EPA v. EXXON MOBIL CORP (SHARON STEEL FAIRMONT)

Case summary

On September 22, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice (?DOJ?) filed a Notice of Lodging of Proposed Modification of Consent Decree (CD Modification) in United States, et al. v. Exxon Mobil Corporation, Civil Action No. 18-cv-195 (N.D. WV. 2019), related to the Sharon Steel/Fairmont Coke Works Superfund Site, located in Fairmont, Marion County, West Virginia (?Site?). The CD requires the settling defendant, Exxon Mobil Corporation (?ExxonMobil?) to perform the remedial design (?RD?) and remedial action for the Site. EPA selected a Permeable Reactive Barrier as the groundwater treatment method to address on-Site groundwater contamination (?Selected Remedy?). While performing several pilot studies during the RD, ExxonMobil discovered that the Selected Remedy would take significantly longer to complete than anticipated due to low groundwater flow. Instead, ExxonMobil proposed that a Liquid Alkaline Injection would be a more effective groundwater treatment method. On June 3, 2026, after a 30-day public comment period, EPA issued a Record of Decision Amendment (ROD Amendment) for the Site, which changed the groundwater component of the Selected Remedy to Liquid Alkaline Injection. The CD Modification incorporates the ROD Amendment requirements into the CD and modifies the Statement of Work. The Notice of Lodging has been submitted for transmission to the Federal Register to commence a a thirty-day comment period. This supports Pillar 1 Clean Air, Water and Land for all Americans

Defendants (1)

• EXXON MOBILNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• SHARON STEEL CORP (FAIRMONT COKE WORKS)

  LAFAYETTE ST, FAIRMONT, WV, 26554

  Registry ID: 110060611734

Statutes cited

• CERCLA 106A — Imminent & Substantial Endangerment Order
• CERCLA 107A — Cost Recovery

Enforcement conclusions (3)

• EXXON MOBIL CORP (SHARON STEEL FAIRMONT)entered 2019-03-21

  Primary law: CERCLA

• EXXON MOBIL CORP (SHARON STEEL FAIRMONT)entered 2026-02-19

  Primary law: CERCLA

• EXXON MOBIL CORP (SHARON STEEL FAIRMONT)entered 2026-09-22

  Primary law: CERCLA

Timeline (6 milestones)

• 2018-02-15PRN Sent
• 2018-09-26Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2018-10-01Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2018-10-17Complaint Filed With Court
• 2026-09-22Final Order Lodged
• 2026-09-22Final Order Entered