The excavation and removal of the contaminated sediment from the "South Ditch" and the pre-removal construction of an on-site interim storage cell is expected to be completed by late fall and will prevent the ongoing additional contamination of Lake DePue.

For many years, runoff from the New Jersey Zinc/Mobil Chemical plant property has contaminated the South Ditch sediments. These contaminated sediments, in turn, have been an ongoing source of contamination of Lake DePue, which is an economic catalyst for the village of DePue. Runoff from the plant property is currently controlled and treated on-site; therefore, completion of the South Ditch work will stop site-related contaminations from entering the lake.

The work is required as part of an interim consent order requirement. The order required the responsible parties to investigate the South Ditch sediments and to implement the chosen remedy for the sediments. Primary oversight is by Illinois EPA.

"This is another important step forward in addressing a site with a history of serious contamination, and IEPA will continue to work with the village, the responsible parties, the courts and the U.S. EPA to move the cleanup forward," said Illinois EPA Director Renee Cipriano.

Over the last few years the responsible parties have graded and covered the large phosphogypsum stack area north of the village. That work is in the final states of re-vegetation and runoff control. The responsible parties are also currently completing investigation work on the plant site and will soon be conducting additional fieldwork throughout the community, as well as in Lake DePue.