EPA Cleanup Plan Issued for the Raymark Industries, Inc. Superfund Site in Stratford, Conn.

From the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:


News Release
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
New England Regional Office
September 15, 2016
Contact: Jim Murphy, (617) 918-1028

EPA Cleanup Plan Issued for the Raymark Industries, Inc. Superfund Site in Stratford, Conn.

BOSTON – The U.S. EPA has announced its final cleanup plan of four Operable Units of the Raymark Industries, Inc. Superfund Site (Raymark) in Stratford, Conn. With this decision, EPA and the State of Connecticut will be investing an estimated $95 million to eliminate potential exposures to the community and repair the harm to the environment that resulted from more than seventy years of dumping of waste from the former Raymark Industries.  

EPA’s cleanup plan will allow for the redevelopment of the currently unused and blighted Raybestos Memorial Ballfield and will address many commercial properties whose reuse has been hampered by the presence of Raymark waste. This cleanup plan will respond to environmental hazards and allow properties to be used to their full potential, bringing economic benefits to the Town of Stratford.

The final cleanup decision for Raymark is consistent with EPA’s statutory requirements to select a cleanup plan that protects human health and the environment. The final cleanup plan is documented in a Record of Decision which generally includes:

•    For Groundwater (Operable Unit 2):  installation of vapor ventilation systems  in a variety of impacted buildings and structures to protect building occupants against the intrusion of volatile chemicals from contaminated groundwater into indoor air; and
•    Upper Ferry Creek, the Raybestos Memorial Ballfield, and 22 Additional Properties (Operable Units 3, 4, and 6):  contaminated soil and sediment at OU3 and OU6 will be excavated and transported to the Raybestos Memorial Ballfield (OU4) where it will be consolidated and capped along with Raymark Waste already present at the ballfield. This action will prevent exposure through direct contact or inhalation, and reduce risks to local wildlife, with the most toxic waste being disposed out-of-town. Once all planned cleanups in Stratford are completed, EPA estimates that more than half of the Raymark waste to be excavated will be disposed of out of town.

EPA is committed to a cleanup that places primary importance on health and safety for abutting and nearby residents, for residents along any trucking route, and for the workers performing the cleanup work. EPA will develop the details regarding construction management and health and safety in plans created for each work area during the remedial design process. Through an enhanced outreach effort, EPA will continue to solicit input from the Stratford community as we develop these plans.

“Our comprehensive cleanup plan will ensure public health protections and will ultimately result in a redevelopment opportunity for the Town of Stratford,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. “With this cleanup Raymark waste will be properly addressed, and this cleanup work will improve the community in a healthy and stable way.”

“We are all too familiar with the legacy of asbestos, lead, and PCBs that Raymark left behind at so many locations in Stratford,” said Robert Klee, Commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP). “We are now confident and proud of the protective legacy we will leave behind as our State and Federal partnership moves forward to implement the remedy plan developed by EPA. CT DEEP will remain fully engaged with residents, local officials, the EPA, the Army Corps of Engineers and contractors to help ensure this cleanup moves forward and achieves the critical goals of protecting the environment and natural resources as well as the health of the public.”

EPA’s final cleanup plan, detailed in a Record of Decision, incorporates public comments received on the Proposed Cleanup Plan, which was issued on June 30, 2016. EPA received and appreciated the many diverse and meaningful comments from the public. EPA carefully considered all points of view prior to making this final cleanup decision. The Record of Decision also includes a detailed Responsiveness Summary that includes responses to all the written and verbal comments received.

While EPA received supportive comments from the Stratford Health Department, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP), business owners, community leaders, and neighbors, a number of the commenters were opposed to, or had concerns over, the safety and permanence of consolidation. Another group questioned why EPA was not actively treating the contamination in soil, sediment or groundwater.

Following exhaustive searches and evaluations, EPA has concluded that no one technology, or combination of technologies, can effectively destroy or reduce the concentrations of the unique mixture of individual chemicals in soil, sediment, and groundwater to non-toxic levels. Therefore, EPA developed and evaluated excavation, consolidation, and capping alternatives that eliminate potential routes of exposure.

Consolidation is a safe and cost-effective method to eliminate exposure, and allows for cleanup work to start now, with continued funding until the entire site is addressed. EPA has successfully implemented capping and consolidation at many sites in New England and around the country. In many cases, these sites have been returned to safe and productive use. In 1997, waste from 46 properties in Stratford were consolidated and capped with the waste left behind at the former Raymark facility. This property is now the site of the Stratford Crossing Shopping Plaza.

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal said, “Having fought the fight to hold Raymark accountable for clean-up of the site, I am pleased that EPA is moving forward with a plan to eliminate harmful chemicals from these properties. The town of Stratford will see more economic growth as a result. Importantly, EPA must continue to work with town officials and residents in the implementation of the plan.”

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy said, “For more than seventy years, Raymark dumped pollutants into Stratford’s Superfund Site. I've been working on the clean-up of this site since I was elected to represent Stratford in the U.S. Senate, and I'm so glad that EPA is making this historic investment in the clean-up of the site. I’ve personally toured this site with community leaders, and I know how important it is to redevelop it with community feedback so that these parcels can be returned to the tax rolls of the town. EPA’s investment will go a long way in moving this project forward, and I expect EPA to continue to take into account residents’ concerns throughout the entire clean-up process.”

“This record of decision represents a comprehensive plan to address the Raymark Superfund site—a goal which the Stratford community, EPA, and DEEP have been working towards for nearly two decades. While getting here has not been without its challenges, this comprehensive plan is the result of listening, learning, and compromise from all sides and marks an important step forward for the Stratford community.” said Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, CT-3. “Community input has always been a critical component of this effort and as this plan progresses from design to implementation, I am confident that the EPA will continue to ensure that the community is involved at every step. With this plan in place, we can now look forward to the time when the Raebestos Ballfield and the impacted businesses are returned to safe and productive properties in the community.”

Stratford Mayor John A. Harkins said, “This record of decision announced today by the EPA will finally rid Stratford of its toxic Raymark legacy, which has threatened the public health and stunted economic growth in our town for decades. The comprehensive conceptual plan includes removal of more than half of the waste from Stratford, including the most toxic waste, which represents a tremendous compromise from both the EPA and affected Stratford residents. Our health department will be working hand-in-hand with the EPA, CT DEEP and most importantly our residents, to ensure a safe, timely resolution to this cleanup.”

More information:
EPA’s Record of Decision for Operable Units 2, 3, 4, and 6 of the Raymark Industries, Inc. Superfund Site: http://semspub.epa.gov/src/document/01/592492
The full Administrative Record for the Raymark Industries, Inc. Superfund Site: https://semspub.epa.gov/src/collection/01/AR64529
Further history of EPA’s involvement in the Raymark Industries, Inc. Superfund Site: www.epa.gov/superfund/raymark
The Record of Decision is also available for review at the site repository at the Stratford Public Library; and a copy can be requested by contacting Marilyn St. Fleur, US EPA at 617-918-1617, (stfleur.marilyn@epa.gov).

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U.S. EPA requires PCB cleanup at Coachella Valley substations

From the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:

For Immediate Release: September 14, 2016
Media Contact: Nahal Mogharabi, 213-244-1815, Mogharabi.nahal@epa.gov

U.S. EPA requires PCB cleanup at Coachella Valley substations

LOS ANGELES — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement with Imperial Irrigation District after the utility company expended nearly $1.25 million to address its improper disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at electricity substations in Indio and Coachella, Calif. This action is a result of nine environmental audits the company conducted as part of a Toxic Substances Control Act settlement with EPA in February, 2015.

In compliance with the prior settlement, IID discovered that two of the nine inactive substations audited had PCB contamination in violation of TSCA. The company spent $685,000 to clean up its former Indio substation, including the removal of 1,863 tons of soils and debris. At its former Coachella substation, the company spent $368,000 to conduct a cleanup that included the disposal of 31 tons of soil and debris. The utility spent $190,000 for an independent auditor to perform evaluations at the nine substations in Indio, Mecca, Brawley, El Centro and Calexico.

“The cleanups performed by Imperial Irrigation District have reduced the impacts of legacy PCB contamination in Coachella Valley,” said Alexis Strauss, EPA’s Acting Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “EPA’s goal is to protect public health and the environment from the risks of PCBs.”

As the February 12, 2015 enforcement action required IID to pay a $379,000 civil penalty and perform the audits, no additional monetary penalties were imposed by today’s settlement. Pursuant to the prior action, IID replaced 16 regulators, one transformer and three oil circuit breakers with non-PCB containing equipment at active facilities in its service area. The company removed 78,530 pounds of PCBs from the environment as a result of completing this supplemental environmental project.

IID is the sixth largest utility in California, providing electric power to over 145,000 customers in the Imperial Valley and parts of Riverside County. Its former substation in Indio, which operated from 1943 to1990, is located at the northeast corner of Highway 111 and King Street; the Riverside County Courthouse, a middle school, and numerous businesses are located within a half-mile radius. IID’s former substation in Coachella, which operated from 1948 to 1989, is at the northeast corner of Ninth Street and Vine Avenue; it is also located in a densely populated area with an elementary school, a middle school, and residences located within a half-mile.

PCBs are man-made organic chemicals used in paints, industrial equipment, plastics, and cooling oil for electrical transformers. More than 1.5 billion pounds of PCBs were manufactured in the United States before the EPA banned the production of this chemical class in 1978. Acute PCB exposure can adversely affect the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems as well as liver function. Concerns about human health and the extensive presence and lengthy persistence of PCBs in the environment led Congress to enact the TSCA in 1976.              

For more information on PCBs, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/pcbs  

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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. 

JPMorgan Chase Bank to Reimburse Government $1.28 Million for Cleanup of Boone County, W.Va. Superfund Site

Press release:

JPMorgan Chase Bank to Reimburse Government $1.28 Million

for Cleanup of Boone County, W.Va. Superfund Site

PHILADELPHIA (Sept. 5, 2012) - In a settlement announced today by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, JPMorgan Chase Bank has reimbursed the federal government $1.28 million for costs incurred by EPA in cleaning up the Browning Lumber Company Superfund Site in rural Bald Knob, Boone County, W.Va. Under the Superfund law, past and current owners and operators of a Superfund site are responsible for the cleanup costs.   

Cleanup of the Browning Lumber Co. site was completed earlier this year and included extensive cleanup by EPA prior to cleanup work performed by JPMorgan Chase -- the corporate successor to a former site owner. The site will be eligible for appropriate re-use as part of West Virginia’s voluntary cleanup program, which encourages voluntary clean-ups of contaminated sites as well as redevelopments of abandoned and under-utilized properties.

Starting in 1976, Charleston National Bank, owner of the site as trustee of the Shepard Trust, leased the property to the Browning Lumber Co., which harvested timber and used part of the property for wood-treatment. Charleston National is now merged with JPMorgan Chase.

The site became contaminated after decades-long wood-treating activities using chromated copper arsenate (CCA). CCA contains the hazardous substances chromium, copper and arsenic.  Although the facility ceased operations by 1998, hazardous substances, primarily arsenic in soil, continued to pose a threat to human health and the environment.

Following a fire, EPA first investigated the site in late 2005 and later conducted a cleanup in 2006 and 2007 that included decontamination of the old wood-treatment facility, stabilization of a large area of contaminated soil, and proper disposal of 100 cubic yard of soil contaminated with arsenic and chromium and 43 drums of liquid and solid hazardous wastes.

For more information on this site, visit http://www.epaosc.org/site/site_profile.aspx?site_id=1961

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JPMorgan Chase Bank top Reimburse Government $1.28 Million for Cleanup of Boone County, W.Va. Superfund Site

Press release:

JPMorgan Chase Bank top Reimburse Government $1.28 Million for Cleanup of Boone County, W.Va. Superfund Site

Cleanup of the Browning Lumber Co. site was completed earlier this year and included extensive cleanup by EPA prior to cleanup work performed by JPMorgan Chase -- the corporate successor to a former site owner. The site will be eligible for appropriate re-use as part of West Virginia’s voluntary cleanup program, which encourages voluntary clean-ups of contaminated sites as well as redevelopments of abandoned and under-utilized properties.

Starting in 1976, Charleston National Bank, owner of the site as trustee of the Shepard Trust, leased the property to the Browning Lumber Co., which harvested timber and used part of the property for wood-treatment. Charleston National is now merged with JPMorgan Chase.

The site became contaminated after decades-long wood-treating activities using chromated copper arsenate (CCA). CCA contains the hazardous substances chromium, copper and arsenic.  Although the facility ceased operations by 1998, hazardous substances, primarily arsenic in soil, continued to pose a threat to human health and the environment.

Following a fire, EPA first investigated the site in late 2005 and later conducted a cleanup in 2006 and 2007 that included decontamination of the old wood-treatment facility, stabilization of a large area of contaminated soil, and proper disposal of 100 cubic yard of soil contaminated with arsenic and chromium and 43 drums of liquid and solid hazardous wastes.

For more information on this site, visit http://www.epaosc.org/site/site_profile.aspx?site_id=1961

PHILADELPHIA (Sept. 5, 2012) - In a settlement announced today by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, JPMorgan Chase Bank has reimbursed the federal government $1.28 million for costs incurred by EPA in cleaning up the Browning Lumber Company Superfund Site in rural Bald Knob, Boone County, W.Va. Under the Superfund law, past and current owners and operators of a Superfund site are responsible for the cleanup costs.  

EPA Encourages the Public to Comment on Plan for Cleanup at Shenandoah Road Superfund Site in East Fishkill, New York

Press release:

EPA Encourages the Public to Comment on Plan for Cleanup at

Shenandoah Road Superfund Site in East Fishkill, New York

Contact: Elias Rodriguez, 212-637-3664, rodriguez.elias@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – August 30, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a plan to clean up contaminated ground water at the Shenandoah Road Ground water Contamination Superfund site in a rural area of East Fishkill, New York. Past industrial activities contaminated the ground water with tetrachloroethene, commonly known as PCE, which is a volatile organic compound that can have serious health effects. The proposed plan calls for the continued operation of a system that extracts and treats ground water coupled with natural processes to reduce the contaminants in the ground water and restrictions on ground water use as well as to ensure that the remedy remains intact.

The EPA will hold a public meeting on September 12, 2012 to explain the proposed plan and is encouraging public comments. The meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the East Fishkill Fire District Administration Building, 2502 Route 52, Hopewell Junction, New York. Comments will be accepted from August 29 until September 28, 2012.

Between 1965 and 1975, Jack Manne, Inc. rented a property at 7 East Hook Cross Road in East Fishkill and operated a facility there to clean and repair computer chip racks supplied to it under a contract with International Business Machines. As part of this process, solvents, including PCE, were disposed of in a septic tank and an in-ground pit located at the property.

In 2000, well sampling conducted by the New York State Department of Health indicated that residential wells in the vicinity of the facility were contaminated with PCE above the federal and state maximum contaminant level. Following this discovery, the EPA initiated an emergency response at the site and began the delivery of bottled water to affected residences. The EPA and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation determined that the source of the PCE contamination in these nearby residential wells was the facility.

The Shenandoah site was placed on EPA's Superfund list of the nation's most hazardous waste sites in 2001, and EPA notified IBM and Jack Manne of their status as parties potentially responsible for the cleanup. Later that year, IBM entered into an agreement with the EPA to complete soil cleanup work already begun at the site by the EPA.

With EPA oversight, IBM completed the removal of the excavated sources of ground water contamination from the facility. In early November 2003, IBM presented the EPA with the alternatives for providing a permanent water supply, and the EPA subsequently selected a connection to the Fishkill municipal water supply. In March 2009, the public water supply system was completed and began to supply drinking water to the Shenandoah Road community.

In September 2002, IBM entered into a second agreement with the EPA to perform a study of the nature and extent of contamination that remained at the site as well as cleanup alternatives. The proposed plan for the next phase of the cleanup involves the continued operation of the source area ground water extraction and treatment system currently in place, and natural processes such as dilution and dispersion as well as land and ground water use restrictions. Monitoring wells will be periodically sampled to measure the effectiveness of both the source ground water extraction and treatment system and the natural processes.

The Superfund program operates on the principle that polluters should pay for the cleanups, rather than passing the costs to taxpayers. After sites are placed on the Superfund list of the most contaminated waste sites, the EPA searches for parties responsible for the contamination and holds them accountable for the costs of investigations and cleanups. The cleanup of the Shenandoah Road site is expected to be performed by IBM with oversight by the EPA.

Written comments may be mailed or emailed to:

Damian Duda, Remedial Project Manager

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region 2

290 Broadway – 20th Floor

New York, N.Y. 10007-1866

(212) 637-4269

duda.damian@epa.gov

For more information on the Shenandoah Road Ground water Contamination Superfund site, go to: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/shenandoah/.

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EPA's CDA Basin ROD Amendment

Press release:

EPA's final version of the Upper Coeur d'Alene River Basin cleanup plan is now available. Link to a Fact Sheet here. The interim Record of Decision Amendment (RODA) documents decisions about contamination cleanup along the river's South Fork and tributaries, as well as in the Bunker Hill "Box" where cleanup began in the 1980s. The cleanup is part of a continuing effort to reduce risks to people's health and the environment from heavy metals.

The cleanup is designed to:

• improve water quality
• protect earlier cleanup work from recontamination
• clean up contamination sources and
• help prevent contamination from moving downstream.

EPA revised the plan in part as a response to over 6700 public comments asking for changes to be made. The cleanup's cost has been reduced to about $635 million, and the cleanup's projected time frame has been reduced to about 30 years.

To read the revised plan, learn more about how we reduced the cost and time frame without compromising cleanup goals, and get on a mailing list for site updates, visit http://go.usa.gov/igD . RODA copies will soon be available at select local libraries. To request a copy on CD or locate a library, contact EPA Community Liaison Rene Gilbert at 208-659-5237.

• To read the Fact Sheet about the ROD Amendment: http://go.usa.gov/rn4R (12 pp, 1.3MB PDF)
• To read the ROD Amendment: http://go.usa.gov/rn2m (488 pp, 16.8MB PDF)
• To read more about the ROD Amendment: http://go.usa.gov/igD
• To see the press release about the ROD Amendment: http://go.usa.gov/rn4C

EPA Awards $200,000 to N. Brookfield, Mass. for Brownfields Cleanup Work

Press release:

News Release
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
New England Regional Office
August 24, 2012

Contact: EPA Public Affairs, (617) 918-1010

EPA Awards $200,000 to N. Brookfield, Mass. for Brownfields Cleanup Work
(Boston, Mass. – August 24, 2012) – EPA is providing a $200,000 Brownfields cleanup grant to the Town of North Brookfield.  This is the fourth cleanup grant that North Brookfield has won under EPA’s competitive Brownfields grant selection process to cleanup the 5.5-acre former Aztec Asbestos Co. Site.

The cleanup work in North Brookfield has been preceded by a $1.5 million EPA Demolition removal action on the site. Subsequent to the removal action, an EPA Brownfields assessment of the site provided valuable information about what cleanup work needed to be performed at the site.  Two of the four Aztec parcels are now occupied by a new Police Station.

The goal of EPA Brownfields grants is to lead to the clean up & sustainable redevelopment of Brownfields sites, thus improving the economy and quality of life in American communities.The funding is part of more than $17 million in EPA Brownfields investments across the six New England states announced by EPA in 2012.

“EPA Brownfields funding helps strengthen the economic foundation and is a catalyst for further growth in our communities,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA New England’s office. “Cleaning and revitalizing contaminated sites helps create jobs, and can help a community to create new businesses and neighborhood centers, while making our environment cleaner and the community healthier.”

Since the beginning of EPA’s Brownfields Program, in New England alone EPA has awarded 296 assessment grants totaling $72.7 million, 62 revolving loan fund grants and supplemental funding totaling $68.4 million and 213 cleanup grants totaling $47 million.  These grant funds have paved the way for more than $1.45 billion in public and private cleanup and redevelopment investment and for 9,756 jobs in assessment, cleanup, construction and redevelopment on over 2200 sites across New England.

Nationally, the figures are impressive: As of August 2012, EPA’s Brownfields assistance has leveraged more than $18.3 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funding from a variety of public and private sources and helped create approximately 76,500 jobs. More than 18,500 properties have been assessed, and over 750 properties have been cleaned up. These investments and jobs target local, under-served and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods – places where environmental cleanups and new jobs are most needed.

More Information on EPA’s Brownfields program in New England: http://epa.gov/region1/brownfields/index.html

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Occidental Chemical Corp. Moves Forward with Cleanup at New Castle, Delaware, Facility

Press release:

Occidental Chemical Corp. Moves Forward with Cleanup

at New Castle, Delaware, Facility

PHILADELPHIA (August 21, 2012) -- In a settlement announced today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Occidental Chemical Corporation will continue to remediate contamination at its 300 acre facility located three miles northwest of Delaware City, Del.

Occidental, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, has agreed to implement the final cleanup remedy selected by EPA to address contamination resulting from the former operations at the Delaware facility. EPA's cleanup plan includes the excavation, onsite consolidation, and capping of contaminated soils, along with administrative and legal safeguards to minimize exposure to contamination. In addition, the current use of slurry walls and removal of free product to clean up and prevent further groundwater contamination will continue, along with targeted in-situ treatment and institutional controls. Occidental and EPA will work together to implement this cleanup work and return the property to beneficial use. The total estimated cost to implement the final remedy is $8 million in capital, and $11million in operation and maintenance costs.

The Occidental property has undergone demolition and decommissioning which paves the way for economic redevelopment. Along with generating jobs, the cleanup at this site will convert a vacant industrial property into a community asset.

The Occidental facility lies south of the confluence of Red Lion Creek and the Delaware River. The facility, surrounded by a heavily industrial and commercial area, operated as a chlor-alkali plant from 1964 through 2007. Chlorine production ceased at the facility in 2005, and the production of anhydrous potassium hydroxide ceased in 2007. Decommissioning and demolition of most plant structures was completed in 2007 and 2008. The site is currently fenced and contains seven buildings, several concrete slabs, a wastewater treatment plant and groundwater extraction and treatment system.

For more information go to: http://www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/ca/de/webpages/ded003913266.html. 

EPA Announces Brownfields Grants

Press release:

MEDIA CONTACT:   Francisco Arcaute, 312-886-7613,   312-898-2042 Cell,  arcaute.francisco@epa.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                    No. 12-OPA69

EPA Announces Brownfields Grants

MADISON (August 21, 2012) -- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Susan Hedman today announced EPA brownfields grants totaling $800,000 to clean up contaminated properties in Madison, Wisconsin.
Hedman joined Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp and Madison Mayor Paul Soglin at a brownfield site on East Washington Avenue for the announcement. The City will use these funds to assess and clean up contaminated former industrial and commercial properties.
"EPA brownfield grants help to revitalize neighborhoods and create jobs,” said EPA Regional Administrator Susan Hedman. “Cleaning up contaminated brownfield sites protects public health and fuels economic development.”
“As the city works to develop brownfield sites throughout the Isthmus area, a partnership with the federal and state government is very instrumental,” said Mayor Soglin. “I am so pleased that the Environmental Protection Agency and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources understand the importance of these projects, and I welcome EPA Regional Administrator Susan Hedman to Madison.”
“It’s easy to see how these brownfield projects are win-wins for everyone involved,” said DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp.  “We’re excited to watch this project grow to completion, and with DNR’s commitment to environmental cleanup and economic revitalization, we look forward to continued success in the brownfields arena.”
The grants include:

• $400,000 to clean up a former automotive sales and repair site on East Washington Avenue. The City will provide another $80,000 toward the cleanup.
• $400,000 to conduct environmental assessments and plan future cleanups in the surrounding area.

The City of Madison previously received a $400,000 cleanup grant for the East Washington property from WDNR’s brownfield revolving loan program, which is also funded by EPA.
There are an estimated 450,000 brownfield sites in the United States. EPA brownfield grants have been used to clean up over 700 contaminated sites and to assess over 18,000 properties, primarily in low-income areas disproportionately impacted by environmental contamination.
See list of all EPA brownfields grants by state: http://cfpub.epa.gov/bf_factsheets/

More information on EPA’s brownfields program: www.epa.gov/brownfields/

More information on brownfields success stories: www.epa.gov/brownfields/success/index.htm

Responsible parties to pay $29.8 million in cleanup costs for Big John’s Salvage-Hoult Road Superfund Site

Press release:

Responsible parties to pay $29.8 million in cleanup costs for Big John’s Salvage-Hoult Road Superfund Site

PHILADELPHIA (August 20, 2012) -- In settlement papers filed in federal district court, three companies have agreed to pay about $29.8 million in cleanup costs for a Superfund site in Fairmont, Marion County, W. Va., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)announced today.

The three companies -- Exxon Mobil Corp., Vertellus Specialties Inc., and CBS Corp.-- will perform cleanup work and reimburse the EPA and the state of West Virginia $11 million for past cleanup costs at the Big John’s Salvage-Hoult Road Superfund Site. The companies have agreed to do the cleanup at the site at an estimated cost of $17.8 million. The companies will also reimburse EPA and the state for all future costs associated with overseeing the cleanup, and these are estimated to be $1 million.

The 38-acre Big John’s site, located near the east bank of the Monongahela River in Fairmont, was designated a Superfund site in 2000, making it eligible for federal cleanup funds. The site became contaminated with hazardous wastes from decades of industrial activity.

Under the federal Superfund law, landowners, waste generators and waste transporters that are responsible for the contamination of a Superfund site must either clean up the site, or reimburse the government or other parties for cleanup activities.

Cleanup actions will include constructing an impermeable cap to contain contaminated soil and enhancing an existing ground water containment system to help prevent contaminants from migrating. Additionally, about 5,500 cubic yards of tar wastes coating a one-acre area along the bottom of the Monongahela River will be removed and sent to a certified disposal facility. 

Between 1932 and 1973, the site was owned by a predecessor of Vertellus Specialities, including the Reilly Tar and Chemical Corp., which operated a tar processing and refining facility. Domestic Coke, a predecessor of ExxonMobil operated a coke production plant adjacent to the Big John’s site and sold and delivered crude coal tar to the Reilly facility for refining. From 1973 to 1984, Big John Salvage owned the property, and operated a metal, glass, and oil salvaging operation. During this period, Big John’s accepted hazardous waste materials from Westinghouse Electric Co., a predecessor of CBS Corp., including mercury-containing fluorescent light bulbs, lead dust and mercury-tainted waste oil.

Work is currently ongoing at the site to prevent the release of tar seeps to surface water and the Monongahela River. Since 2001, more than 11 million gallons of contaminated water have been captured in a collection system and cleansed in a series of water treatment systems before they could enter the river. Additional information on the site is available at: http://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0302947.

EPA Announces Over $50 Million for Final Projects Needed to Remove Sheboygan River Area of Concern from Great Lakes Cleanup List

Press release:

For Immediate Release           No. 12-OPA066

EPA Announces Over $50 Million for Final Projects Needed to Remove Sheboygan River Area of Concern from Great Lakes Cleanup List
(Sheboygan – Aug. 15, 2010) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Sheboygan area officials joined forces today to kick off the final dredging work and habitat restoration projects needed to remove the Sheboygan River "Area of Concern" from a list of toxic hot spots identified in the 1987 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.   EPA has targeted up to $57 million for work in the Sheboygan River AOC, which is on Lake Michigan.   The State of Wisconsin, the City of Sheboygan and Sheboygan County are contributing $5 million to the final phase of the clean up.
"By the end of the year, we will complete all of the work needed to ‘delist’ the Sheboygan River AOC,” said Susan Hedman, U.S. EPA Region 5 Administrator and Great Lakes National Program Manager. “Thanks to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and our dedicated local, state and federal partners, we are finally getting the most contaminated sites on the Great Lakes cleaned up."
The Sheboygan River is one of 39 remaining AOCs on the Great Lakes. Since the United States and Canada identified the list of AOCs in 1987, only one on the U.S. side has been "delisted." The Sheboygan River is one of four AOCs that EPA has targeted to complete cleanup work in 2012. Five more AOCs are targeted for completion in 2013 and 2014.

“After almost 30 years, having the Sheboygan River cleaner and deeper will add significant benefits both recreationaly and financially to our local economy that already provides almost a $9 million waterfront economic impact,” said Mayor Terry Van Akkeren.  
One EPA dredging project will remove contaminated sediment from the river between Kiwanis Park and the 8th Street Bridge. The other project with remove contaminated sediment from the bridge to the mouth of the river on Lake Michigan. Three EPA-funded habitat projects will begin this month to restore the shorelines at Kiwanis Park, on Wildwood Island, and near the intersection of Taylor Drive and Indiana Avenue.

“After nearly three decades of being a black eye of the community, we are thrilled that the Sheboygan River and Harbor is being restored to reduce health risks to people, fish and wildlife, and will greatly enhance opportunities for economic development,” said Adam Payne, Sheboygan County Administrator. “Sheboygan County is grateful for the opportunity to partner with the EPA, DNR, City of Sheboygan and many other public and private stakeholders to leverage the necessary resources to finally clean up and dredge the Sheboygan River and Harbor. I’m proud to be a part of the team, and our collective efforts will bear fruit for generations to come.”  

In February 2009, President Obama proposed the GLRI, the largest investment in the Great Lakes in two decades. GLRI funds are being used to accelerate cleanup work in the remaining AOCs identified by the U.S. and Canada in the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement during the 1980s.

For more information, visit www.epa.gov/greatlakes /aoc/sheboygan/ 

Superfund Efforts to Clean Waterways Come With a Risk

The following is an excerpt from an article in 

The New York Times
Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Superfund Efforts to Clean Waterways Come With a Risk

By ANTHONY DePALMA

LYNDHURST, N.J. — This is not what a Superfund site is supposed to look like. There are no rusting barrels, no antifreeze-green slime oozing up from the ground. There’s just a deep bend in the serpentine Passaic River, a gaggle of pushy Canada geese and a lone rower in a single scull making good time on the calm, dark waters.

Yet Mile Marker 10.9 on the Passaic is most definitely a toxic hot spot. Testing late last year showed that five acres of shallow mud flats in the river here were highly contaminated with mercury, toxic chemical compounds called PCBs and dioxin, which is known to cause cancer. The discovery has sent environmental officials and a small army of corporations scrambling to remove thousands of cubic yards of sediment with plans to seal the rest beneath a permanent cap, all within the coming year.

That the hidden dioxin deposit was detected at all and the remediation put on such a fast track are results of an ambitious effort by the Environmental Protection Agency, which runs the federal Superfund program, to zero in on toxic targets that had been passed over for decades because they were too big, too costly and just too difficult to tackle.

More than three decades after the program was established by Congress to clean up the most heavily polluted sites in the country, either by forcing those responsible to pay or by covering the cost with money from a special fund, the agency is now taking on the most expensive and most technically complex cleanups ever attempted — large stretches of urban waterways where the pollution is out of sight.

But there are lingering doubts about the best ways to handle such immense cleanups. “The public wants this stuff picked up and hauled away,” said Michael A. Barbara, the technical consultant for the businesses that are being held responsible for cleaning up the Passaic. “But the reality is that sometimes the process of stirring up this stuff does more harm than leaving it in place.”

Even the most notorious hazardous-waste dumps on land pale beside the prospect of cleaning up miles of riverbed — in which the slightest movement can stir up long-buried wastes that tides, floods, even motorboat traffic can spread upstream and down. Trying to predict how everything will work is so complicated that preliminary planning alone can cost more than an entire land-based cleanup.

But after years of study and some smaller pilot projects that met with varying degrees of success — and failure — the E.P.A. is finally tackling some of the most heavily polluted waterways. Many are in the New York-New Jersey area, which, since the beginning of Superfund, has had the greatest number of polluted sites.

For more, visit www.nytimes.com.

EPA to Hold Public Meeting on Plan for Final Phase of Cleanup At Diaz Chemical Superfund Site

Press release:

EPA to Hold Public Meeting on Plan for Final Phase of Cleanup

At Diaz Chemical Superfund Site

Contact: John Martin (212) 637-3662, martin.johnj@epa.gov 

(New York, NY – August 13, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing a plan to clean up contaminated soil and ground water at the Diaz Chemical Corporation Superfund site in Holley, New York. The soil and ground water are contaminated with volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, which can cause serious damage to people’s health. The EPA’s proposed plan calls for the use of a technology to treat six areas of soil and ground water that continue to cause contamination of ground water in a broader area.

The EPA will hold a public meeting on September 5, 2012 at 7 p.m. at the American Legion, 5 Wright Street, Holley, NY to explain the proposed plan and to answer questions. Comments will be accepted until September 12, 2012.

Diaz Chemical Corporation purchased the site in 1974 and began manufacturing specialty chemicals for the agricultural, pharmaceutical, photographic, color and dye and personal care products industries at the site.

In January 2002, a safety valve at the facility ruptured, causing a release of a chemical mixture into the neighboring residential area. Area residents experienced sore throats, headaches, eye irritation, nosebleeds and skin rashes and some residents voluntarily relocated to temporary housing with assistance from Diaz Chemical.

In May 2002, after Diaz Chemical said that it could not continue to pay the costs of housing residents who remained relocated after the incident, the EPA assumed responsibility for the housing expenses. The EPA then initiated an assessment of the affected neighborhood and sampled air, soil, interior surfaces and household items for contamination. In June 2003, Diaz Chemical filed for bankruptcy and abandoned the facility, leaving behind large volumes of chemicals in drums and tanks. The EPA began providing 24-hour security at the site and operating a ground water treatment system previously installed by Diaz Chemical. In addition, the EPA:

·         shipped approximately 8,600 drums and over 112,000 gallons of bulk waste from tanks and containment areas off-site for re-use or disposal

·         emptied, decontaminated and disposed of 105 reactor vessels and 34 tanks

·         dismantled and removed 51,280 linear feet of facility piping

·         recovered approximately 800 gallons of waste from within the pipes

·         removed and recycled 767 tons of structural steel, motors and scrap steel

·         removed and disposed of 5,750 tons of concrete, of which 500 tons were recycled

·         removed and disposed of 9 PCB-containing transformers

·         removed and disposed of 175 cubic yards of lead-contaminated wood and 20 cubic yards of asbestos debris

·         decontaminated a warehouse

• dismantled all of the production buildings and tank containment areas, another warehouse and boiler room, electrical room, laboratory and an oil tank storage area. 

The EPA added the Diaz Chemical site to the Superfund list of the most contaminated hazardous waste sites in 2004. In 2005, the EPA reached a decision, following a public comment period, to purchase eight vacated homes and provided the owners financial assistance to permanently relocate. The agency also provided assistance to two tenants in relocating to new rental properties. The proposed plan announced today calls for the sale or transfer of the properties.

The proposed plan calls for a method of treating the soil and ground water in six areas using electrodes that will heat the soil and ground water, causing the contaminants to evaporate and turn into vapor and steam. The vapor and steam would then be collected and treated. For contaminated ground water outside of the six sources of contamination, the EPA is proposing to rely on natural processes that allow the contaminants to disperse, dilute and degrade to ground water cleanup levels.

Superfund is the federal cleanup program established by Congress in 1980 to investigate and clean up the country’s hazardous waste sites. The Superfund program operates on the principle that polluters should pay for the cleanups, rather than passing the costs on to taxpayers. Cleanups are only funded by taxpayer dollars when those responsible for the contamination cannot be found or are not financially viable. In this instance, the EPA has spent approximately $12 million to-date to clean up the Diaz Chemical site. The estimated total cost of the EPA’s proposed plan is $14.5 million.

Written comments may be mailed, faxed, or e-mailed to:

John DiMartino

Remedial Project Manager

Central New York Remediation Section

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

290 Broadway, 20^th Floor

New York, NY 10007-1866

phone: (212) 637-4270

fax: (212) 637-3966

email: dimartino.john@epa.gov

For more information on the Diaz Chemical Corporation Superfund site and to view EPA’s Proposed Plan, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/diazchemical.

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

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CLEANUP AND NATURAL RESOURCES IMPROVEMENT AGREEMENT REACHED AT ASHLAND LAKEFRONT SUPERFUND SITE IN WISCONSIN

Press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DOJ (202) 514-2007

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 TTY (202) 544-5309

WWW.JUSTICE.GOV EPA (800) 223-0423

CLEANUP AND NATURAL RESOURCES IMPROVEMENT AGREEMENT REACHED AT ASHLAND LAKEFRONT SUPERFUND SITE IN WISCONSIN

WASHINGTON – Northern States Power Co. will begin cleanup of the Ashland/Northern States Power Lakefront Superfund Site in Northwestern Wisconsin under a settlement the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today. The 40-acre site is located on the shore of Chequamegon Bay in Lake Superior and was used for various industrial purposes for more than a century, resulting in the release of volatile organic compounds, such as benzene, and semivolatile organic compounds, such as naphthalene, at the site.

           Under the agreement, filed today with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin in Madison, Wis., Northern States Power will design, construct and implement the cleanup plan for the on-land portion of the site. The on-land cleanup is expected to cost approximately $40 million. The United States will also require additional cleanup of sediments in Chequamegon Bay, and expects that Northern States Power and any other responsible parties will perform the rest of the cleanup. That work is not part of the agreement filed with the Court today.

           Today’s agreement also requires Northern States Power to transfer approximately 990 acres of land along the Iron River to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and 400 acres within the reservation of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa Indians to the Bad River tribe. These parcels, worth about $1.9 million, will be preserved by the state and the Bad River tribe to enhance natural resources in the area that have been harmed by pollution from the site, such as fisheries in Chequamegon Bay and its rivers. In addition, the state of Wisconsin will transfer 114 acres of land to the Red Cliff Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. That land will also be managed to preserve natural resources. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also serve as trustees for natural resources in the area and joined the settlement on behalf of the United States.

“This agreement will begin the long-awaited cleanup of contamination at the Ashland Lakefront site,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The agreement will result in the preservation of land in the Chequamegon Bay watershed, including tribal lands, to conserve and enhance natural resources and aquatic habitat that have been harmed by more than a century of pollution at the site.”

“Chequamegon Bay and Lake Superior will be better protected as a result of this agreement,” said EPA Region 5 Regional Administrator Susan Hedman. “Removing the most highly contaminated soil from the site and controlling the flow of contaminated groundwater will prevent polluted water from entering the bay and harming fisheries.”

For more than a century, the Ashland site has been home to various industrial uses, including sawmills, railroads, and a city wastewater treatment plant. The primary source of pollution at the site was the manufactured gas plant operated by Northern States Power’s predecessor company between 1885 and 1947. Pollution from the manufactured gas plant contaminated both the on-land portion of the site and the sediment in the bay.

           The on-land cleanup will include removal of source material and impacted soil in Kreher Park and the adjacent bluff area and recovery wells designed to remove pollution from the Copper Falls aquifer. The work Northern States Power will perform under this agreement is expected to take approximately two to three years.

EPA will oversee the work to ensure that it follows the cleanup plan and complies with the agreement signed by the parties. The state of Wisconsin will support EPA in overseeing the work.

The proposed consent decree will be subject to public comment for 30 days prior to entry in federal court. The consent decree will be available at www.justice.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html.

EPA Finalizes Settlement with Companies for Cleanup at Mercury Refining Superfund Site in Albany County; Value of Cleanup Work Estimated at $9 million

Press release:

EPA Finalizes Settlement with Companies for Cleanup at                        Mercury Refining Superfund Site in Albany County;                                                    Value of Cleanup Work Estimated at $9 million

Contact: Larisa Romanowski, (518) 747-4389, romanowski.larisa@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – August 7, 2012) Five companies considered responsible for contamination at the Mercury Refining Superfund site have reached a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to do work needed to clean up the Mercury Refining Superfund site in the Towns of Colonie and Guilderland, New York. Under the terms of the legal agreement, the Gillette Company, KeySpan Gas East Corp., Energizer Battery Manufacturing, Inc., Union Carbide Corporation and Spectrum Brands, Inc. will address soil, sediment, and ground water contaminated with mercury. Mercury is an extremely toxic metal that can cause health problems, especially in children. Exposure to mercury can harm the heart, kidneys, lungs, immune and nervous systems. In addition, the settlement provides for 19 federal agencies and 46 additional entities also responsible for the contamination to make payments into an escrow account to fund the cleanup work at the site. The current owner of the site is also part of the settlement and will take responsibility for land use restrictions to be put into place at the site.

“This agreement allows EPA to finish the important work that began several years ago to clean up the site so that people and the environment are protected,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “The agreement also ensures that the parties responsible for the contamination at the site will also be held accountable for cleaning it up at their own expense, rather than at the expense of taxpayers.”

From the 1950’s until 1998, mercury from batteries and other materials, such as thermometers, pressure regulators, and electrical devices, was recovered, refined, and marketed by the Mercury Refining Company. Through the reclamation process, mercury contaminated the site, including soil and stormwater draining off the site and into an unnamed tributary to the Patroon Creek. Mercury reclamation activities ended at the site in 1998; however, some precious metal recovery continues today.

In 1983, the Mercury Refining site was placed on the federal Superfund list. Until 1999, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation oversaw various cleanup actions at the site. The EPA assumed the lead for the cleanup in 1999. After an extensive investigation and evaluation of various options for cleanup of the site, the EPA selected its final cleanup plan for the site in 2008. That plan requires a combination of soil excavation and treatment of the soil and ground water. The design work for that cleanup plan is underway and is expected to be completed by the spring of 2013.

Under the agreement announced today, the five companies will conduct the cleanup work at the site. Contaminated soil at the surface, which is more easily accessible to people, will be excavated and taken off-site to a secure facility. Contaminated soil that is deeper will be treated using a technology that treats the contaminated soil and ground water by locking the mercury in a mixture of Portland cement and another agent, preventing it from moving into the surrounding soil and ground water. In addition, the cleanup plan calls for the removal of contaminated sediment from a tributary to Patroon Creek, which receives rainwater runoff from the Mercury Refining property. Water will be removed from the excavated creek sediment and disposed of at an off-site landfill. According to the agreement, the owner of the site, 26 Railroad Ave, Inc., will be responsible for taking action to secure legal land use restrictions to ensure that people aren’t exposed to contaminants on-site and to ensure that the treated soil and groundwater is not disturbed. The five primary companies will be ultimately responsible for conducting all the cleanup work called for in EPA’s cleanup plan.

The value of the cleanup work to be performed under the agreement is estimated at $9.3 million.

Superfund is the federal cleanup program established in 1980 to investigate and cleanup the country’s most hazardous sites. The Superfund program operates on the principle that polluters should pay for the cleanups, rather than passing the costs to taxpayers. When sites are placed on the Superfund list, the EPA looks for parties responsible for the pollution and requires them to pay for the cleanups.

The proposed settlement is subject to a 30-day public comment period, which will begin shortly, upon the publication of a notice in the Federal Register. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, and either emailed to pubcomment-ees.enrd@usdoj.gov or mailed to P.O. Box 7611, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. 20044-7611, and should refer to United States of America v. The Gillette Company, et al., Civil Action No. 1:12-cv-01247-MAD-TWD, D.J. Ref. 90-11-2-07742/7. During the public comment period, the proposed Consent Decree may be examined on the following Department of Justice website, http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html. The settlement requires approval by the United States District Court before becoming final.

Further information about the Mercury Refining Superfund site can be found at: http://epa.gov/region2/superfund/mercuryrefining/.

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

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