News Releases - 1996

State EPA Gives Final Approval on Behn Drum Site Cleanup

Marengo, Ill. -- The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it has given final approval to the environmental investigation and remedial activities at the Behn Drum Site, located south of Marengo. The Agency sent a formal "Termination and Satisfaction" letter on November 4 to the Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd). The company carried out extensive environmental activities at the site, with Illinois EPA oversight, in response to a notice issued by the Agency in March of 1989.

The Agency’s letter indicates that the company has thoroughly investigated the site and has remedied all environmental problems that might have resulted from the site’s use as a waste-transfer station by Charles J. Strook during the mid-1970s. The investigation found no indication that the wastes at the site had affected any of the surrounding properties or the groundwater on the site or in neighboring private residential wells.

"Those of us at the Illinois EPA who have worked with this site for some time are delighted to be able to announce that the site is free of contamination from the waste-handling activities that took place there," said Stan Black, of the Agency’s Office of Community Relations.

"I have lost count of the number of nearby homeowners, prospective homeowners, and Realtors who have contacted me with questions and concerns about the possible impacts of this site on nearby properties. Now the Agency has formally announced, with this letter to ComEd, that the concerns about the wastes that were held on the site in the 1970s have been addressed by the company; and nearby residents should be reassured." Black said.

The site was placed on the State Remedial Action Priorities List on September 23, 1988, after its score on the federal Hazard Ranking System was too low to qualify it for the National Priorities List (often called the "Superfund List"). The environmental concern was due to the unpermitted storage of liquid wastes at the site from 1974 to 1977, with tanker trucks and drums containing cyanide, heavy metals, and other hazardous substances known to have been on the property.

Charles Strook, who had leased the property from the Behn brothers, had removed the tankers and drums from the property in 1977, but the adequacy of his cleanup operation had never been demonstrated. The fact that nearby homes were dependent on private wells for drinking water made an investigation necessary to assure that public health was protected.

Commonwealth Edison was never involved in the waste operation itself, but ComEd became partially responsible under environmental regulations when it bought the southern portion of the property as right-of-way for a future transmission line. Working cooperatively with Illinois EPA, ComEd carried out a two-phase investigation starting in 1992. They discovered only two areas with significant contamination, one four feet square and the other 25 feet square.

The chemicals found at levels above acceptable standards for residential soil were zinc, lead, several semi-volatile organic compounds, and a pesticide residue. It is noteworthy that no evidence of cyanide contamination was found by the investigation. No groundwater contamination was found.

Acting on an Agency-approved remedial plan, the company removed soil from the two areas in early December and added topsoil and re-sodded the areas in April. ComEd’s final report on the project is available for public review at the Marengo Public Library, along with all major technical documents and Fact Sheets on the site effort. Commonwealth Edison has reimbursed the State for its oversight costs on the project.