Former Zephyr Oil Refinery Site – Fire Suppression Ditch Area Remediation

History & Location

The former Zephyr Oil Refinery site is located within the Muskegon Lake Area of Concern under the 1987 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.  The agreement is a commitment between the U.S. and Canada to restore and protect the water of the Great Lakes.  The USEPA’s Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) is managing the project. The Zephyr Oil Refinery operated for more than 40 years, and historical releases of petroleum to the Muskegon Lake watershed have contributed to contamination of the sediment, groundwater, and wetlands surrounding the former refinery. This project required the remediation of the fire suppression ditch and adjacent wetlands.

Significant Project Features

• USEPA Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) project to remove approximately 48,870 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from 15 acres of wetlands along the Muskegon River
• Excavation of a former fire suppression ditch present in the wetland
• Sediments contained elevated lead and total petroleum hydrocarbons with strong refinery waste odors
• Sediment removal required excavating to meet design elevations 2-ft to 3-ft cut across the wetland areas
• Excavated sediment transferred to a designated upland staging area on the property for stabilization prior to off-site landfill disposal
• Restoration of wetland areas according to permit requirements and specifications

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