The federal Superfund program seems to go on forever for many sites. So it is good news that a large portion of the contamination at the former EL Toro Marine Corps Air Station in Irvine, CA has been deemed remediated enough to be removed from the Superfund list.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week deleted more than 1,900 acres of the site from the National Priorities List of Superfund sites. Hazardous wastes at this major portion of the site were cleaned up through activities that included soil sampling and excavation. To date, the Navy has spent approximately $165 million on the cleanup, and anticipates that the remaining work will cost an additional $50 million.

“This milestone is what the Superfund program is all about—ensuring land is free of contamination so it can be put back into use,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “The creation of greenspace and sports facilities at the El Toro site will benefit the more than 3 million residents living in Orange County.”