EPA Recognizes U.S. Coast Guard for Efficient, Green Cleanup of Curtis Bay Yard Superfund Site

EPA Press Release:

EPA Recognizes U.S. Coast Guard for Efficient, Green Cleanup

of Curtis Bay Yard Superfund Site

BALTIMORE (May 30, 2013)  - The U.S. Coast Guard has completed cleanup construction activity at the Curtis Bay Yard Superfund site in Anne Arundel County, Md., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today.

EPA provided oversight of the massive 11-year cleanup project and the U.S. Coast Guard led the cleanup effort, which included excavating thousands of tons of contaminated soil and sediment while making use of innovative green practices.

“This cleanup will ensure a healthy environment for the Curtis Bay Yard and the surrounding community, and help with Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin.  “Not only did the Coast Guard work quickly and efficiently at this site, but its use of green practices proudly reflects the Coast Guard’s commitment to environmental stewardship.”

The contaminants of concern at the site included semi-volatile organic compounds, metals, polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxin. 

The Coast Guard’s green remediation included recycling materials, creating green space and minimizing hazardous waste.  Overall during the cleanup, 2,616 tons of concrete were recycled and about 25,000 tons of contaminated soil were treated onsite so it could be shipped to a non-hazardous waste landfill.  This saved more than 500,000 truck miles and approximately

$6 million compared to sending the soil to a hazardous waste landfill.  In addition, approximately 20 tons of steel were recycled.

"Eleven years ago, the Coast Guard Yard was placed on the National Priorities List to address contamination from past practices going all the way back to the Yard's start in 1899,” said Captain Richard K. Murphy, Commanding Officer, U.S. Coast Guard Yard. “This began a very productive partnership with EPA and the Maryland Department of the Environment culminating in the remediation of all identified sites. Today, the Yard is a leader in the field of environmental management, and we continue to partner with the EPA and MDE to ensure a healthy environment for the Yard, our neighbors, as well as protecting the vital ecosystem of the Chesapeake Bay."

The Chesapeake Bay benefits from this cleanup in several ways. Low impact storm water designs were used to help absorb water into the ground during heavy rains instead of uncontrolled run-off with potential pollutants. These designs replace solid concrete with porous pavers and add more green space with grass, trees and shrubs.

In addition to using innovative remediation, the Coast Guard also chose to clean up the Yard to the more stringent residential cleanup standards rather than using the industrial standards.  This creates more options for future use of the property.

The Coast Guard Yard, located six miles southeast of downtown Baltimore, is a 113-acre ship repair facility used to design, build and repair state-of-the-art ships and boats.  The facility incorporates many sustainable manufacturing practices including creating its own electricity from landfill gas at an on-site co-generation plant.   The crane electrification project further reduces the Yard’s carbon footprint. 

EPA Extends Public Comment Period on Plan for the Cornell-Dubilier Electronics Superfund site in South Plainfield, New Jersey

Press release:

EPA Extends Public Comment Period on Plan for the Cornell-Dubilier Electronics Superfund site in South Plainfield, New Jersey

Contact: Mary Mears (212) 637 3673; mears.mary@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – August 20, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is extending by thirty days the public comment period for the plan it has proposed for the contaminated ground water at the Cornell-Dubilier Electronics Superfund site in South Plainfield, New Jersey. The plan would prevent the use of contaminated ground water as a source of drinking water. The ground water associated with the site, located at 333 Hamilton Boulevard in South Plainfield, became contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and volatile organic compounds from past industrial activities. PCBs are likely cancer causing chemicals and can have serious neurological effects. Volatile organic compounds can cause serious damage to people’s health.

The ground water at the Cornell-Dubilier Electronics site is contained within underground layers of rock and soil. Municipal water supply wells in Middlesex County draw ground water from some portions of the rock formations to the north of the site. The plan proposed in July will require enhanced and continued monitoring of the ground water and will prevent the contaminated site ground water from being used as a source of drinking water in the future. The Cornell-Dubilier Electronics Superfund site is part of a Borough of South Plainfield redevelopment area.

The EPA held a public meeting on August 7, 2012 to explain the proposed plan. At the request of a member of the public, the agency is extending the public comment period from its original date of August 20 to a new public comment deadline of September 20, 2012.

Cornell-Dubilier Electronics, Inc., manufactured electronics parts at the 26-acre facility from 1936 to 1962. PCBs and solvents were used in the manufacturing process and the company disposed of PCB-contaminated materials and other hazardous wastes at the facility property.

Written comments may be mailed or emailed by September 20, 2012 to:

Diego Garcia, Remedial Project Manager

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region 2

290 Broadway – 19th floor

New York, NY 10007-1866

(212) 637-4947

garcia.diego@epa.gov

For more information on the Cornell-Dubilier Electronics Superfund site, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/cornell.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

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News Release from EPA - OR Lumber Mill

Oregon lumber mill cited for toxic chemical leaks and violations

Contact: Hanady Kader, EPA Public Affairs, 206-553-0454, kader.hanady@epa.gov; Tristen Gardner, EPA PCBs Unit, 206-553-6240, gardner.tristen@epa.gov

(Seattle—Feb. 28, 2012) Sanders Wood Products Company in Liberal, Oregon was found to have a series of PCB leaks and other violations of federal PCB laws at its lumber mill, according to a settlement reached with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The company will pay over $108,000 in penalties.

“There are clear standards for how to manage toxic chemicals like PCBs so they don’t harm people or the environment,” said Scott Downey, Manager of the Pesticides and PCBs Unit in EPA’s Seattle office. “This dangerous family of chemicals accumulates in the body and can be extremely difficult and expensive to clean up.”

During an inspection in 2009, an EPA inspector identified leaks in three PCB-containing transformers. Federal law requires repair, containment or replacement of leaking transformers containing polychlorinated biphenyls, commonly known as PCBs. In addition, the transformers were not properly maintained and lacked necessary labels.

PCBs are known carcinogens and can harm the immune, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems. Congress banned PCBs in 1979, but they may be present in products and materials produced before the ban including electrical transformers, capacitors, oil used in motors, oil-based paint, plastics and insulation.

As part of the settlement, the company confirmed it has removed the leaking transformers from the facility. The areas where the PCBs leaked have also been cleaned up. The company has also certified it is currently in compliance with all applicable requirements under the Toxic Substances Control Act at each of its facilities.