Superfund site cleanup nearly complete

KOKOMO, Ind. (WISH) - The environmental cleanup of a toxic site in Kokomo is beginning to wind down.

Continental Steel went bankrupt in 1986.

In 1990, Both the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the United States Environmental Protection Agency were making cleanup plans.

Buildings were brought down. Asbestos, PCBs and lead were cleaned up. Wildkat Creek which runs through the site was dredged. But a cleanup spanning 180 acres takes time.

Background on Cleanup of Continental

Now, thanks to nearly $6 million in federal stimulus money, the end of the cleanup is in sight.

"Over a period of many years we've been getting incremental funding to do the work," said Sharon Jaffess with the EPA. "Now with the stimulus money we're able to come in and get all the rest of it done quickly."

"We're actually very excited that we received this stimulus money," said Jessica Fliss who manages the project for IDEM. "Because it would allow us to complete more of the work and put more land into productive reuse in the community."

But cleanup will still take at least two more years. This area will eventually become an urban green space.

"Hopefully that will transpire and give us something we can be very proud of," said Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight.