DeKalb council backs pursuit of U.S. EPA cleanup grant for former Portanos auto salvage site

DeKalb City officials agreed on Jan. 12 to pursue a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency brownfields cleanup grant to remediate contamination at the former Portanos Auto Salvage property on South 4th Street.

City Manager Nicholas introduced a presentation from Fairground Engineering and Environmental senior project manager Ross Grimes and his team, who described multiple environmental site assessments showing shallow soil contamination — including hazardous lead, petroleum products and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) concentrated in the upper 1–2 feet of soil. Grimes said the property, which the city acquired in 2015 and has remained vacant since demolition of the previous buildings, sits on roughly two acres across two parcels and is enrolled in the Illinois EPA voluntary Site Remediation Program (SRP).

Grimes presented three remediation alternatives: do nothing (not recommended), on-site stabilization with engineered barriers (estimated about $1.9 million, which would reduce exposure and allow capping with asphalt or similar measures), and full excavation of the contaminated upper two feet to native clay with off-site disposal (estimated about $2.4 million). Grimes explained that the SRP can allow some contamination to remain if engineered controls are used, but that full excavation is the most straightforward option for redevelopment and typically provides a clearer pathway for developers seeking a No Further Remediation (NFR) letter.

The council discussed disposal logistics and costs for hazardous soils. Grimes said certain hazardous materials would require specialized disposal, while some stabilized material could qualify for less costly subtitle D landfills. He also noted the EPA brownfields cleanup solicitation is open through Jan. 28, awards are normally announced in June, and grant funds (if awarded) would become available Oct. 1, 2026 for a multi-year cleanup period.

City Manager Nicholas recommended that the city apply for the full cleanup amount. After questions from council members about costs, truck traffic and disposal, the council signaled support. Mayor Barnes closed the discussion by encouraging staff to submit the application and report back to the council with the application outcome and next steps.

Next steps: staff will submit the U.S. EPA grant application by the Jan. 28 deadline and return to council with grant status updates; if the city is not awarded funds, staff said it will present alternate paths and funding options.