USS Lead Superfund Site Community Involvement Activities

• Mailed EPA to Begin Testing for Lead Contamination and EPA a Comenzar Las Pruebas de Contaminacion de Plomo in Patios fact sheets regarding sampling activities (English and Spanish) in Zones 1-3
• Mailed postcards to Zones 1-3 announcing sampling activities (English and Spanish)
• Collected samples in Zones 2 and 3

• Published EPA Proposed Cleanup Plan for Residential Area (PDF) (15 pp, 662 KB) and public meeting annoucement 
• Placed ads in Gary Post Tribune and Que Viva (Spanish) announcing public comment period and public meeting for Zones 1-3

• Two local Walgreens distributed gardening and other information for Zones 1-3.
• Riley Park & MLK Center distributed gardening and other information for Zones 2 and 3.

• Received list of owners in Zones 1-3 from Water Department to find owner names and phone number to send packets to
• Received list of owners in Zones 1-3 from East Chicago Assessor's office to find owner names and phone numbers to send packets to

• Mailed packets to residents in Zones 3 that were not home or those that denied access (packets included access agreement, fact sheet, property values info, ATSDR fact sheet)
• Called and left messages regarding access agreements for residents in Zones 3 that were not home or those that denied access
• Letter and access agreements sent to (5) City alderman asking for assistance in getting access agreements for Zones 1-3
• Letter and access agreements sent to (9) Local Churches asking for assistance in getting access agreements for Zones 1-3

• Went door-to-door to the residents of the Housing Complex in Zone 1 and left EPA Takes Action to Reduce Exposure to Lead in Soil fact sheet that provided ways to avoid exposure to contaminated dirt and mulch. Flyers also contained ways to contact the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator.
• Placed “Do not play in the dirt or mulch” yard signs throughout the neighborhood of the Housing Complex in Zone 1 and left Don't Let Kids Play in Dirt4 pp, 778 K) flyers and contact information for the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator for residents.

EPA – Open House Invitation (PDF) (1 pp, 46.25 KB)

EPA Flyer – Superfund Job Training Initiative (English and Spanish Versions) (PDF) (2 pp, 319.74 KB)

Held meeting with Region 5 Regional Administrator and East Chicago community groups
Held Superfund Job Training Initiative Graduation Ceremony

Took the following steps to enhance communication with East Chicago residents:

• Assigned a dedicated, experienced community involvement coordinator as a direct point of contact for all residents with questions and concerns;
• Publicize the hotline number (219-801-2199), available to residents during business hours;
• Host monthly community meetings to provide updates and answer questions from residents;
• Maintain an EPA presence at the old Carrie Gosch Elementary School so residents can easily stop in and speak to EPA employees;
• Track all resident inquiries in a database to ensure responses are provided in a timely manner;
• Continue to meet regularly with local, state and federal partners to keep officials apprised of EPA’s work and data collection in the community; and
• Regularly update the USS Lead Superfund website and add frequently asked questions

EPA Postcard, Mark Your Calendars! [Bilingual Eng/Sp] (2017 Community Meetings)  (PDF)(1 pp, 56.25 KB)

Held third monthly Saturday public meeting at old Carrie Gosch Elementary School
Water Division & Indiana Department of Environmental Management
Meeting Topic: (Drinking Water)

Held monthly Saturday public meeting at old Carrie Gosch Elementary School, Meeting topic: Presentation by Land and Chemical Division on DuPont Facility

Mailed postcard to residents announcing change in date for October meeting

• Cancelled and rescheduled Multi-Agency Open House at the request of Community Groups 
• Developed USS Lead Superfund Site Information Resource List (English and Spanish)  
• Developed PUR Filter Installation/Change Fact Sheet (English and Spanish)  
• Mailed postcards to residents in Zones 2 and 3 notifying them of cancellation of Nov 18th MultiAgency Open House and rescheduled dated of Open House for January 20, 2018 
• Participated in East Chicago Calumet Community Advisory Group’s Lunch and Learn program 

• Held community meeting at old Carrie Gosch Elementary School, Meeting Topic: Proposed Document of ESD, Unilateral Orders and Activity Update
• Delivered copies of the ESD and the Unilateral Orders to the Information Repositories

• Held public meeting and open house at former Carrie Gosch Elementary School
  • Meeting Topic: Construction Update and Open House
• Held listening session at former Carrie Gosch Elementary School with EPA Region 5 Regional Administrator, IDEM Commissioner and Senior Advisor to Administrator Pruitt

• Finalize Community Involvement Plan (PDF)(105 pp, 5.72MB)
• (Spanish): Plan de Participación Comunitaria de 2018 (PDF) (110 pp, 5.87MB) 

Submitted copies of Community Involvement Plan (CIP) (PDF) (105 pp, 5.72MB) to Information Repositories
Submitted Nov. 29 Public Meeting Transcripts (PDF) (145 pp, 1.69 K) to Information Repositories
Mailed CIP to community group leaders.

EPA distributed a flyer to notify residents neighboring the former Carrie Gosch Elementary School about upcoming soil cleanup within school property

Website updated to announce the first Five Year Review of the USS Lead site. 

First Five-Year Review Underway (PDF)(2 pp, 359K) and Sitio Superfund de USS LEAD (PDF)(2 pp, 309 K)  fact sheets posted on USS Lead website. 

Website updated to announce the first Five Year Review of the USS Lead site. 

First Five-Year Review Underway (PDF)(2 pp, 359K) and Sitio Superfund de USS LEAD (PDF)(2 pp, 309 K)  fact sheets posted on USS Lead website. 

“EPA Seeks Comments on Agreements on Zone 1" fact sheet (English and Spanish) posted on USS Lead website. 

Added presentation slides for May 21 meeting to website.

Posted May 21 meeting transcript on the website.

Website updated to announce the first Five Year Review of the USS Lead site. 

Added Responsiveness Summary to website

2023