EPA prioritizes clean up, development of Downtown Sanford site

SANFORD, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - The federal government will prioritize the completion of decontamination efforts at a former dry-cleaning facility in historic downtown Sanford, Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy announced on Thursday.  The move will expedite the redevelopment of the land, says Rep. Murphy, D-Winter Park. 

Located at 121 S. Palmetto Avenue, the site is a one-acre property located a half-mile south of Lake Monroe. It operated as a laundry and dry-cleaning facility from the 1940s until 2001.  

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently included the property on its new “Superfund Redevelopment Focus List.”  A Superfund site is a property that has been contaminated by hazardous substances and identified by EPA as a candidate for federally-supported cleanup.

“The inclusion of the Sanford site on the EPA’s Superfund Redevelopment Focus List is a promising step forward for the historic downtown area of this rapidly-transforming city,” said Murphy. “I’m committed to working with local stakeholders to ensure this redevelopment improves Sanford’s quality of life and creates more economic opportunities for families and small businesses.”

According to EPA, the Sanford site and the 30 other formerly-contaminated sites on the focus list have significant redevelopment potential.  The site is the only central Florida property on the focus list. 

To date, EPA has spent over $2.3 million on remedial actions to ensure that the site does not pose a risk to human health or the environment.