EPA Marks Two Cleanup Milestones and Announces Public Meeting for the Kerr-McGee Superfund Site in Navassa, NC
NAVASSA, N.C. (August 14, 2026) –U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 announced two major milestones in the ongoing cleanup and revitalization efforts at the Kerr-McGee Chemical Corp. Superfund Site located on North Navassa Road in Navassa, North Carolina. Public Comment Period and Upcoming Hybrid Public Meeting
A 30-day public comment period on the Operable Unit (OU) 3 Proposed Plan will run from August 14 through September 15, 2026.
EPA will host a hybrid public meeting to highlight the final cleanup plan for Operable Unit 4 (OU4) and present the OU3 Proposed Plan as well as answer questions:
Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. EDT
In-Person Location: Navassa Community Center, 338 Main Street, Navassa, NC 28451
Virtual Attendance: Registration is required via Zoom to join the broadcast virtually
Proposed Cleanup Plan Released for Operable Unit 3 (OU3) Marsh
EPA has also issued its Proposed Plan to address contamination across the 31.7 acres of tidal marsh making up Operable Unit 3 (OU3), located south of the former wood-treating facility. In consultation with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ), EPA is proposing targeted cleanup strategies tailored by zone:
Zone 1 (High Contamination 0.5 acres): Removal of approximately 3,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment, followed by treatment as necessary and safe disposal in an approved off-site landfill.
Zone 2 & 3 (Moderate-to-Low Contamination 4.2 acres total): Deployment of Enhanced Monitored Natural Recovery (EMNR). This involves placing a thin layer of clean sediment and bolstering natural processes via phytoremediation (using plants) or adjusting water flows to curb erosion.
The remaining parts of the OU3 marsh (27 acres): Requires no cleanup action.
Final Cleanup Plan Selected for Operable Unit 4 (OU4) North
On March 31, 2026, following careful review and consideration of community feedback, EPA officially issued a Record of Decision (ROD) selecting a community-supported, reuse-focused cleanup plan for Operable Unit 4 (OU4) North. This final selection solidifies a remediation path optimized for future community redevelopment.
Accessing Site Documents and Submitting Comments
The Administrative Record, signed ROD, and full OU3 Proposed Plan are available electronically online at: www.epa.gov/superfund/kerr-mcgee-chemical-corp.
Written comments must be emailed or postmarked no later than September 15, 2026, and directed to:
Erik Spalvins, U.S. EPA Region 4
Superfund Division – 11th Floor
61 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
Email: spalvins.erik@epa.gov
Background
The Kerr-McGee Chemical Corp. Superfund Site is a former wood-treating plant that operated from 1936 to 1974. Creosote-based wood-treating operations generated contamination that the EPA, NCDEQ, and the local community are actively working to remediate to ensure a safe, sustainable environment for the town of Navassa.
On June 3, 2026, EPA announced the agency’s new forward-looking Superfund Solutions initiative to accelerate cleanups of more than 1,340 Superfund sites on the Superfund National Priorities List. Through this long-term initiative, EPA will roll out key, gold-standard of science investments to cut red tape, make swift clean up decisions, modernize tools, and increase cooperative federalism to deliver maximum human health and environmental protections. EPA has implemented Enhanced Project Management best practices at the Site in accordance with the Superfund Solutions initiative to ensure creosote is removed from the marsh before the 2027 hurricane season.
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