Southeast Rockford Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site, Rockford, Illinois

              1
SOUTHEAST ROCKFORD GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION
SUPERFUND SITE, ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS
DECLARATION FOR THE RECORD OF DECISION
SITE LOCATION AND HISTORY
The Southeast Rockford Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site (CERCLIS ID No.
ILD981000417) is located in Rockford, Illinois and consists of three Operable Units. Operable Unit
One (Drinking Water Operable Unit) provided some residents with a safe source of drinking water by
connecting 283 homes to the city water supply. Operable Unit Two (Groundwater Operable Unit)
addressed the area-wide groundwater contamination. An additional 264 homes were first connected to
the city water supply system. A remedial investigation was then conducted to characterize the nature
and extent of the groundwater contamination and to provide information on source areas responsible for
contamination. This operable unit identified four areas that were the primary sources of groundwater
contamination. These areas were identified as Source Areas 4, 7, 9/10 and 11.
Operable Unit Three (Source Control Operable Unit or SCOU) began as a State-lead action in May
1996 to select remedies for each of the Source Areas. Field investigations included soil borings and soil
gas samples at all four areas, surface water and sediment sampling at Area 7 and groundwater
monitoring well installation and sampling at area 9/10. Based on the results of these investigations, the
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) identified a series of cleanup alternatives and
preferred options for the final remedies at the four areas. These alternatives and preferred options were
published in a Proposed Plan that was presented to the public in July 2001. This Record of Decision
(ROD) contains the actions, alternatives and preferred options of Operable Unit Three that will address
contamination in the soil and leachate at Source Areas 4, 7, 9/10 and 11.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
This decision document contains the selected remedial actions for the Southeast Rockford Superfund
Site, developed in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and
Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act
of 1986 (SARA) and to the extent practicable, the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution
Contingency Plan (NCP). This decision is based upon the contents of the administrative record for the
Southeast Rockford Superfund Site. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA),
Region V supports the selected remedy on the Southeast Rockford Site.
ASSESSMENT OF THE SITE
The response action selected in the ROD is necessary to protect the public health, public welfare and
the environment from actual releases of hazardous substances. Contaminated soils, non-aqueous phase
liquid (NAPL), and leachate from Source Areas 4, 7, 9/10, and 11 constitute principal threats of