Dover Gas Light Co

⚠ Superfund · Cleanup underway

EPA is currently developing a Feasibility Study Addendum to reevaluate cleanup alternatives for the Dover Gas Light Site to determine the best approaches to address groundwater contamination at the site.

Location

CityDover
CountyKent County
StateDelaware
Coordinates39.15580, -75.52770

Contaminants of concern

Contaminated media

Cleanup timeline

  1. Initial Assessment Completed — 08/01/1984
  2. Proposed to the National Priorities List — 01/22/1987
  3. Finalized on the National Priorities List — 10/04/1989
  4. Remedial Investigation Started — 07/06/1990
  5. Remedy Selected — 08/16/1994
  6. Remedial Action Started — 08/25/1998
  7. Construction Completed — Not Yet Achieved
  8. Deleted from National Priorities List — Not Yet Achieved
  9. Most Recent Five-Year Review — 07/02/2024
  10. Achieved Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Reuse — Estimated Dec 2026 - Feb 2027

EPA references

Other Superfund sites in Kent County

EPA-regulated facilities nearby

Understanding this Superfund site

Dover Gas Light Co is a federal Superfund site in Delaware. The Superfund program, created by Congress in 1980, addresses sites where hazardous substances have been released or threaten release into the environment. EPA scores potential sites using the Hazard Ranking System; those that score high enough are placed on the National Priorities List.

Current status: Cleanup underway. Active cleanup is underway, meaning EPA has approved a remediation plan and work is in progress. Cleanup timelines vary widely — some sites take decades depending on contamination depth, groundwater involvement, and funding availability.

EPA has identified 10 contaminants of concern at this site, including 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethane, 1,2-dichloroethene (cis and trans mixture). Contamination has been detected in groundwater, free-phase napl, soil.

If you live near this site and have health concerns, your state health department can provide site-specific guidance. EPA maintains a community involvement program for most NPL sites, and site documents — including the Record of Decision, five-year reviews, and public health assessments — are typically available through EPA's Superfund site profile.