Cleanup Activities Completed

Nicor Gas and ComEd (the Utilities) have been proactive in investigating and restoring the Aurora Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) to meet today’s environmental standards. Extensive environmental studies have been conducted on the Aurora MGP site and adjacent areas. The investigations have confirmed the presence of MGP-related residuals from historical operations, such as tar, in soil, sediment and groundwater at and around the Aurora MGP. Because the impacts are beneath the ground and are covered by vegetation, asphalt and/or strictures, people are not in contact with them. The City’s drinking water is not affected since its water supply wells are much deeper than impacts from the former MGP and the Fox River intake system is upstream of the site.

The Utilities have hired experienced environmental engineering firms to perform this work. Efforts have focused on the Aurora MGP property itself, where historical operations and gas storage had taken place. Investigations confirmed the locations of the historical MGP structures and MGP-related residuals, such as tar, within the structures. Previously, contents were removed from these underground structures and they were grouted and backfilled.

Soil that exceeded applicable Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) standards was removed from the West and Storeroom Facilities and transported to an approved landfill for disposal. The cleanup of the East Facility property located at 424 S. River Street and the adjacent block of River Street was completed in 2019. Soil, tar and other residuals from historic gas operations were removed and transported to an approved landfill for disposal. The excavation was backfilled with clean material to restore the properties. Reports are being prepared to document completion of the cleanups which will be submitted to Illinois EPA for review and approval.

All work was conducted in accordance with City of Aurora requirements. The truck routes were designed to minimize traffic in the residential neighborhoods near the site. An air monitoring program confirmed that there were no adverse impacts to air quality in the area.

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