04/09/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/09/2024 23:06
September 4, 2024
"This is a critical milestone in our fight to secure environmental justice for Los Angeles communities impacted by decades of industrial pollution," said Yana Garcia, California Secretary for Environmental Protection."I look forward to continuing to work with U.S. EPA to address the contamination left behind by the former Exide facility."
Since July 2022 EPA has assessed the Exide Technologies plant, a former battery recycling plant located in southeast Los Angeles County, to determine if it qualified to be included on the National Priorities List of Superfund sites. Before the launch of this assessment, the State of California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) coordinated with EPA to:
Throughout the process to consider the NPL addition proposal, EPA will continue to partner, coordinate, and collaborate with the community and other stakeholders to keep the public informed.
EPA is accepting comments on the proposal to add the Exide Technologies - Vernon site to the Superfund NPL from September 5 until November 4, 2024. The public can submit comments online or by mail:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
EPA Docket Center Superfund
[EPA-HQ-OLEM-2024-0376]
Mail Code 28221T
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20460
EPA will hold a virtual public information session on the proposal and review how to submit comments on September 18, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. PT. More information can be found here: Exide Technologies - Vernon
Background:
The Superfund National Priorities List includes sites with the nation's most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination. This list serves as the basis for prioritizing EPA Superfund cleanup funding and enforcement actions. Only releases at non-federal sites included on the National Priorities List are eligible to receive federal funding for long-term, permanent cleanup.
Before EPA adds a site to the National Priorities List, a site must meet EPA's requirements and be proposed for addition to the list in the Federal Register, subject to a 60-day public comment period. EPA may add the site to the National Priorities List if it continues to meet the listing requirements after the public comment period closes and the agency has responded to any comments.
Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has followed through on commitments to update the National Priorities List twice a year, as opposed to once per year. Today's announcement is the second time EPA is updating the National Priorities List in 2024.
Learn more about Superfund and the National Priorities List.
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