THE 30-ACRE AGRICO CHEMICAL CO. SITE IS BORDERED ON THE NORTH BY UNDEVELOPED LAND THAT IS USED FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES, 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 AGRICULTURAL COMPANY BEGAN MAKING FERTILIZER FROM PHOSPHATE ROCK. THE PLANT UNDERWENT NUMEROUS OWNERSHIP CHANGES AND ITS NAME WAS CHANGED TOAGRICO. IN 1975, AGRICO STOPPED PRODUCTION, TORE DOWN THEBUILDINGS, AND SOLD THE LAND. ALL THAT REMAINS ON THE SITE ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF FIVE BUILDINGS, INCLUDING A PLANT WHERE THE PHOSPHATE WAS PROCESSED. FOUR PONDS THAT WERE USED TO STORE LIQUID MANUFACTURING WASTES LIE TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE RUINS. IN 1985, A MUNICIPAL WATER WELL 1 1/4 MILES FROMTHE SITE WAS CLOSED DUE TO HIGH ACIDITY AND FLOURIDE CONCENTRATIONS. THE PRIMARY AQUIFER UNDER THE SITE IS HIGHLY PERMEABLE, WHICH FACILITATES THE MOVEMENT OF CONTAMINANTS INTO THE GROUNDWATER. GIVEN THE DIRECTION OF THE FLOW, ANY CONTAMINATION COULD ENTER BAYOU TEXAR OR PENSACOLA BAY. THIRTEEN COUNTY WELLS SERVING APPROXIMATELY 114,000 PEOPLE LIE WITHIN 3 MILES OF THE SITE. FEW RESIDENTS LIVE IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE SITE. THE GROUNDWATER, SOIL, AND SURFACE WATER ARE CONTAMINATED WITH LEAD AND SULFURIC ACID. THERE IS A