Old Carlisle Village Cleaners Site Qualifies for EPA’s Priority Funding

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – The Environmental Protection Agency announced the addition of the Carlisle Village Cleaners site to their Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL is a list of known sites where historic releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants pose significant threats to human health and the environment. The designation makes the site eligible for funding through the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, more commonly known as Superfund.

"This site has been an environmental threat to the people who live in this area for generations," said District 6 City Councilor Nichole L. Rogers. "For nearly the past two years, I’ve listened to the community’s concerns and visited Washington, D.C. twice to keep the Carlisle Village Cleaners site on the EPA’s radar. It was the residents' commitment throughout the public comment process that ultimately brought an end to decades of exposure. The NPL funding for the remediation and clean-up of the contaminated areas offers the City the opportunity to build a safer environment and revive economic opportunity for future generations in this historic community."

The site is located at 3611 Simms Ave. SE within City Council District 6 and contains a chlorinated solvent soil gas plume that is centered at two former dry cleaner facilities once located within a small strip mall. Together, the former dry cleaners operated from 1953 to 2017. EPA testing confirmed the presence of contaminants in homes, churches, and commercial structures in the area. Up to 257 individuals may be impacted by the contamination.

"One of the major reasons I fought hard to pass the Infrastructure Law was to drive economic development by investing in EPA’s Superfund cleanup work," said Senator Martin Heinrich. "Now that the former Carlisle Village Cleaners site has been added to the Superfund National Priorities List, we can begin to properly monitor and clean up this site as quickly as possible, protecting the health and safety of local residents, and spurring economic growth for the future."

In a July 2, 2025 letter to City Mayor Tim Keller, the EPA Superfund Acting Director Monica Smith states that the site’s inclusion on the NPL is the first formal step in the process of getting the site restored to a beneficial use. The agency will notify the City within three months to explain the next steps in the process towards the site’s restoration.

“Our communities deserve clean air, clean water, and a safe environment,” stated U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury. “That is why the EPA’s addition of the Carlisle Village Cleaners site to the National Priorities List is so crucial. Hundreds of members of our community and dozens of homes are potentially impacted, and we’re grateful for efforts to expedite the cleanup of this site.”

Now that the site is added to the NPL, the EPA will determine if the potential responsible parties will assess site contamination or whether the assessment is to be conducted with federal funds. The EPA assessment will also determine if a quick response to prevent releases from the site is needed within three months after Listing.

"Programs like Superfund ensure that environmental hazards are cleaned up and communities are protected,” remarked Camilla Feibelman, Director of the Sierra Club’s Rio Grande Chapter.  “I live less than a mile from the dry cleaner spill and am so relieved to know that my neighbors have a solution at hand.  And it reminds us how important it is to support governmental programs like this and ensure the funding is available.  This last session our legislators designated $20 million in funding to clean up neglected spill sites like this one, but it's not enough to clean up all the sites statewide.  There is certainly more to do, but this is a great start for our corner of Albuquerque." 

For more information, visit City Councilor Nichole Rogers website at: https://www.cabq.gov/council/find-your-councilor/district-6/district-6-projects/environmental-justice