Background/ History
The 170-acre Clark Properties site, formerly known as the GM Truck and Bus Plant, is located at 3809 N. Union Blvd., northwest of the intersection of Union Blvd. and Natural Bridge Road in St. Louis. In July 1918, General Motors Corp. (GM) purchased the original facility from the Polar Wave Ice and Fuel Co. and the Hydraulic Press Brick Co. GM continued to expand by purchasing surrounding properties. From 1920 to 1987, GM produced motor vehicles at the site. During World War II, GM produced military trucks in the Chevrolet wing of the plant, while the Curtis-Wright Corp. produced airplane sub-assemblies on-site. There was over 3-million square feet of enclosed space at the GM facility.
From October 1945 until the facility closed in 1987, Chevrolets were continuously assembled at this facility. Processes involved the transportation of parts and components to the plant site, fabrication and surface coating of vehicle bodies, and installation of all components and sub-assembly into a complete light duty truck. A variety of hazardous wastes were produced as part of the facility operations. GM stored the hazardous waste in tanks and drums before shipping off-site for disposal. GM operated the hazardous waste storage area under the “interim status” portions of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Starting in 1983, GM also burned waste oil, waste flammable solvents and waste automotive paint in the power plant boiler under a Resource Recovery Certification, issued by the department.
Cleanup Summary
GM began cleanup and closure of the facility after the facility closed in 1987, which included removing and disposing of the former underground storage tanks and required excavation and disposal of 9,239 cubic yards of contaminated soils. A total of approximately 1,060 cubic yards of lead-contaminated soil was also removed from various areas around the site and disposed. In November 1988, Clark Properties Inc., purchased the property from GM and began developing it into an industrial park known as the Union Seventy Center. GM retained responsible for any environmental matters. The department accepted GM’s closure certification for the hazardous waste container and tank storage areas in 1991.
GM is subject to corrective action because they completed closure of the interim status hazardous waste management units after the effective date of the federal Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments. An interceptor trench was built in 1989, as a means to recover released hydraulic oil. As a precautionary measure groundwater monitoring wells were also installed. A Deed Notice, signed by the St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds in 1993 was placed on the property in order to inform potential future buyers of the property that part of the property was used to temporarily store hazardous waste prior to off-site disposal. In 2005, an Institutional Control was established where St. Louis County Ordinance #66777 prohibits the drilling or use of groundwater for drinking water within city limits. GM is currently a candidate for an administrative order or Letter of Agreement to investigate and possibly remediate the areas identified at the site.
