EPA RCRA ID: PAD990824161
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Facility Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Enforcement and Compliance
- Related Information
- Contacts for this Facility
Cleanup Status
Note: The EPA is the lead agency for managing cleanups at this facility.
In September 2016, EPA determined that contamination in groundwater and human exposures risk from contaminants were under control. Since then Institutional Controls have been developed for various parcels under redevelopment.
Environmental Investigation and clean-up are proceeding in concert with the redevelopment and sales of individual parcels of the property. Investigation and remediation, approved by both EPA and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) occurs before re-sale. As each of the parcels is sold, an environmental covenant is signed by the new and former owners, detailing the type of land-use and groundwater use controls appropriate for the parcel. This covenant runs with the land and binds each new owner to its restrictions.
On September 25, 2023, the EPA conducted a Long Term Stewardship assessment of groundwater to assess whether the cleanup remedy was implemented and protective of human health and the environment. EPA has determined that its proposed decision for the Facility is protective of human health and the environment and that no further corrective action or controls are necessary at this
time.
Cleanup Actions or environmental indicators characterizing the entire facility are shown below. It is not intended as an extensive list of milestones/activities. This listing, and all the data on this page, come from EPA’s RCRAInfo and are refreshed nightly to this page. For this table and the Cleanup Activities Pertaining to a Portion of the Facility table that follows, a blank in the Status column could mean the action either has not occurred or has not been reported in RCRAInfo.
Cleanup Activities Pertaining to the Entire Facility
| Action | Status | Date of Action |
|---|---|---|
| Human Exposure Under Control Human Exposure Under Control(CA725) | ||
| Groundwater Migration Under ControlGroundwater Migration Under Control (CA750) | ||
| Remedy DecisionRemedy Decision (CA400) | ||
| Remedy ConstructionRemedy Construction (CA550) | ||
| Ready for Anticipated Use Ready for Anticipated Use (CA800) | ||
| Performance Standards AttainedPerformance Standards Attained (CA900) | ||
| Corrective Action Process TerminatedCorrective Action Process Terminated (CA999) |
For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Cleanup Activities Pertaining to a Portion of the Facility
| Action | Area Name | Date of Action |
|---|
For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Facility Description
Link to a larger, interactive view of the map.
Located on the south side of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), Bethlehem Steel’s Bethlehem Plant has been in operation since the 1880s. Bethlehem Steel Corporation (BSC) closed its last operations in March, 1998. The site, part of which borders then Lehigh River, consists of approximately 1650 acres, on which are a coke production plant, steel iron making operations, finishing and forging operations, and a chemical plant. In May 2003, Bethlehem Steel Corporation went into bankruptcy and this Bethlehem Steel site was sold to an International Steel Group subsidiary, Tecumseh Redevelopment Corp. In May 2004, the Coke Works, Saucon, East Lehigh, and Greenway parcels were sold to Lehigh Valley Industrial Park, Inc, a local redevelopment firm and owners of several industrial parks. In 2004, Tecumseh Redevelopment sold Bethlehem Works to BethWorks Now. Tecumseh continued to own the 450 -Acre area. In 2004, a Dutch steelmaker, Mittal Steel, purchased ISG, including Tecumseh and the 450-Acre area. In December 2007, Majestic Realty Co. and Bethlehem Commerce Center Corp. purchased the 450-Acre area for warehousing.
EPA, PADEP and Bethlehem Steel Corporation-Bethlehem Plant (BSC) formed a team in 1998 to proceed with the clean-up of the facility. The facility is subject to Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective action, however, BSC’s redevelopment plans hinged on obtaining a release from liability which is available for remediation performed under the Pennsylvania Act 2 Land Recycling Program. The redevelopment plan is designed to revitalize South Bethlehem, which has been in an economic slump since BSC started downsizing in the 1970's.
Contaminants at this Facility
The primary location of soil contamination was the sintering plant, where lead and arsenic were found above health based levels. Also contaminants include Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
Institutional Controls on various parcel state that : the land many not be used for residential purposes, including homes, unpaved parks, day care centers, schools, cemeteries, agriculture, etc. Also, there is a "no dig" area at an elevated VOC area which restricts earth disturbance to address soil vapor concerns. Groundwater use is restricted to environmental monitoring and treatment.
Institutional and Engineering Controls help ensure human exposure and groundwater migration are under control at a cleanup facility. Where control types have been reported by states and EPA in EPA’s RCRAInfo, they are shown below. Not all control types are needed at all facilities, and some facilities do not require any controls. Where there are blanks, the control types may not be needed, may not be in place, or may not be reported in RCRAInfo.
Are Controls in Place at this Facility?
|
Control(s) Type |
Control(s) in Place? |
Areas Subject to Control(s) |
Documents available on-line: |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Institutional ControlsNon-engineering controls used to restrict land use or land access in order to protect people and the environment from exposure to hazardous substances remaining in the site/or facility. (CA 772) |
Informational DevicesInformational Devices (ID) |
|||
|
Governmental Controls (GC) |
||||
|
Enforcement and Permit Tools (EP) |
||||
| Proprietary ControlsProprietary Controls (PR) | ||||
|
Engineering ControlsEngineering measures designed to minimize the potential for human exposure to contamination by either limiting direct contact with contaminated areas or controlling migration of contaminants. (CA 770) |
Groundwater ControlGroundwater Control (GW) |
|||
|
Non-Groundwater |
||||
For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Enforcement and Compliance at this Facility
EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) provides detailed historical information about enforcement and compliance activities at each RCRA Corrective Action Site in their Enforcement and Compliance Historical Online (ECHO) system.
RCRA Enforcement and Compliance Reports from ECHO
Related Information
For more information about this facility, see these other EPA links:
- RCRA information in EPA’s Envirofacts database
- Information about this facility submitted to EPA under different environmental programs as reported in EPA’s Facility Registry Services
- Alternative Names for this facility as reported by EPA programs in EPA’s Facility Registry Services
- Cleanups in My Community provides an interactive map to see EPA cleanups in context with additional data, and lists for downloading data
- Search RCRA Corrective Action Sites provides a search feature for Corrective Action Sites
Documents, Photos and Graphics
Contacts for this Facility
EPA Region implements and enforces the RCRA Corrective Action program for and federally recognized tribes.
For further information on this corrective action site, use the Contact Information for Corrective Action Hazardous Waste Clean Ups listings that are accessible through Corrective Action Programs around the Nation.