EPA’S PROPOSED PLAN, COMMUNITY UPDATE FACT SHEET 1 JULY 2021 EPA RE-ISSUES PROPOSED PLAN TUTU WELLFIELD SUPERFUND SITE ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is re-issuing a proposed cleanup plan to address groundwater contamination and revise the cost- estimate analysis at the Tutu Wellfield Superfund site in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. The Proposed Plan EPA proposes to expand the existing pump and treatment system at the Curriculum Center by adding two new extraction wells, upgrading the current system, replacing the existing equipment, and alternating pumping from area monitoring wells for contaminant source control. Long-term groundwater monitoring will be conducted to ensure human health and the environment are protected. Public Participation EPA values the community's input and has already consulted with many stakeholders when the initial proposed plan was released in 2018. The public may provide comments on the revised proposed plan from July 14 to August 13, 2021. To access the proposed plan and pre-recorded presentation, please visit EPA’s website at www.epa.gov/superfund/tutu-wellfield. Written comments on the proposed plan should be e- mailed or postmarked no later than August 13, 2021 to Caroline Kwan, Remedial Project Manager, at kwan.caroline@epa.gov or, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway, 18th Floor, New York, New York 10007-1866. Contact Donette Samuel, Community Involvement Coordinator, at samuel.donette@epa.gov or 212-637-3750 to receive an email with a link to the pre-recording on July 14. CLEANUP Remedial Design SELECTION OF REMEDY Record of Decision CHARACTERIZATION Remedial Investigation/ Feasibility Study & Proposed Plan ASSESSMENT Discovery of Contamination THE SUPERFUND REMEDIAL PROCESS POST-CONSTRUCTION Operation and Maintenance Community involvement and planning for a site’s redevelopment are integral to the entire NPL Deletion Remedial Action National Priorities List (NPL) Site Listing Site Inspection Preliminary Assessment Five-Year Reviews *629925* 629925 EPA’S PROPOSED PLAN, COMMUNITY UPDATE FACT SHEET 1 JULY 2021 EPA RE-ISSUES PROPOSED PLAN TUTU WELLFIELD SUPERFUND SITE ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS Site Background The Tutu Wellfield Superfund site is in east-central St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and consists of a contaminated groundwater plume, or an area where contaminants are scattered across an area about 108 acres in size. Contamination was first detected after reports of a strong petroleum odor from the Tillet Well, a private water supply well for the area. An investigation indicated that volatile organic compounds were contaminating institutional, commercial, communal, and private wells. Many of these contaminated wells, including the Tillet Well, were shut down. After immediate actions to protect human health and the environment, EPA put the site’s long-term cleanup plan in place. Treating and monitoring the contaminated groundwater is ongoing. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List in September 1995. The Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) closed the Tillet Well and other commercial and private wells in 1987 after finding groundwater contamination. EPA decontaminated five residential cisterns as part of the removal action in 1988. DPNR provided residences with an alternate water supply while EPA monitored the remaining wells. EPA issued a legal agreement called an Administrative Order in March 1990 to three potentially responsible parties – Esso, Texaco, and O'Henry Dry Cleaner – to take over the monitoring program and provide trucked water to additional residences affected by groundwater contamination. EPA took over the responsibility for delivering trucked water to the affected residences in October 2005. These residences are now connected to the public water supply system and no longer need to be separately supplied with potable water. Following a remedial investigation and feasibility study to determine the nature and extent of site contamination, EPA selected a cleanup plan in 1996. The plan called for extracting and treating contaminated groundwater and contaminated soil vapor. EPA began constructing the groundwater treatment and soil vapor extraction system in September 2003. EPA completed the system in March 2004. DPNR has been responsible for operating and maintaining the groundwater treatment systems since April 2013. A vapor intrusion assessment in the source area, the Curriculum Center, was conducted in December 2007. EPA Contact Information Caroline Kwan Remedial Project Manager (212) 637-4275 kwan.caroline@epa.gov Donette Samuel Community Involvement Coordinator 212-637-3750 samuel.donette@epa.gov https://www.epa.gov/superfund/tutu-wellfield