Research 
Center Property, PIN 03-12-452-003, with the Winnebago County 
Recorder's Office on February 7, 2013, Instrument 20131006292. A copy 
of the recorded Environmental Covenant (EC) is in Docket Document ID 
EPA-HQ-SFUND-1990-0011-0276 in the Docket.
    PPC's EC: (1) Restricts or limits the use of the land to industrial 
land use; (2) prohibits the construction of new or non-existing wells 
or consumptive use of the groundwater underlying the property; (3) 
prohibits any activity that may interfere with or would affect the 
integrity or the configuration of the RA at the Site, or the operation 
and maintenance of any RA component; and (4) grants authorized 
representatives of IEPA and EPA the right to enter and have continued 
access to the Site at reasonable times to perform the RA. The covenant 
``runs with the land'' and remains in effect until the contaminated 
groundwater at the Site is restored to the more stringent of either the 
federal MCLs or State of Illinois Class I groundwater standards for all 
contaminants of concern. Similar ICs will be placed on the Former 
Beloit Corp. Manufacturing Property. IEPA is also in the process of 
establishing a Groundwater Management Zone to prevent the use of 
contaminated groundwater in other Site areas beyond the former Beloit 
Corp. property.
    Other O&M at the Site includes IEPA's operation of the groundwater 
treatment system on the Former Beloit Corp. Manufacturing Property and 
semi-annual groundwater monitoring at 21 groundwater monitoring 
locations. Eight of the groundwater monitoring locations have nested 
wells screened at different elevations within the aquifer to monitor 
the groundwater at different depths. IEPA's groundwater monitoring 
indicates that the contaminant plume has stabilized and that the 
contaminated groundwater is not moving off-Site. IEPA samples nearby 
residential wells every two years to ensure that the groundwater 
containment system continues to be protective. The concentrations of 
contaminants in private residential wells have been below MCLs since 
2001.

Five-Year Review

    EPA and IEPA conducted the first statutory five-year review (FYR) 
at the Beloit Corp. Site under Section 121(c) of CERCLA on September 
27, 2013. A FYR evaluates whether the remedial action at a site remains 
protective of human health and the environment at sites where 
contaminants remain on-site at levels that do not allow for unlimited 
use and unrestricted exposure.
    The FYR Report determined that a protectiveness determination could 
not be made at the Site without further information to assess the 
potential for vapor intrusion into nearby residences and commercial 
properties, and updated groundwater modeling. The issues and 
recommendations in the FYR Report did not apply to the Former Beloit 
Corp. Research Center Property, which is upgradient from the source 
area of the groundwater contamination at the Site and is not subject to 
vapor intrusion concerns.
    IEPA conducted a vapor intrusion assessment and updated the Site 
groundwater model to address the issues in the FYR Report. The vapor 
intrusion assessment determined that the Site does not pose a risk to 
Site workers or nearby residents through the vapor intrusion pathway. 
The updated Site groundwater model capture zone analysis demonstrates 
that the groundwater contamination in the Former Beloit Corp. 
Manufacturing Property source area of the Site is being captured and 
treated by the expanded groundwater pump and treat system required by 
the 2007 ESD.
    EPA issued a FYR Addendum documenting that the Site is currently 
protective of human health and the environment on January 25, 2018. The 
FYR Addendum also determined that in order for the Site to be 
protective over the long-term an EC must be implemented on the Former 
Beloit Corp. Manufacturing Property, a GMZ must be implemented in Site 
areas beyond the Former Beloit Corp. property, and an institutional 
controls action plan and long-term stewardship plan for monitoring and 
maintaining ICs need to be implemented. The next FYR is scheduled to be 
completed by September 27, 2018.

Community Involvement

    EPA and IEPA satisfied public participation activities for the Site 
required in CERCLA Section 113(k), 42 U.S.C. 9613(k), and CERCLA 
Section 117, 42 U.S.C. 9617. IEPA has actively engaged the Rockton 
community about the Beloit Corp. Superfund Site since the 1980s. IEPA 
held public meetings and availability sessions about the Site 
throughout the RI/FS at the Talcott Free Library and the Hononegah High 
School. These forums allowed citizens, local officials and the media to 
learn about the Site, ask questions and express their concerns directly 
to IEPA community involvement and technical staff. IEPA announced all 
meetings and availability sessions to the public in local newspaper 
advertisements and IEPA fact sheets prior to the meetings.
    IEPA developed and distributed four fact sheets about the Site 
throughout the RI/FS. The fact sheets provided information about the 
residential well sampling, the environmental investigations, Site 
updates, public meeting announcements, the proposed plan, new documents 
and reports added to the information repository, the start and 
completion of cleanup actions, schedule delays and the establishment of 
the Administrative Record.
    IEPA published three weekly notices about its proposed cleanup plan 
for the Site in the Rockton Herald in 2004 prior to issuing the ROD. 
The notices included information about the 30-day public comment period 
and the public meeting. IEPA mailed a proposed plan fact sheet 
summarizing the proposed cleanup plan and the other cleanup 
alternatives that were considered, to citizens, the media, and local 
officials prior to selecting a final cleanup plan in the 2004 ROD. The 
fact sheet also announced and included information about the public 
comment period and the public meeting. IEPA extended the public comment 
period for the proposed plan period by 30 days in response to

[[Page 32804]]

a citizen request. IEPA responded to 26 questions and comments about 
the Site and the proposed cleanup plan in a responsiveness summary that 
is attached to the ROD.
    IEPA published a notice announcing the 2013 FYR and inviting the 
public to comment and express their concerns about the Site at the 
start of the FYR. IEPA published these notices in the Rockton Herald 
and the Rockford Register Star.
    EPA published notices announcing this proposed Direct Final Partial 
Deletion in the Rockton Herald and the Rockford Register Star prior to 
publishing this deletion in the Federal Register. Documents in the 
deletion docket which EPA relied on to support this partial deletion of 
the Site from the NPL are available to the public in the information 
repositories and at http://www.regulations.gov.

Determination That the Criteria for Deletion Have Been Met

    The Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property portion of the 
Beloit Corp. Site, PIN 03-12-452-003, meets all of the site deletion 
requirements specified in Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response 
(OSWER) Directive 9320.22, Close-Out Procedures for National Priorities 
List Sites. All cleanup actions for this property required by the 2004 
ROD and 2007 ESD (i.e., the IC) have been implemented. The RI 
determined that the groundwater below the Former Beloit Corp. Research 
Center Property is upgradient of, and is not affected, by the 
groundwater contamination at the Site, and that the groundwater below 
the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property already meets cleanup 
levels. IEPA's updated capture zone analysis in 2013, and sampling at 
the deep, water supply well in the lower aquifer on the property 
required by the Illinois Department of Public Health, provide 
additional confirmation that the groundwater below the Former Beloit 
Corp. Research Center Property is not contaminated and that this 
portion of the Site does not pose a threat to human health or the 
environment. Therefore, EPA has determined that no further Superfund 
response is necessary to protect human health or the environment at the 
Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property.
    The NCP (40 CFR 300.425(e)) states that a Superfund site or a 
portion of a site may be deleted from the NPL when no further response 
action is appropriate. EPA, in consultation with the State of Illinois, 
has determined that all required response actions have been implemented 
at the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property portion of the 
Beloit Corp. Site, PIN 03-12-452-003, and that no further response 
action by the responsible parties is appropriate on this property.

V. Partial Deletion Action

    EPA, with concurrence of the State of Illinois through the IEPA, 
has determined that all appropriate response actions under CERCLA at 
the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property, PIN 03-12-452-003, 
other than maintenance and monitoring of groundwater monitoring wells 
and ICs, and five-year reviews, have been completed. Therefore, EPA is 
deleting the Former Beloit Corp. Research Center Property, PIN 03-12-
452-003, of the Beloit Corp. Site from the NPL.
    Because EPA considers this action to be noncontroversial and 
routine, EPA is taking it without prior publication. This action will 
be effective September 14, 2018 unless EPA receives adverse comments by 
August 15, 2018. If adverse comments are received within the 30-day 
public comment period, EPA will publish a timely withdrawal of this 
direct final Notice of Partial Deletion before the effective date of 
the partial deletion and it will not take effect. EPA will prepare a 
response to comments and continue with the deletion process on the 
basis of the Notice of Intent to Partially Delete and the comments 
already received. There will be no additional opportunity to comment.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 300

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Chemicals, 
Hazardous substances, Hazardous waste, Intergovernmental relations, 
Penalties, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Superfund, 
Water pollution control, Water supply.

    Dated: June 25, 2018.
Cathy Stepp,
Regional Administrator, Region 5.

    For the reasons set out in this document, 40 CFR part 300 is 
amended as follows:

PART 300--NATIONAL OIL AND HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES POLLUTION 
CONTINGENCY PLAN

0
1. The authority citation for part 300 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  33 U.S.C. 1321(d); 42 U.S.C. 9601-9657; E.O. 13626, 
77 FR 56749, 3 CFR, 2013 Comp., p. 306; E.O. 12777, 56 FR 54757, 3 
CFR, 1991 Comp., p. 351; E.O. 12580, 52 FR 2923, 3 CFR, 1987 Comp., 
p. 193.

Appendix B to Part 300--[Amended]

0
2. Table 1 of appendix B to part 300 is amended by revising the listing 
under Illinois for ``Beloit Corp.'' to read as follows:

Appendix B to Part 300--National Priorities List

                                       Table 1--General Superfund Section
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  State                            Site name                  City/county            Notes (a)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
IL......................................  Beloit Corp...............  Rockton...................               P
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (a) * * *
* * * * *
    P = Sites with partial deletion(s).
* * * * *

[FR Doc. 2018-15144 Filed 7-13-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


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