UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

REGIONS 


1445 ROSS AVENUE, SUITE 1200 


DALLAS TX 75202-2733 


Ms. Peggy Hatch, Secretary 

Louisiana Dept ofEnvironmental Quality 

Office ofthe Secretary, 

P.O. Box 4301, Baton Rouge, La 70821-4301 

Dear Secretary Hatch, 

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering proposing the Delta 

Shipyard site in Houma, Louisiana on the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL), pursuant to 

its authority under Section 105 ofthe Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation 

and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. Section 9605. The NPL contains a list of 

priority sites with releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants that require 

evaluation for possible remediation. It is the EPA's policy to determine the state's position on 

sites that the EPA is considering placing on the NPL. On January I 0, 2012, the Louisiana 

Department ofEnvironmental Quality (LDEQ) asked the EPA for assistance in evaluating this 

site for both Removal and Remedial consideration. The EPA bas been working cooperatively 

with your staff throughout the site assessment process and greatly appreciates the LDEQ's 

assistance in evaluating this site. With this letter, the EPA is seeking the concurrence ofthe State 

ofLouisiana on adding the Delta Shipyard site to the NPL. 

The Delta Shipyard site is located within an industrial area in Houma, LA. The site is not fenced, 

nor is there any site security to limit public access to the site. The site is bordered to the north by 

Elevate Boats Inc. (EBI), to the east by Company Canal waterway, to the south by an industrial 

crane company and to the west by Bayou LaCarpe. Delta Shipyard was a cleaning and repair 

facility for small cargo boats, fishing boats, and oil barges. The area of concern consists ofthree 

evaporation pits located approximately 800 feet south ofthe EBI fabrication building and east of 

Dean Court road. The majority ofthe land surrounding Pits 1 through 3 is a wetland. The volume 

ofhazardous materials associated with the three pits is estimated to be greater than 30,000 cubic 

yards. In response to LDEQ concerns, the EPA conducted an integrated assessment, and 

sampling was completed on August 9, 2012. Sampling documented the release of arsenic, 

antimony, anthracene, barium, benzene, cadmium, chromium, ethylbenzene, fluorene, lead, 

manganese, mercury, 2-methylnaphthalene, naphthalene, phenanthrene, pyrene, o-xylene, and 

m,p-xylene to the surface water pathway. 

The EPA is committed to working cooperatively with the State and local community throughout 

the listing and subsequent Superfund cleanup process, and to ensuring that the EPA's actions are 

conducted in an open and transparent manner. For a fund-financed remedial action, prior to 

initiation ofthe remedial action, the EPA and the State will collaborate in the development of a 

superfund state contract to provide the state assurances required by CERCLA, including, for 

example, the State's statutory cost share for the remedial action and assumption of operation and 

maintenance responsibilities. 

Internet Address (URL) • ht1p://www.epa.gov/region6 


Recycled/Recyclable • Pnnted with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on 100% Recycled Paper. Process Chlorine Free 

The EPA is requesting a written response to this letter from your Governor's office or from the 

State Environmental Agency by August l , 2013. The EPA has set this date to allow adequate 

time to meet the proposed rule schedule. The response letter should indicate whether the State 

supports placement ofthe site on the NPL. If the State does not support listing, the State should 

describe the alternative approach to placement on the NPL that will ensure the identified priority 

site and associated release(s) will be addressed. The EPA will be sharing information with the 

community regarding the State' s position, including posting the information on the internet. 

The EPA will also invite the Louisiana Department ofEnvironmental Quality to participate in 

any community meetings during the listing process. 

We will continue to work closely with and seek input from the state as the listing process 

proceeds. We appreciate your consideration ofthis matter. If additional information is needed or 

you would like to meet to discuss this matter further, please contact me at (214) 665-6701, or 

have your staff, call Brenda Nixon Cook, Region 6 NPL Coordinator, at (214) 665-7436. 

Sincerely, 

Car

,1r1/v

l Edlund

~~vA , P £. ~b Director 

Superfund Division 

CC: Ms. Cheryl Nolan, LDEQ 

Mr. Tom Harris, LDEQ 

Mr. John Halk , LDEQ 

Ms. Terry Jeng, EPA-OSRTI