Greenfield Environmental Multistate Trust LLC — trustee of the Multistate Environmental Response Trust — owns and is responsible for managing and cleaning up the Kerr-McGee Chemical Corp – Columbus Superfund Site in Columbus, Mississippi.

The Multistate Environmental Response Trust (Multistate Trust) is working to address contamination at the ±89-acre former Kerr-McGee Site in Columbus (the Site). As part of redevelopment planning efforts, the Multistate Trust is also seeking interest from future potential owners who would facilitate safe, beneficial, community-supported reuses of the Site.

The Multistate Trust is a private, independent trust created as part of a bankruptcy settlement and dedicated to:

• Protecting human health and the environment

• Facilitating the safe, beneficial redevelopment of the Site

• Providing opportunities for meaningful community involvement

Record of Decision for Operable Unit 3

On September 30, 2024, EPA signed and finalized the Record of Decision (ROD) detailing the plan for remediating and addressing contamination at Operable Unit 3 of the Columbus Site.

• Read the ROD

• See the ROD fact sheet

Ms. Dorothy McClung-Lewis has joined the Multistate Trust team as a part-time community liaison for the Columbus Site!

As community liaison, Ms. Dorothy shares information and resources with residents about the Multistate Trust’s work. She will communicate with residents and share Site-related resources, assist with community meetings, and share community member questions or concerns with the Multistate Trust. Ms. Dorothy will also be staffing the Community Resource Building at 2300 14th Avenue North (Tuesdays 8-10 am, and Thursdays 12-2 pm). 

Ms. Dorothy is a longtime Columbus resident. She is a retired teacher and an active member of the Stephen Chapel Baptist Church. Ms. Dorothy can be reached at 601-940-7229 or dorothym.lewis@comcast.net. 

Community Resource Building is Open

The Multistate Trust's Community Resource Building has reopened. Stop by to get information and materials, ask questions about our work, or provide suggestions. Enter our parking lot from North 21st Street near 14th Avenue North.

Location: 2300 14th Avenue North
Hours: Tuesdays 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. and
Thursdays 12 noon - 2 p.m.

Recent Activities

City of Columbus stormwater drainage ditch looking southeast toward Waterworks Rd
before and after removal action and ditch improvements.

Pine Yard RegradinG

Contaminated soil and creosote have been removed from the 44-acre Pine Yard. In 2024, the Multistate Trust completed regrading and seeding most of the Pine Yard. An area in the southern part of the Pine Yard is now ready for reuse. Read our Fact Sheet about Pine Yard Soil Removal.

Remedial Action at Residential Properties

The Multistate Trust completed cleanup and final restoration at two residential properties near the Site. Air monitoring and traffic control efforts were taken to keep the community safe during cleanup work. Read the Cleanup of Off-Site Property Surface Soil Fact Sheet.

DNAPL Removal and Re-use

The Multistate Trust removed approximately 9,500 gallons of Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) contamination from the former main plant site and transported it for re-use as rotary kiln fuel in an off-site EPA-approved facility.

Phytoremediation pilot study

A variety of trees were planted at the Site in 2021 as part of Phytoremediation Pilot Study by EPA and the U.S. Geological Survey to evaluate if tree groves can be used in combination with other cleanup actions to control groundwater movement and help maintain protective conditions. In 2024, phytoremediation was selected as a component of the Operable Unit 3 remedy.

Stormwater Ditch REMOVAL ACTION AND Improvements

The Multistate Trust finished excavating creosote-contaminated soil from the City of Columbus stormwater drainage ditches between Moss Street and Waterworks Road southeast of the Site in 2021. Learn more in our Fact Sheet about Stormwater Ditch Improvement.

In July 2022, the Tronox Tort Trust sent the Multistate Trust a letter in response to the Multistate Trust’s requests that Tronox Tort Trust representatives participate in community meetings, meet with affected residents, and provide information about the claims process in a format that is accessible to residents.

Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns, please contact Claire Woods of the Multistate Trust at cw@g-etg.com or (910) 765-7237.

Greenfield Environmental Trust Group, Inc. (Greenfield) is the sole member of Greenfield Environmental Multistate Trust LLC. Visit the Greenfield Environmental Trust Group website.

About the Former Kerr-McGee Site in Columbus

The Site is located at 2300 14th Avenue North and consists of two parcels separated by 14th Avenue North. The former Main Plant Area occupies 45 acres south of 14th Avenue North. The 44-acre Pine Yard is north of 14th Avenue North.

In 1928, the T.J. Moss Tie Company started wood treating operations at the Site. Wood treating ended when the Kerr-McGee plant shut down in 2003.

During operations, chemicals were used to pressure-treat the raw timber for use as railroad ties and other wood products. The wood treating operations released creosote and other hazardous materials into the soil, stormwater ditch sediment, and groundwater at and around the Site.

Visit Superfund Cleanup and Site Overview to learn more.