EPA Proposes to Add Exide Technologies – Vernon Site to Superfund National Priorities List

EPA Proposes to Add Exide Technologies - Vernon Site to Superfund National Priorities List

September 4, 2024

SAN FRANCISCO - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the proposed addition of the Exide Technologies - Vernonsite, located in Vernon, California, to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL is a list of known sites throughout the United States and its territories where historic releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants pose significant threats to human health and the environment. "The proposal to add Exide to the Superfund list is the first step in a process, and we will be 100% committed to engaging and gathering feedback from the community the entire way," said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. "When finalized, the listing will provide access to federal funding and resources that EPA will utilize to take a more comprehensive approach to the contamination in the community."

"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:

• Order the facility to close.
• Implement the investigation and cleanup of the facility and the surrounding area.
• Conduct oversight of the decontamination and deconstruction of the two remaining segments of the lead battery processing and smelting operations.

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:

• Online (preferred): Visit www.regulations.govand search docket number EPA-HQ-OLEM-2024-0376
• Mail comments to:

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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