Spencer, IN
Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology. This is a different measure than the EJ Screening score for this county, which ranks it by percentile against other tracked counties rather than against these fixed caps.
Environmental data for Spencer in Indiana · Population: 19,871
TRI sites such as Cleveland-Cliffs Steel Corp (rockport Works ); Rockport Plant; Pvs Technologies Inc; SDWIS systems such as SANTA CLAUS WATER UTILITY; FINCH NEWTON WATER, INC.; ROCKPORT WATER anchor Spencer, IN's EPA extract. Derived burden score 40/100 (Moderate Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.
Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Spencer include ROCKPORT WATER; GENTRYVILLE WATER UTILITY; TROY WATER UTILITY, while Cleveland-Cliffs Steel Corp (rockport Works ) leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 34 / peak 68 in 2024.
Burden score 40/100 (Moderate Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Spencer -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.
Release-over-release change
What changed for Spencer, IN: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year
Same facilities, both years
-39.0%
3 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023
Whole inventory
-39.0%
15.7 million lb → 9.6 million lb, every facility that filed
Between the two reporting years, 1 facility filed for the first time and 0 stopped filing. Facilities entering or leaving the inventory are excluded from the same-facility comparison above.
- Spencer, IN's total reported releases fell from 15.7 million lb in 2022 to 9.6 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Spencer, IN's land releases fell from 1.4 million lb in 2022 to 674.4 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Spencer, IN's air releases fell from 234.1 thousand lb in 2022 to 120.7 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Spencer, IN's water releases fell from 13.4 million lb in 2022 to 8.1 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
Air Quality History (2020–2024)
EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) data showing how many days per year fall into each air quality category.
| Year | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy (SG) | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 132 (78%) | 37 | 0 | 68 |
| 2023 | 80 (67%) | 39 | 0 | 170 |
| 2022 | 75 (68%) | 36 | 0 | 79 |
| 2021 | 78 (65%) | 42 | 0 | 89 |
| 2020 | 80 (66%) | 42 | 0 | 67 |
Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County AQI categories: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), Hazardous (301+)
For real-time air quality readings and pollutant breakdowns in Indiana, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.
Water Systems (8)
| System | System pop (SDWIS) | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| SANTA CLAUS WATER UTILITY | 3,683 | 0 |
| FINCH NEWTON WATER, INC. | 2,672 | 0 |
| ROCKPORT WATER | 2,520 | 2 |
| GENTRYVILLE WATER UTILITY | 1,625 | 1 |
| TROY WATER UTILITY | 1,223 | 2 |
| CHRISNEY WATER DEPARTMENT | 823 | 0 |
| GRANDVIEW MUNICIPAL WATER UTILITY | 765 | 0 |
| ST. MEINRAD UTILITIES, INC. | 658 | 0 |
TRI Facilities (4)
| # | Facility | Total Releases |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland-Cliffs Steel Corp (rockport Works ) | 67.4M lbs |
| 2 | Rockport Plant | 6.6M lbs |
| 3 | Pvs Technologies Inc | 23.3K lbs |
| 4 | Corn Island Shipyard Inc. | 2.7K lbs |
Cities in Spencer (6)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the environmental risk level in Spencer, Indiana? ▼
Are there Superfund sites in Spencer? ▼
How many toxic release facilities are in Spencer? ▼
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What does this county environmental profile show?
This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.