Cleanup continues at toxic Aurora island

Nicor Gas will begin its next phase of environmental testing at Hurd's Island in Aurora, once the site of a manufactured gas plant.

Officials said they'll begin work at the end of the month to finish evaluating the extent of any remaining subsurface residue.

Testing results will be used to create a plan to remediate the site, a process to be overseen by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Nicor leaders said.

Hurd's Island Park is located south of North Avenue in the Fox River. From 1868 to 1912, it was the site of a manufactured gas plant, where gas was produced from coal and oil and then used as fuel.

Since 1993, Nicor has been investigating the potential impacts of the former site.

The company previously has found coal tar on the island several feet below the surface at bedrock level.

The chemicals that compose the thick liquid can be hazardous if a person is exposed to high quantities for a long period of time.

A decade ago, a Nicor report to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Fox Valley Park District, which owns part of the island, said recreational users faced no health risks.

"Because the coal tar at the site has been buried, the potential for any exposures has been minimal," Nicor spokesman Richard Caragol said.

To finish their investigation, Nicor workers will further evaluate the soil and bedrock beneath Hurd's Island and Steck Park at North Avenue and River Street.

They also will do subsurface and sediment sampling in the Fox River. That work includes installing temporary dams to redirect the river flow around the island's eastern side.

The project should take about four months to finish, Nicor leaders say, then they'll design a cleanup plan.

During their testing, workers expect to find additional coal tar, or some of its chemicals, Caragol said.

Nicor is paying for all associated costs, he said.

Production of manufactured gas began declining as more natural gas pipelines were built. Many sites, like the one in Aurora, were then abandoned and demolished.

The Environmental Protection Agency has been working with utility companies nationwide to remediate sites since the 1990s.

Nicor is working with the Illinois EPA to clean up the Aurora site and others around the state, leaders say.