### INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT We ProtectHoosiers andOurEnvironment. Mitr:hellE Danieu.

### Jr. 100 North Senate Avenue Governor Indianapolis. Indiana46204 (317) 232-8603 Thomas W. Easterly Toll Free (800) 451-6027 Commlssioner www.idem.IN.gov 

### January 4,2013 Ms. Susan Hedman Regional Administrator U.S. EPA, Region V R-19J 77 WestJackson Boulevard Chicago, Illinois 60604-3507
Dear Ms. Hedman:
Re: Proposed inclusion ofthe Garden City Ground Water Contamination Plume, Garden City, Bartholomew County, Indiana, on the National Priorities listof Hazardous Waste Sites
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management 

### (IDEM) is providing this letterto convey its support to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. 

### EPA) regarding the inclusion ofthe Garden City Ground WaterContamination Plume site on the National Priorities List (NPL) of hazardous waste sites. The Garden City Ground Water Contamination Plume (CERCLIS 10numberINN000508642) has contaminated drinkingwater with trichloroethlyene (TCE) in Garden City, Indiana, and extends from the center ofthe unincorporated town southward toward one ofthe municipal well fields for the city ofColumbus, Bartholomew County. TheTCE plume encompasses an area of approximately 3.5 acres and has contaminated the drinking water above U.S. EPA benchmarks in at least4 known residences, a mobile home park well serving 47 residences, and 2 commercial drinking water wells. Low levels ofTCE have also been detected in 2 of Columbus' municipal wells buta connection to the Garden City ground water plume has not been confirmed.
The contamination in a residential well was first discovered in 1989 following a complaintofodors from the homeowner. IDEM has since conducted several investigations in the area including one known TCE disposal site 

### (MillerSalvage), a former gas station 

### (KielBros.), and several fill areas where excavated soils and other debris were deposited. IDEM has not identified a definitive source ofthe contamination.

Rer:y&dPaper

### ® An Equal Opportunity Employer PleaseR(Cyc/t 

### 0.Ms. Susan Hedman Regional Administrator Page 2 of2 January4, 2013
IDEM continues to supply and maintain carbon filtration systems on three residential wells. This site qualifies for inclusion on the NPL because: 1) The site meets the National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) criteria for listing on the NPL, scoring sufficiently high pursuant to the Hazard Ranking System (HRS). 2) The site requires a long-term response action. A NPL listing would allow for proper and timely investigation ofthe nature and extent ofthe contamination ofthe potential sources and enable the U.S. EPA to determine cleanup alternatives for the impacted areas, thereby protecting human health and the environment. The NPL listing appears to be the mostviable alternative for addressing the existing environmental problems.
As the Commissioner ofthe IDEM, I am authorized by Indiana Govemor Mitchell E. Daniels to act in these matters on his behalf. I have considered my staffs recommendations and Ifully supportthe designation ofthe Garden City Ground Water Contamination Plume site for inclusion on the NPL. I request thatthe U.S. EPA assign a Remedial Project Manager andlorOn-Scene Coordinatorto implementthe process. If you require any additional information or have any questions, please contact Richard R. Milton ofthe Site Investigation Section at

### 317/234-3505 orvia e-mail at rmilton@idem.in.gov.
Sin Iy, 

# :/Ir--­

homas W. Easterly Comrnissioner

cc: Denise Boone, U.S. EPA Nuria Muniz, U.S. EPA