EPA Announces Two Cleanup Milestones for the Navassa Superfund Site

U.S. EPA Region 4 has moved the Kerr-McGee Chemical Corp. Superfund cleanup in Navassa, North Carolina, into a new phase. On August 14, 2026, the agency opened a 30-day public comment period on its proposed plan for Operable Unit 3, a 31.7-acre tidal marsh south of the former wood-treating facility. Comments will be accepted through September 15, 2026.

The proposed OU3 cleanup is divided by zone. In Zone 1, a 0.5-acre area with high contamination, EPA would remove about 3,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment, treat it if needed, and dispose of it at an approved off-site landfill. For Zones 2 and 3, covering 4.2 acres of moderate-to-low contamination, the agency proposes enhanced monitored natural recovery using clean sediment, plant-based remediation, or adjusted water flow to limit erosion.

EPA has also issued a final cleanup decision for Operable Unit 4 North. The Record of Decision, signed March 31, 2026, selects a community-supported plan designed to support future redevelopment of the property. EPA will hold a hybrid public meeting at the Navassa Community Center, 338 Main Street, to explain the OU4 decision and the OU3 proposal.

The site operated as a creosote-based wood-treating plant from 1936 to 1974. EPA says the work follows its Superfund Solutions initiative announced June 3, 2026, which aims to speed cleanups at more than 1,340 Superfund sites. The agency has set a target of removing creosote from the Navassa marsh before the 2027 hurricane season.

Advertisement

What the OU3 and OU4 Decisions Mean for Navassa

Why EPA Is Using Different Remedies for Different Marsh Zones

The proposal reflects the contamination gradient across the marsh. Zone 1, classified as high contamination, would get active removal and off-site disposal. The larger moderate-to-low zones would rely on enhanced monitored natural recovery instead. That approach adds clean sediment and uses plants or water-flow changes to reduce erosion, while avoiding the disturbance and disposal costs of excavating the whole marsh. The announcement does not include a cost estimate.

The OU4 Decision Prioritizes Future Reuse

EPA has described the signed OU4 North plan as community-supported and reuse-focused. That is a meaningful signal for Navassa because the selected remedy is intended to leave the property in a condition compatible with redevelopment rather than simply fenced off after cleanup. The release does not specify which uses are planned, but the decision creates a formal cleanup baseline for future land-use work.

The 2027 Hurricane Season Is the Operational Deadline

The agency explicitly ties the marsh work to removing creosote before the 2027 hurricane season. The underlying concern is that severe storms could disturb contaminated sediment and spread it beyond the marsh. The target is specific to creosote removal and does not indicate that all site work will necessarily be finished by that date.

What Navassa Residents and Local Stakeholders Should Do Next

  • Submit comments on the OU3 plan by September 15, 2026. Residents, property owners, and other interested parties can review the proposed plan and comment during the official 30-day period.
  • Attend the hybrid public meeting. EPA will discuss the OU4 decision and the OU3 proposal at the Navassa Community Center, 338 Main Street. The announcement does not list the meeting date and time, so confirm those details on the EPA site for the Kerr-McGee site before attending.
  • Expect long-term monitoring in the lower-contamination marsh zones. Under the OU3 proposal, 4.2 acres would be managed through enhanced monitored natural recovery rather than full sediment removal, so monitoring and maintenance would continue as part of the remedy if finalized.
  • Use the signed OU4 Record of Decision as the cleanup baseline. Local officials and developers evaluating future reuse of the northern portion of the site should ensure proposals align with the final plan selected on March 31, 2026.