W.R. Grace & Co, paid over $63 million to the U.S. government under its bankruptcy plan of reorganization to resolve claims for environmental cleanups at approximately 39 sites in 21 states, including RAMP Industries, in Denver, Colo., according to the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
W.R. Grace’s payment includes approximately $54 million for the EPA. The company agreed to pay another $9 million to other federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Army.
W.R. Grace, a global supplier of specialty chemicals, and 61 affiliated companies filed for bankruptcy in April 2001. In 2003, EPA filed claims against the company to recover past and future cleanup costs at sites contaminated by asbestos and other hazardous substances.
Numerous agreements to resolve the agency’s environmental liability claims against the company and its affiliates were negotiated as part of the company’s bankruptcy proceedings between April 2008 and February 2013. The company continues to be responsible for all of the sites it owns or operates and for any additional sites that were not known or resolved under the earlier settlements.
W.R. Grace’s liability for asbestos contamination in the town of Libby, Mont., was addressed in a separate June 2008 settlement that resulted in a payment of $250 million to EPA. W.R. Grace continues to be responsible for addressing cleanup at the Libby Mine.
The approximately $54 million payment to EPA will reimburse the agency for cleanup costs or provide funds for future cleanup at the following Superfund sites:
Acton Plant – Acton, Mass.
Amber Oil – Milwaukee, Wis.
Aqua Tech – Greer, S.C.
Big Tex Site – San Antonio, Texas
Blackburn and Union Privileges – Walpole, Mass.
Cambridge,Plant, Cambridge, Mass.
Casmalia Resources – Santa Barbara, Calif.
Central Chemical – Hagerstown, Md.
Galaxy/Spectron – Elkton, Md.
Green River – Maceo, Ky.
Harrington Tools – Glendale, Calif.
Intermountain Insulation – Salt Lake City, Utah
IWI Site – Summit, Ill.
Li Tungsten – Glen Cove, N.Y.
Malone Services Co. – Texas County, Texas
Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR) – Barnstable County, Mass.
N-Forcer Site – Dearborn, Mich.
Operating Industries, Inc. – Monterey Park, Calif.
R & H Oil/Tropicana – San Antonio, Texas
RAMP Industries – Denver, Colo.
Reclamation Oil – Detroit, Mich.
Robinson Insulation – Minot, N.D.
Solvents Recovery Service of NE – Southington, Conn.
Vermiculite Exfoliation Site – Nashville, Tenn.
Vermiculite Expansion Site – High Point, N.C.
Vermiculite Intermountain – Salt Lake City, Utah
Vermiculite Northwest – Spokane, Wash.
Watson Johnson LF – Richland Township, Pa.
Wells G & H (Source & Central Areas) – Woburn, Mass.
Western Minerals Processing – Denver, Colo.
Western Minerals Products – Minneapolis, Minn.
W.R. Grace – Weedsport, N.Y.
Zonolite – Wilder, Ky.
Zonolite/W.R. Grace – Easthampton, Mass.
Zonolite – Prince George’s Co., Md.
Zonolite – Hamilton Township, N.J.
Zonolite – Ellwood City, Pa.
Zonolite – New Castle, Pa.
Zonolite Road – Atlanta, Ga.