Picking up Asarco's Tab

In 2003, Asarco and the U.S. EPA agreed to set up a trust fund of $100 million to help pay the company's environmental cleanup costs. Then, as now, Asarco's liabilities far exceeded that amount. It is named as either the sole responsible party or one of a group of companies responsible for the following federal Superfund sites around the nation. Asarco's portion of the cleanup costs below, which total nearly $3 billion, is estimated to be between $500 million and $1 billion.

Alabama:

  • Interstate Lead Company facility: $29,099,000

    Colorado:

  • Vasquez Boulevard and I-70: $31,000,000
  • Lowry Landfill: $13,032,480
  • California Gulch mine and river systems: $174,086,270
  • Summitville Mine: $198,000,000
  • Globe Plant: $3,045,000

    Idaho:

  • Bunker Hill Mining (Coeur d'Alene River Basin): $666,330,000

    Illinois:

  • Circle Smelting Corporation: $2,500,000
  • NL Industries/Taracorp lead smelter: $60,000,000

    Kansas:

  • Cherokee County lead and zinc mine and surrounding area: $139,119,074

    Missouri:

  • Oronogo-Duenweg mining belt: $7,800,000

    Montana:

  • East Helena smelter and surrounding residences: $80,000,000

    New Jersey:

  • Kin-Buc Landfill: $39,600,000

    Oklahoma:

  • Tar Creek (Ottawa County) iron and zinc operations and surrounding residences: unavailable

    Pennsylvania:

  • Tonolli Corporation smelter: $22,945,000

    Tennessee:

  • Ross Metals smelter and surface water: $14,790,687

    Utah:

  • Murray smelter: $52,000,000
  • Richardson Flat tailings: $4,200,000

    Washington:

  • Commencement Bay, Near Shore/Tide Flats smelter, groundwater, and residences: $1,327,500,005

    SOURCES: The EPA's Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System and regional EPA coordinators