ASARCO Bankruptcy Case Summary: Custodial Trust Settlement Information Sheet
The Custodial Trust Settlement Agreement resolves claims pertaining to past and potential future cleanup costs associated with approximately 18 American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO)-owned sites in 11 states. The agreement requires the establishment of a custodial trust to oversee cleanup of the sites and transfers the site property to the custodial trust.
The settlement agreement provides funding in the amount of $70,955,493 million to clean up the sites and to fund the administrative expenses associated with the custodial trust.
The Department of Justice and ASARCO filed the settlement agreement with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas Corpus Christi Division on March 13, 2009. The Court approved the settlement agreement on June 5, 2009. The trust agreement associated with this settlement was filed with the Bankruptcy Court on December 9, 2009.
Parties to the Settlement
EPA, ASARCO, LLC, and the states of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, and Washington are parties to the settlement agreement.
Site Information
| Site | Location | Lead Agency/State | Funding level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circle Smelting Corporation/Beckemeyer | Clinton County, IL | US EPA | $200,000 |
| Taylor Springs Site, Illinois | Taylor Springs, IL | US EPA | $4,200,000 |
| Whiting Site, Indiana | Lake County, IN | US EPA | $1,200,000 |
| Murray Smelter, Utah | Salt Lake County, UT | US EPA | $2,430,000 |
| Ragland Site | St. Clair, AL | Alabama | $200,000 |
| Sacaton Site | Near Casa Grande, AZ | Arizona | $20,000,000 |
| Trench Mine Site and Salero Site | Near Patagonia in Rio Rico, AZ | Arizona | $2,825,000 |
| Van Buren Site | Crawford County, AR | Arkansas | $200,000 |
| Silverton Site | San Juan, CO | Colorado | $4,000,000 |
| Globe Site | In Adams in Denver County, CO | Colorado | $16,000,000 |
| Alton Site | Madison County, IL | Illinois | $7,000,000 |
| Deming Site | Luna County, NM | New Mexico | $120,493 |
| Magdalena Site | Soccorro, NM | New Mexico | $1,340,000 |
| Former Zinc Oxide Facility/Columbus/Blue T | Franklin County, OH | Ohio | $420,000 |
| Sand Springs Site | Tulsa County, OK | Oklahoma | $120,000 |
| Gold Hill Site and Belshazzar Site | Toole County, UT (Gold Hill); Salt Lake County, UT (Belshazzar) | Utah | $100,000 |
| McFarland Site | Pierce, WA | Washington | $200,000 |
The settlement agreement provides $10.4 million for administrative costs.
More information on the EPA sites is available from the EPA Funded Sites and Communities web page.