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Eureka Mills Added to EPA's Superfund List

Release Date: 6/14/2001
Contact Information:
303 312-6757,

Release Date: 6/14/2001
Contact Information:
303 312-6861

Denver -- Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to add Eureka Mills, located in Eureka, Utah to EPA's National Priorities List of Superfund sites. The Eureka Mills site is located in the Tintic mining district where silver mills processed silver-bearing ore from the Eureka Hill Mine, Bullion Beck Mine, Gemini Mine, and the Centennial Eureka Mine. The area on and near to the mill sites includes the residential area of Eureka.

Soil samples collected from residential areas and mining sites indicate the presence of arsenic and lead concentrations from 1,030 milligrams per kilograms (mg/kg) to 29,300 mg/kg, respectively. The high levels of lead and arsenic in residential areas exceed concentrations which may threaten human health. While collecting soil samples, the Utah Department of Health also conducted a blood lead study of approximately 238 residents in Eureka. Out of 130 children tested, 35 children had lead levels greater than 10 micrograms per deciliter (ug/dcl) in their blood.

The NPL is a published list of U.S. hazardous waste sites eligible for extensive, long-term cleanup under the Superfund program. Listing on the NPL makes the site eligible to receive federal funds for cleanup while EPA seeks to recover costs from the responsible parties that can be identified. EPA also may use Superfund money to cleanup NPL sites when there are no responsible parties.

Utah's Governor Leavitt does not oppose the proposed listing of the site on the NPL. Listing of a site on the NPL guarantees the public an opportunity to participate in the cleanup decisions. Information that EPA used to document the listing of the site is available at the following locations:



Eureka City Hall 15 N Church St. Eureka, Utah 84628

U.S. EPA Records Center 999 18th St. Suite 300 Denver, Colorado 80202

UDEQ 168 North 1950 West Salt Lake City, Utah 84116


People interested in commenting on the proposed NPL listing should send the original comments and three copies within 60 days from June 14, 2001 to:

Docket Coordinator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
CERCLA Docket Office (5201G)
Ariel Rios Bldg.
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington D. C. 20460
Phone number: (703) 603-8917
superfund.docket@epamail.epa.gov