News Releases - 2000

Repair Work Begins at Smith Douglass Site
Illinois EPA Describes Hazards

Springfield, Ill. -- Removal of acidic water from a holding pond on the former Smith Douglass fertilizer site, south of Streator, began this week to prevent the water from spilling into Phillips Creek, a tributary of the Vermilion River. The need for immediate repair work became apparent after an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency inspection revealed significant erosion of the berm that divided the pond and the Creek.

It has been calculated that the pond, known as Fresh Pond, contains tens of millions of gallons of very acidic water. If the berm breaks, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers has estimated that the spill could raise the water level downstream about 10 feet for some distance. This would cause imminent danger for anyone near Phillips Creek or the connecting Vermilion River at the time of the failure.

In addition, because the water in Fresh Pond is very acidic, it could kill fish for 10 miles downstream. The water has a pH of about 3 which is similar to vinegar. Considering the amount of damage caused to the berm in recent months by heavy spring rains, another major rain could result in a local disaster. On August 17, a former owner of the site began pumping approximately 1,000 gallons of water per minute out of the pond, into holding ponds on top of the gypsum stack on the site, to reduce pressure on the berm.

The presence of the waste gypsum pile adjacent to the ponds presents another public hazard. The gypsum is acidic and contains low-level radioactivity. The Illinois EPA warns that the public should heed the signs stating that the site is sealed by the State of Illinois. Trespassers on a sealed site are subject to fines and jail terms. No one should be on the site unless they are authorized and have the proper Occupational Safety and Health Administration training and certifications. The Illinois EPA has become aware that the site has been used for recreational purposes such as dirt bike riding. Due to the risk, danger signs are being posted warning the public of the acid water.

The State of Illinois administratively sealed the site in 1988. The site will remain sealed until a full remedial investigation can be performed to fully characterize the chemical and physical hazards present and cleanup work has been performed.

The immediate priority, however, is to deal with the threat of Fresh Pond bursting through the berm into Phillips Creek. By dewatering Fresh Pond and backfilling it, the threat can be effectively eliminated.