# AGRICO CHEMICAL COMPANY - OU1 > **Judicial** · FY1992 · — · Final Order With Specified Cost Recovery ## Case - **Activity ID:** `20776` - **Case Number:** 04-1992-0045 - **Type:** Judicial - **Lead:** EPA - **Outcome:** Final Order With Specified Cost Recovery - **Penalty assessed:** $0 - **Cost recovery:** $233K - **Compliance action $:** — - **Multimedia (multi-env):** N ## Defendants - AGRICO CHEMICAL CO. (complaint) (settlement) - CONOCO INC. (complaint) (settlement) ## Summary THE 30-ACRE AGRICO CHEMICAL CO. SITE IS BORDERED ON THE NORTH BY UNDEVELOPED LAND THAT IS USED FOR RECREATIONAL PUR- POSES, ON THE EAST BY INTERSTATE 110, ON THE SOUTH BY FAIRFIELD DRIVE, AND ON THE WEST BY CSX TRANSPORTATION TRACKS. INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY ON THE SITE BEGAN IN 1989, WHEN A COMPANY STARTED PRODUCING SULFURIC ACID FROM IRON PYRITE. AROUND 1920, THE AMERICAN AGRICULTURE CHEMICAL COMPANY BEGAN MAKING FERTILIZER FROM PHOSPHATE ROCK. THE PLANT UNDERWENT NUMEROUS OWNERSHIP CHANGES AND ITS NAME WAS CHANGED TO AGRICO. IN 1975, AGRICO STOPPED PRODUCTION, TORE DOWN THE BUILDINGS, AND SOLD THE LAND. ALL THAT REMAINS ON THE SITE ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF FIVE BUILDINGS, INCLUDING A PLANT WHERE PHOSPHATE WAS PROCESSED. FOUR PONDS THAT WERE USED TO STORE LIQUID MANUFACTURING WASTES LIE TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE RUINS. IN 1958, A MUNICIPAL WATER WELL 1 1/4 MILES FROM THE SITE WAS CLOSED DUE TO HIGH ACIDITY AND FLUORIDE CONCENTRATIONS. THE PRIMARY AQUIFER UNDER THE SITE IS HIGHLY PERMEABLE, WHICH FACILITATES THE MOVEMENT OF CON- TAMINANTS INTO THE GROUNWATER. GIVEN THE DIRECTION OF THE FLOW, ANY CONTAMINATION COULD ENTER BAYOU TEXAR OR PENSACOLA BAY. THIRTEEN COUNTY WELLS SERVING APPROIMATELY 114,000 PEOPLE LIE WITHIN 3 MILES OF THE SITE. FEW RESIDENTS LIVE IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE SITE. THE GROUNDWATER, SOIL, AND SUFACE WATER ARE CONTAMINATED WITH LEAD AND SULFURIC ACID. THERE IS A POTENTIAL --- *Source: [EPA ECHO](https://echo.epa.gov/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*