EPA continues its investigation into Anderson Superfund area

It’s been about a year since the Environmental Protection Agency began its investigation of Anderson’s  Broadway Corridor. As IPR’s Thomas Ouellette reports, the EPA signed a 4-year contract in 2025 to carry out a cleanup of the polluted area.

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00:00:00:06 - 00:00:20:04 Thomas Ouellette The EPA is halfway through what it calls the remedial investigation phase. Over the next few months, the agency will finish installing pairs of monitoring wells at several sites. Clara Copps is the remedial project manager. She says the wells will record data for another few years, with the hope to provide more accurate information about the type of contamination in the area. 00:00:20:08 - 00:00:32:08 Clara Copps Well, we can't just take one round of sampling because we don't really know what factors could be influencing those results. So that will allow us to get the best picture of the contamination that is affecting the area. 00:00:32:10 - 00:00:53:11 Thomas Ouellette After the remedial investigation is complete, the EPA will publish a proposed plan that community members will have the opportunity to comment on. Copps says while certain areas of the Broadway corridor have higher concentrations of contamination, including an area just south of the Broadway Bridge, it's still too early to begin thinking about potential causes. I'm Thomas Ouellette in Anderson.

The EPA is halfway through what it calls the remedial investigation phase. Over the next few months, the agency will finish installing pairs of monitoring wells at several sites.

Read More: EPA begins latest round of groundwater tests at Anderson Superfund site

Clara Copps is the Remedial Project Manager.  She says the wells will record data for another few years, with the hope to provide more accurate information about the type of contamination in the area.

“We can’t just take one round of sampling because we don’t really know what factors could be influencing the those results. So that will allow us to get the best picture of the contamination that is affecting the area.”

After the remedial investigation is complete, the EPA will publish a proposed plan that community members will have the opportunity to comment on.

Copps says while certain areas of the Broadway Corridor have higher concentrations of contamination, including an area just south of the Broadway bridge, it is still too early to begin thinking about potential causes.

The Broadway Corridor was labeled a Superfund Site for groundwater contamination in 2018.  The agency will cover the cost of the clean-up if a responsible party is not found. Previously, Copps said it’s expected to cost $4 million for the investigation. 

Several attendees of a progress meeting this week asked if the Broadway Corridor pollution could be contributing to the city’s water quality.  In response, EPA officials stressed that the agency is investigating contamination in the groundwater, not drinking water.

Thomas Ouellette is our reporter and producer.  Contact him at thomas.ouellette@bsu.edu