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Spector Salvage Yard

This former military surplus and salvage yard in Orange, Orange County is in the operation and maintenance phase of the state Superfund program.

Site History

The Spector Salvage Yard site is an inactive salvage yard located in the southern portion of the city of Orange, Texas. The property covers approximately 4 acres and is bordered by Polk Avenue and railroad tracks to the north, Jackson Avenue and the Evergreen Cemetery to the south, a railroad right-of-way and railroad yard to the east, and the city of Orange sewage treatment plant to the west. Tenth Street divides the site into a western one-third portion and an eastern two-thirds portion. Spector Salvage Yard began operations sometime after 1944 and ceased operations in 1971. In addition to general salvage, Spector Salvage Yard received surplus equipment and supplies purchased from military, industrial, and chemical facilities.
The TCEQ initially inspected the site in 1993. In 1994, after the property owner demonstrated financial inability to pay for remedial activities, the site was referred to the state Superfund program.

Superfund Registry and Investigation

The TCEQ proposed the site to the state Superfund registry in July 1999. From 2000 to 2005, the TCEQ performed a remedial investigation.
From February to April 2007, the TCEQ conducted a removal action, which involved the excavation and off-site disposal of contaminated surface soil.

Remedial Action

In 2008, the TCEQ issued an administrative order, listing the site on the state Superfund registry, establishing cleanup levels, and selecting the remedial action for the site. The selected remedial action for the shallow groundwater at the site consisted of a plume management zone (PMZ) with land use controls to prevent the use of and exposure to contaminated groundwater. Institutional controls were recorded in the real property records, and remedial action was completed in August 2008.

Current Status

The site is in the operation and maintenance phase, which requires periodic groundwater sampling to monitor the PMZ. The TCEQ will continue to monitor the PMZ until cleanup levels are achieved.

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