# AGRICO CHEMICAL - OU2
> **Judicial** · FY1994 · — · Final Order With Specified Cost Recovery
## Case
- **Activity ID:** `21047`
- **Case Number:** 04-1994-0244
- **Type:** Judicial
- **Lead:** EPA
- **Outcome:** Final Order With Specified Cost Recovery
- **Penalty assessed:** $0
- **Cost recovery:** $351K
- **Compliance action $:** $1.66M
- **Multimedia (multi-env):** N
## Defendants
- AGRICO CHEMICAL-DIV. OF FREEPORT-MCMORAN (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      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 

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*Source: [EPA ECHO](https://echo.epa.gov/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*