Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Steel Dynamics Roanoke Bar Division in Roanoke, Virginia
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Land Reuse
- Site Responsibility
Cleanup Status
In 1999, EPA issued an Administrative Order on Consent ("Consent Order") under Section 3008(h) of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), 42 U.S.C. §6928 to Roanoke Electric Steel Corporation which requires that the Facility perform a Resource Conservation and Recovery Facility Investigation (RFI), a Corrective Measurement Study (CMS), and any interim measures at the Facility necessary to protect human health and the environment.
In March 2011, Steel Dynamics submitted a work plan for installation of off-site wells as requested by EPA. EPA requested off-site wells to define the extent of manganese in groundwater coming from the facility. Two rounds of groundwater sampling were conducted during the second half of 2011. Analytical results of the 2nd round were submitted in December 2011. EPA was satisfied that the extent of groundwater contamination had been characterized and requested Steel Dynamics revise and re-submit the RCRA Facility Investigation Report to include any additional investigation work since the Report was last submitted in 2006. The revised Report was submitted July 2014.
The Statement of Basis (SB) was public noticed in the Franklin News Post on July 1, 2015. The public comment period lasted thirty (30) days ending on July 31, 2015. No comments were received during the public comment period. Therefore, EPA issued a Corrective Action Determination of “Complete with Controls” on August 12, 2015. Institutional controls defined within the remedy for the facility were implemented through the UECA-compliant Environmental Covenant recorded on April 22, 2019.
A Long-Term Stewardship (LTS) site visit was conducted on February 8, 2024 and a report was released 5/9/2024 showed that engineering and institutional controls selected and defined within the 2019 UECA covenant are implemented and remain intact and undamaged.
Site Description
Interactive Map of Steel Dynamics Roanoke Bar Division, Roanoke, VA
Steel Dynamics Roanoke Bar Division operates an electric arc furnace steel mill facility on parcel of property about 63 acres in size. The facility began operating the steel mill on this property as Roanoke Electric Steel Corporation in 1955. The facility produces steel billets and high-quality finished steel products, such as angles, channels, rounds and flat bars. All finished steel products are made from a feedstock of scrap metal and alloys.
Prior to 1955, the site was used as farmland. Surrounding land uses include residential properties to the north and Norfolk Southern Railroad line and rail yard to the west, south and east.
Contaminants at this Facility
Manganese contamination in groundwater .
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
Institutional Controls include:
- Use of Facility property shall be restricted to commercial and/or industrial purposes and shall not include residential purposes unless it is demonstrated to EPA, in consultation with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), that such use will not pose a threat to human health or the environment.
- All earth moving activities, including excavation, drilling and construction activities in known contaminated areas at the Facility, described as Locations 1 (Baghouse Area), 2 (Easement Right-of-Way) and 3 (Cherry Hill Parcel) where any contaminants remain in soils above EPA's Screening levels for non-residential use or in groundwater above health based regional screening levels (RSL) for tap water, shall be conducted in accordance with the Materials Management Plan.
- Groundwater at the Facility shall not be used for any purpose other than the operation,
maintenance, and monitoring activities required by DEQ and/or EPA. - No new wells shall be installed on Property unless it is demonstrated to EPA, in consultation with DEQ, that such wells are necessary to implement the final remedy.
- The Property shall not be used in a way that will adversely affect or interfere with the integrity and protectiveness of the remedy.
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
The facility is in continued use as a steel mill facility.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of the VADEQ with assistance from EPA Region 3.