The Aurora Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) was active from approximately 1868 until 1925 to provide gas for lighting, heating and cooking. MGP operations were located on the west bank of the Fox River (on both the east and west sides of River Street) and on the north portion of Hurds Island. After full-time gas production ceased in 1912, portions of the facility were retained through 1925 to help supply gas during peak demand. An above-ground gas holder was built on the northern portion of Hurds Island in the 1920s.

Historic Aurora MGP

The MGP included gas production and purifier buildings, tar and oil tanks, retort area, tar wells, coal and coke storage sheds and four gas holders. MGP structures were demolished over a period of time and buildings and a parking lot were subsequently constructed on the site. The majority of above-ground structures located on both sides of South River Street and on Hurds Island, including the gas holders, were demolished during the 1940s and 1950s. Since then, the remaining MGP buildings which had included a shop, garage, compressor room and gas purifier house, have been demolished.

Northern Illinois Gas (now Nicor Gas) used the properties located on both sides of South River Street from North Avenue to Prairie Street over the years to support natural gas distribution operations. Today, these fenced properties are vacant. The Fox Valley Park District maintains a recreational park on the northern portion of Hurds Island.

The environmental cleanup project at the former Aurora MGP is addressing the entire site in phases. The portions located on the west bank of the Fox River, extending along River Street from North Avenue southwest to Prairie Street, are known as the East Facility, West Facility and Storeroom Facility. A portion of the former MGP site was located on Hurds Island north of the BNSF railroad tracks is known as Hurds Island North.

   Parcel Locations and Names

Environmental studies were conducted in areas where historical maps indicated remnants of the gas plant structures might remain below ground. Assessments were also conducted in the surrounding area including the Fox River, the southern portion of Hurds Island and Steck Park, which is located at the northeast corner of the intersection of South River Street and North Avenue. The studies found gas manufacturing residuals and byproducts, primarily tar, in underground structures associated with the gas production and storage portions of the site. In addition, various volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), metals and other inorganic materials were detected in subsurface soil, river sediment and groundwater samples.

An important part of the environmental studies performed at the Aurora MGP was an assessment of the exposure risk to the public. Because the impacts are beneath the ground and are covered in vegetation, asphalt and/or structures, people are not in contact with the residual constituents. 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.

Work to clean up impacts at the Aurora MGP and nearby areas is underway. More information about the Aurora MGP cleanup activities that have been completed can be found by clicking here. Additional phases of the cleanup project are currently being planned. Information about the next phases will be provided on this website as the plans are developed.

Under the Illinois voluntary Site Remediation Program (SRP), investigation and cleanup reports are submitted to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) for review, evaluation and approval. Once site restoration is completed, Nicor Gas and ComEd will apply to the Illinois EPA for regulatory closure of the site, primarily through a No Further Remediation (NFR) letter. Illinois EPA issues NFR letters when it determines that parties have successfully demonstrated, through proper investigation and cleanup actions, that environmental conditions at the site do not present a risk to human health or the environment. The NFR letter is filed with the county office that maintains property transfer records so that future landowners and others are aware that the property has been previously cleaned up.

Next Page: Cleanup Activities Completed