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EPA - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
03/16/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/16/2026 10:18
EPA Announces Proposed Cleanup Plan for Federated Metals Superfund Site in Northwest Indiana
EPA Announces Proposed Cleanup Plan for Federated Metals Superfund Site in Northwest Indiana
Agency to hold March 26 public meeting to discuss proposed plan
March 16, 2026
Contact Information
David Shark ([email protected])
312-353-1056
CHICAGO (March 16, 2026) - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the proposed plan to clean up lead-contaminated residential properties, as part of the agency's efforts to address the Federated Metals Corp. Superfund site in Whiting and Hammond, Indiana.
Under this proposed cleanup plan, EPA will remove soil at approximately 160 properties where previous sampling found concentrations of lead higher than 200 parts per million. Crews will excavate to a depth of 12 inches, cover any deeper contamination with a visual barrier, backfill excavated areas with clean soil, and restore yards as close as possible to their pre-excavation condition.
The proposed planand a fact sheetare available on the Federated Metals Corp. Superfund website.
Public comments will be accepted through April 15. Members of the public can submit their comments in the following ways:
- Online, using EPA's web form
- By email: [email protected]
- By mail (postmarked by April 15):
Adrian Palomeque, U.S. EPA Region 5
25063 Center Ridge Road (Mail Code: ECW-W)
Westlake, Ohio 44145
- In-person at a public meeting:
When
Thursday, March 26
6 - 7:45 p.m.
Where
Whiting High School Auditorium
1751 Oliver Street
Whiting, Indiana
Background:
From 1937 through 1983, Federated Metals Corp operated a 36-acre smelting, refining, recovery and recycling facility along the border of Hammond and Whiting. Lead and arsenic from the facility spread into soil on residential and commercial properties in the surrounding neighborhoods.
In 2018 and 2019, EPA excavated lead-contaminated soil from 33 residential properties where sensitive populations lived. Between 2021 to 2024, the City of Hammond excavated lead-contaminated soil from approximately 60 additional properties. In September 2023, EPA added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List. EPA continues to investigate the site to better understand contamination in the area and to sample to determine whether additional properties need to be addressed.
To learn more, please visit EPA's Federated Metals Corp. Superfund website.
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EPA - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published this content on March 16, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 16, 2026 at 16:18 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]