Pioneer Americas, LLC d/b/a Olin Chlor Alkali Products; Stauffer; and Montrose
Background
Current Status
Downloadable Documents
Additional Information
Background
Pioneer Americas, LLC d/b/a Olin Chlor Alkali Products
From 1945 to 1988, Stauffer Chemical Company (Stauffer) operated a chemical manufacturing plant on the western portion of Basic Magnesium Incorporated, an industrial complex located near Henderson, Nevada that is currently known as the Black Mountain Industrial Center. In 1988 Stauffer ceased its operations after it was purchased by Pioneer Chlor Alkali Company, Inc. Pioneer was subsequently purchased by Olin Corporation in 2007, and is now doing business as Olin Chlor Alkali Products. In 1983, State of Nevada, Stauffer, and Montrose entered into Consent Order for the installation and operation of a Groundwater Treatment System (GWTS) north of the Stauffer chemical plant to prevent the downgradient migration of groundwater that was discovered to be contaminated. The GWTS is currently active and is collectively operated by Pioneer Americas, LLC d/b/a Olin Chlor Alkali Products, Stauffer, and Montrose.
Stauffer
In 1942, Basic Magnesium Incorporated (BMI) began production at a facility funded by the U.S. government for the production of magnesium near Henderson, Nevada. The western part of the BMI property included a chlorine and caustic plant which was a necessary component for the production of magnesium. The BMI magnesium production plant was closed in 1944, but the chlorine and caustic plant continued to operate. Stauffer Chemical Company (Stauffer) leased the chlorine and caustic plant from the U.S. Government in 1945, and purchased the western part of the BMI property in 1952. Beginning in 1947, Stauffer leased 36 acres of its property to Montrose Chemical Corporation of California (Montrose) for the construction and operation of a chemical manufacturing plant. After a series of environmental investigations identified that the groundwater at the site was contaminated with volatile organic compounds, a Groundwater Treatment System (GWTS) was installed downgradient of the plant in 1983 to prevent migration of the impacted groundwater. Stauffer ceased operations at the property in 1988 when the property was purchased by Pioneer Chlor Alkali, Inc. Many of the waste management areas that were used by Stauffer were decommissioned in subsequent years and are now inactive. The GWTS is currently active and is collectively operated by Montrose, Pioneer Americas, LLC d/b/a Olin Chlor Alkali Products, and Stauffer Management Company, LLC.
Montrose
In 1947, Montrose Chemical Corporation of California (Montrose) began operating a new chemical manufacturing plant near Henderson, Nevada. The plant was constructed on land leased from Stauffer Chemical Company near the western portion of an industrial complex currently known as the Black Mountain Industrial (BMI) Center. The Montrose plant specialized in the production of a variety of chemicals. Montrose ceased all operations at the plant in 1983, and they demolished the plant in 1984. Various plant and site closure activities continued until 1989. In order to prevent groundwater contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from migrating off-site, a Groundwater Treatment System (GWTS) was installed downgradient of the plant in 1983. The GWTS is currently active and is collectively operated by Montrose, Pioneer Americas, LLC d/b/a Olin Chlor Alkali Products, and Stauffer.
Current Status
The Companies have maintained and operated a groundwater extraction and treatment system since November of 1983. On average the system treats approximately 5 million gallons of groundwater per month and currently removes approximately 600 lbs of dissolved VOCs per month. Since its startup, the system has removed over 125 tons of VOCs. Routine groundwater monitoring and analysis currently demonstrates GWTS effectively contains contaminants on the industrial site and the GWTS operations continue to meet Consent Order requirements.
Downloadable Documents
To view and download recent documents (2023) from the administrative record, please visit https://ecms.nv.gov/ndep/.
Documents from the administrative record may also be requested by submitting a Public Records Request Form.
Additional Information
For more information, please contact Chad Schoop at:
cschoop [at] ndep.nv.gov or 702-668-3926