Contaminated-Soil Staging Pile To Be Removed from Navassa Kerr-McGee Superfund Site by Fall 2026, and Other Site Updates To Be Discussed at July 28 Community Meeting.

NAVASSA, N.C. (July 22, 2026) – Removal of a contaminated-soil staging pile from the Operable Unit 4 (OU4) area of the Kerr-McGee Chemical Corp – Navassa Superfund Site (Site) by November 2026 will be discussed at a community meeting Tuesday, July 28.

Additionally, the proposed OU3 cleanup plan, upcoming OU4 North cleanup work, local contracting, and other Site updates will be addressed at the meeting, hosted by the Multistate Environmental Response Trust (Multistate Trust) in coordination with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ).

WHEN: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 

WHERE: Navassa Community Center, 338 Main Street, Navassa 

COMMUNITY MEETING: 5:30–6:30 p.m. Held in-person and on Zoom.

DROP-IN SESSION: 6:30–7:30 p.m. In-person only.

KEY SUBJECTS INCLUDE:

  • Removal of TB Parcels Staging Pile from OU4: Contaminated soil—placed in a temporary staging pile in OU4—will be removed and disposed of at an EPA-approved landfill by fall 2026 because the soil could potentially impact groundwater. The staging pile also contains soil that poses no risk of leaching to groundwater and that will be consolidated in the on-site Former Fire Protection Pond disposal unit. Learn more in the TB Parcels Staging Pile Remedial Action Work Plan linked here.

  • OU3 Proposed Cleanup Plan: EPA is finalizing the Proposed Plan for the cleanup of OU3, the 32-acre southern marsh. EPA will provide an update at the community meeting. After the plan is finalized, EPA will schedule a public meeting, announce the public comment period, and update the Site profile page at https://www.epa.gov/superfund/kerr-mcgee-chemical-corp.

  • Upcoming OU4 North Cleanup Work: EPA’s selected remedy for the northern portion of OU4 (former pond and process area) involves removing contaminated surface soil and developing controls to manage contamination risks. Learn more about the OU4 North cleanup in the EPA-issued Record of Decision linked here. 

  • Moze Center and Conservation Easement: The Multistate Trust will provide updates on the Moze Center land donation and the Conservation Easement.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

July 28, 2026 Community Meeting and Drop-in Session flyer

March 12, 2026 Community Meeting presentation

Multistate Trust website https://navassa.greenfieldenvironmental.com

EPA website www.epa.gov/superfund/kerr-mcgee-chemical-corp

NCDEQ website https://deq.nc.gov

SITE BACKGROUND

From 1936 to 1974, Kerr-McGee and its predecessors used creosote and other chemicals to treat wood for railroad ties, utility poles, and pilings. The wood treating facility operated on approximately 70 acres along the Brunswick River at Sturgeon Creek. In 1980, Kerr-McGee decommissioned and dismantled the facility and wood-treatment buildings.

In 2010, groundwater, soil, and sediment contamination by creosote-related chemicals led EPA to add the former Kerr-McGee property to the National Priorities List. Site contamination does not currently threaten people living or working near the Site. 

 In 2011, the Multistate Trust was created as part of the Tronox bankruptcy settlement to own, manage, and remediate the Site and facilitate its safe, beneficial reuse. A private, independent trust, the Multistate Trust assumed ownership of ±152 acres of the ±246 acres formerly owned by Kerr-McGee. In 2016, the Multistate Trust purchased two more acres.

The Multistate Trust’s cleanup funds were provided entirely by Tronox through the Tronox bankruptcy settlement, not by public or taxpayer dollars. The Tronox funding includes amounts paid by certain Kerr-McGee-affiliated entities and Anadarko Petroleum Corporation to settle a fraudulent conveyance lawsuit filed after Tronox’s bankruptcy.

The Multistate Trust works with its beneficiaries—EPA and NCDEQ—on investigation, remediation, and reuse planning of the Site. The Trustee of the Multistate Trust is Greenfield Environmental Multistate Trust LLC.

Christine Amrhine