Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Opens Water Treatment Facility in Las Cruces

Press release:

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Opens Water Treatment Facility in Las Cruces

(DALLAS – August 23, 2012) During a ribbon cutting ceremony this morning, officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, City of Las Cruces, Doña Ana County and the New Mexico Environment Department celebrated the opening of a water treatment facility in Las Cruces to remove contaminants from groundwater.

The new facility will remove the chemical perchloroethylene, commonly known as PCE, from groundwater in the area known as the Griggs and Walnut Groundwater Plume Superfund site. PCE is a man-made substance widely used for dry cleaning fabrics and textiles and for metal degreasing operations.

“Many people have worked together over several years to make this milestone possible,” said Sam Coleman, Acting Regional Administrator for EPA Region 6. “Because of their cooperation, creativity and dedication, the people of Las Cruces have a reliable, safe supply of drinking water.”

“This groundwater cleanup project is another example of how the City of Las Cruces is committed to the health and safety of its residents,” said Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima.

Doña Ana County Commission Chairwoman Karen G. Perez said, “I’m proud of the work that’s been done to bring this project to fruition. It’s been a remarkable collaborative effort on behalf of the many people who rely on safe, clean groundwater here in the City of Las Cruces.”

The Griggs and Walnut Groundwater Plume site is centered near the intersection of Griggs Avenue and Walnut Street within the City of Las Cruces and is approximately 1.8 mile by one-half mile in size. Four municipal drinking water supply wells were impacted by the site but through the city’s blending programs, PCE levels were kept below the maximum contaminant level established by the Safe Drinking Water Act or taken off line. No customer was ever delivered water with PCE amounts that exceeded federal standards. Wells 18 and 27 are being utilized to treat the plume, and the other two wells are used to monitor for PCE and other contaminants.

The water treatment facility will utilize an air stripper to expose contaminated groundwater to oxygen which dissipates the PCE. The cleansed water is then suitable for drinking. The $5.2 million project to date is jointly funded by the City of Las Cruces and Doña Ana County.

More about activities in EPA Region 6 is available at http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.html

# # #

EPA to Hold Public Meeting on Plan for the Cornell-Dubilier Electronics Superfund site in South Plainfield, New Jersey

Press release:

EPA to Hold Public Meeting on Plan for the Cornell-Dubilier Electronics Superfund site in South Plainfield, New Jersey

Protecting Drinking Water EPA Priority

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

(New York, N.Y. – July 20, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing a plan for the contaminated ground water at the Cornell-Dubilier Electronics Superfund site in South Plainfield, New Jersey that will prevent its use 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. Under a plan proposed by the EPA today, the ground water will be monitored and the use of that ground water will be restricted.

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 today 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 will hold a public meeting on Tuesday August 7, 2012 at 7 p.m. to explain the proposed plan and is encouraging public comments. The meeting will be held at the South Plainfield Senior Center located at 90 Maple Avenue, South Plainfield. Comments will be accepted until August 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.

Because of the nature and complexity of the contamination at the site, the EPA divided the investigation and cleanup into four phases. The proposed plan announced today is for the third phase of the long-term cleanup.

Under the first phase of cleanup, which is continuing, the EPA has cleaned up nearby residential, commercial, and municipal properties. PCB-contaminated soil has been removed from four residential properties near the former facility property. EPA has since identified eight additional properties and expects to begin to clean up these properties in August 2012. This work will be completed before the winter. Investigations are still being performed on several other properties as part of this phase of the cleanup.

Under phase two of the cleanup, the EPA cleaned up the contaminated buildings and soils at the former facility property. EPA has demolished 18 contaminated buildings and removed 26,400 tons of building debris off-site to be disposed of properly. The EPA has also excavated approximately 21,000 tons of contaminated debris and soil from an undeveloped area of the facility. Using $30 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, the EPA continued the second phase of cleanup by treating contaminated soil on-site using a technology that heats the material so that contaminants can be pulled out and captured. Soil that could not be cleaned using this method was taken off-site for disposal at a licensed facility.

The third phase of the long-term cleanup, and the phase that is the subject of the proposed plan announced today, focuses on the contaminated ground water. After extensive soil and ground water studies, the EPA has concluded that it is not feasible to treat the contaminated site ground water because of the complex rock formations underlying the site. The depth, nature and variety of the rock formations would present extreme technical challenges for any active treatment. The EPA is proposing to install additional ground water monitoring wells to monitor the ground water and to put into place restrictions that will prevent the use of untreated ground water as drinking water. In addition, the EPA’s plan calls for periodic sampling to ensure that potentially harmful vapors from the contaminated ground water do not seep into nearby buildings. Recent periodic indoor air testing inside nearby buildings shows that vapors are not currently getting into the structures.

In the fourth and final phase of the long-term cleanup, the EPA will focus on the contaminated sediment of the Bound Brook. The potential for ground water contamination to impact surface water and sediment in the Bound Brook is also being evaluated as part of this phase. A cleanup plan for phase four is expected in 2013.

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. To date, the EPA’s cleanup costs for this site exceed $133 million. The EPA will seek to recover some of its costs from the parties responsible for the contamination.

Written comments may be mailed or emailed to:

Diego Garcia, Remedial Project Manager

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region 2

290 Broadway – 19^th floor

New York, N.Y. 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.

12-092                                                             # # #

EPA to Hold Public Meeting on the Cayuga County Ground Water Contamination Superfund site in Cayuga County, New York

Press release:

EPA to Hold Public Meeting on the Cayuga County Ground Water Contamination Superfund site in

Cayuga County, New York

Protecting Drinking Water EPA Priority

Contact: Mike Basile, 716-551-4410, basile.michael@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – July 18, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a plan to clean up contaminated ground water at the Cayuga County Ground Water Contamination Superfund site located in Cayuga County, New York. The General Electric Company (GE) owned and manufactured semiconductors at a facility on Genesee Street in the City of Auburn. For a time, Powerex, Inc., a joint venture of GE and others, bought the facility and conducted similar operations there. These companies have been identified as parties potentially responsible for the Cayuga site. Ground water at the site is contaminated with volatile organic compounds, which can cause serious damage to people’s health and the environment. The proposed plan calls for bioremediation of one area of ground water and natural processes for two other areas to reduce the contaminants in the ground water to meet federal and state standards. The EPA will hold a public meeting on August 2, 2012 to explain the proposed plan and is encouraging public comments. The meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the Union Springs High School, Union Springs, N.Y., 13160. Comments will be accepted until August 16, 2012.

The site includes contaminated ground water that covers approximately 4.8 square miles extending from Auburn to the Village of Union Springs within portions of the townships of Aurelius, Fleming and Springport. The site contains mostly residential properties mixed with farmland, woodlands and commercial areas. Many area homes get their drinking water from public drinking water supply wells. Routine testing in 1988 of the Village of Union Springs’ municipal water supply showed that the water contained volatile organic compounds that can negatively impact health. Cayuga county installed a treatment system on the public water supply. The New York State Department of Conservation and the EPA investigated and determined that 51 private residential wells in the area were also contaminated with volatile organic compounds. In 2000, the EPA began supplying bottled water to affected residents while the EPA provided treatment systems in the homes and at three area farms. Later, all but one of the homes sampled by the EPA and impacted by the site were connected to the public water system and no longer get their drinking water from private wells. The EPA continues to maintain the treatment systems at the three dairy farms and the residence.  

The site was added to the federal Superfund list in 2002. The EPA conducted an in-depth investigation of the extent of the contamination in order to determine how best to clean it up over the long term. Today’s proposed plan is a result of those investigations.

The EPA’s cleanup proposal divides the site ground water into three areas for planning purposes. For Area 1, which is located immediately south of the former Powerex facility, the agency will use bioremediation. Bioremediation involves adding chemicals to the ground water to promote the breakdown of the pollutants. The specific type of chemical and process to be used will be determined by the EPA as part of the design of the cleanup. Once the additive is selected and the process begun, the EPA will collect samples to confirm that the bioremediation is effective.

For the two remaining areas of ground water contamination, the EPA is proposing to rely on natural processes that are already reducing the levels of contamination and are expected to reduce the level of contamination in the ground water without an active treatment system. These areas are Area 2, located immediately south-southwest of Area 1, and Area 3 located south and southwest of Area 2. Area 1 has the highest levels of contamination followed by Area 2 and Area 3. In order for natural processes, referred to technically as natural attenuation, to work quickly and completely enough, the right conditions must exist underground. In this case, the EPA believes the right conditions exist in Areas 2 and 3. The EPA is requiring periodic collection and analysis of ground water samples to verify that the level and extent of contaminants are declining.

In addition, an important aspect of the long-term cleanup of ground water at the Cayuga Ground Water Contamination site involves cleanup actions being conducted by GE and overseen by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at the former Powerex facility, which is the major source of the contamination impacting the area ground water. Successful completion of the cleanup of the ground water at the former Powerex facility is important to the full realization of the benefits of the EPA’s proposed cleanup plan. New York and the EPA are working closely in their cleanup efforts.

Superfund is the federal cleanup program established by Congress in 1980 to investigate and clean up 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. Cleanups are only funded by taxpayer dollars when those responsible for the pollution cannot be found or are not financially viable. In this instance, the EPA has spent about $10 million in response costs, to date, primarily on investigations and studies and will be seeking to have the cleanup carried out by those responsible for the contamination at the Site. The estimated cost of the EPA’s proposed plan is $24.4 million.

Written comments may be mailed or emailed to:

Isabel R. Rodrigues, Remedial Project Manager

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

290 Broadway, 20th Floor

New York, New York 10007-1866

Telephone: (212) 637-4248

rodrigues.isabel@epa.gov

           

For more information on the Cayuga County Ground Water Contamination Superfund site, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/cayuga.

12-089                                                             # # #

EPA Regional Administrator Judith Enck and Congressmember Rodney Frelinghuysen Announce System to Treat Contaminated Ground Water at Rockaway Borough, NJ Superfund Site

Press release:

EPA Regional Administrator Judith Enck and Congressmember Rodney Frelinghuysen Announce System to Treat Contaminated Ground Water at Rockaway Borough, NJ Superfund Site

Tour Six Superfund Sites in Morris and Essex Counties   

Contact: Elias Rodriguez, (732) 672-5520 cell, (212) 637-3664 office, rodriguez.elias@epa.gov 

(New York, N.Y. – July 13, 2012) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck and Congressional Representative Rodney P. Frelinghuysen today announced the completion of a system to treat contaminated ground water at the Rockaway Borough Wellfield Superfund site in Rockaway Borough, New Jersey. The officials were in Morris and Essex Counties to review and assess progress on Superfund cleanups at six hazardous waste sites. They were joined by State and local officials to highlight the success of the federal Superfund law in protecting the health of people who live and work near contaminated sites, creating jobs and boosting local economies.

Superfund is the federal cleanup program established by Congress in 1980 to investigate and clean up the country’s most hazardous waste 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. Cleanups are only funded by taxpayer dollars when those responsible for the pollution cannot be found or are not financially viable.

“Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen and I got a first-hand look at how the ground water treatment system at the Rockaway Borough Wellfield site and other Superfund cleanups are protecting people’s health and the environment,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “Cleaning up toxic waste sites in New Jersey not only protects public health and the environment, but in 2011, federal Superfund cleanups created about 2,300 local jobs.

The Rockaway Borough Wellfield Superfund site includes three municipal water supply wells that supply drinking water to 11,000 people. The EPA recently completed work on a ground water treatment system to address perchloroethylene-contaminated ground water in the East Main Street/Wall Street area of the site. Perchloroethylene is a suspected cancer causing industrial solvent that can also cause short-term health effects such as respiratory distress and sore throats.

In 1985, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection investigated the Rockaway Borough site and concluded that contamination found in the municipal water supply was coming from multiple source areas within the borough. EPA initiated a followup investigation to identify the sources of contamination, determine its extent and evaluate potential cleanup methods. These investigations confirmed the perchloroethylene contamination and determined that a facility belonging to Klockner and Kockner was responsible for contaminating the soil with tetrachloroethene, a commonly used industrial solvent that can have serious health impacts, including liver damage and an increased risk of cancer. The EPA subsequently removed the contaminated soil and sent it to a facility certified to treat and dispose of it. The EPA installed a treatment system to clean up the ground water contamination. Work to remove and treat soil contaminated with lead at the Rockaway Borough site will begin later this year.    

Volatile organic compounds such as perchloroethylene and tetrachloroethene are a common concern at the sites visited on today’s Superfund tour. Many volatile organic compounds are known to cause cancer in animals and can cause cancer in people. The extent and nature of potential health effects depend on many factors, including the level and length of exposure.

Ground water, which collects underground in the spaces between dirt particles and cracks within rocks, flows underground and may empty into rivers, lakes or streams. Many people in New Jersey rely on ground water as the source of their drinking water. Public water supply systems are routinely tested to ensure compliance with federal and state drinking water standards, but contamination can make underground sources of drinking water unusable. To date, the cleanup has created 181 jobs and cost approximately $30 million.

In addition to Rockaway Borough, the other sites visited on the tour include:

The Radiation Technology, Inc. Superfund site in Rockaway Township is a 263-acre site that was used for testing and developing rocket motors and developing propellants. Ground water at the site is contaminated with volatile organic compounds. EPA is planning to excavate and remove pieces of deteriorated drums that were buried in a waste disposal area at the site to prevent them from further contaminating the surrounding soil with heavy metals. EPA's cleanup of the Radiation Technology site has been conducted in phases to facilitate the long-term restoration of the area. The work is being done by the company responsible for the pollution, Alliant Techsystems, with EPA oversight. During the first phase of the cleanup, the company installed wells to measure and monitor ground water contamination. Nearby residential drinking water wells were also sampled to ensure that drinking water was not affected. To date, the sampling has shown that the drinking water is not contaminated and monitoring of the residential wells continues. The second phase of the cleanup involved the removal and off-site disposal of the deteriorated drums. Continued sampling of residential wells has not found contaminated drinking water. To date, the cleanup has cost $4.3 million.

The Rockaway Township Wells Superfund site, located in Rockaway Township, is a two-square-mile wellfield containing a cluster of three municipal wells within 100 feet of each other that are contaminated with various volatile organic chemicals. A cleanup plan called for the treatment of the contaminated ground water and the replacement of the township’s air stripper, which forces air through polluted ground water to remove harmful chemicals. The air causes the chemicals to change from a liquid to a gas, which is then collected and cleaned. Sampling of several buildings revealed that chemical vapors were impacting the indoor air quality of some buildings on the site. To address these problems, a system was subsequently installed in two buildings to prevent soil vapors from entering them. Two of the public water supply wells have been taken out of service and water from the other is treated to remove the contamination and provide the community a safe source of drinking water.  

The Dayco Corp./L.E. Carpenter Company Superfund site is located in the Borough of Wharton. This 14.5-acre property housed buildings, warehouses and the remnants of disposal areas associated with a former vinyl wall covering manufacturing facility. The soil and ground water were contaminated with volatile organic compounds, lead and PCBs. The initial $26 million cleanup included the removal of 16 storage tanks, demolition of the various former manufacturing buildings and excavation of more than 46,000 tons of contaminated soil and liquid industrial waste. Residual volatile organic compound contamination in the ground water and a small area of soil are currently being addressed. All cleanup activities have been funded by the party responsible for the contamination. To date, the cleanup has cost approximately $26 million.

The Dover Municipal Well No. 4 Superfund site is a former public water supply well located in the town of Dover. The ground water is contaminated with volatile organic compounds. The well is not in service, but it is located 1.5 miles away from three municipal wells serving approximately 22,000 people. The EPA demolished a building formerly occupied by a dry cleaner, excavated and disposed of over 2,100 cubic yards of contaminated soil, and treated the remaining contaminated soil and shallow ground water to remove harmful chemicals. The EPA also tested nearby homes built above the contaminated ground water to ensure that vapors were not entering the houses. Soil sampling conducted at the site determined that three houses were situated in very close proximity to the contaminated material and were in such a poor structural condition that they needed to be demolished. The acquisition of these houses and relocation of the tenants was completed in August 2008. Ground water samples taken during the treatment process have demonstrated that the technology is effective. The EPA will continue monitoring to ensure that concentrations of ground water contamination are decreasing. To date, the cleanup has cost approximately $16 million.

The Caldwell Trucking Co. Superfund site is a former sewage hauling site occupying 11 acres in Fairfield. The Caldwell Trucking site consists of properties and ground water contaminated by the disposal of residential, commercial and industrial septic waste. Caldwell Trucking disposed of this waste in unlined lagoons from the early 1950s until 1973. After 1973, Caldwell installed underground storage tanks for the storage of the waste. Other industrial facilities in the area may also have contributed to the ground water contamination. The parties potentially responsible for the cleanup removed the contaminated soil and sludge from the lagoons and installed wells to monitor ground water quality. All contaminated soil has now been removed or no longer poses a risk and impacted wetlands have been restored.

There are about 500 single family homes located in a populated area within one mile of the site. Since 1981, over 300 private wells in the area have been taken out of service due to contamination. The affected residences have been connected to the municipal drinking water supply system. A system of pumps is used to bring the polluted ground water to the surface where it can be cleaned. In addition, testing of about 100 homes showed that in about 18 homes chemical vapors were impacting the indoor air quality. To address the problem, systems were installed in these homes to prevent these vapors from building up to harmful levels. To date, the cleanup has cost approximately $32 million.

At all sites at which ground water is contaminated, the EPA requires periodic collection and analysis of ground water samples to verify that the level and extent of contaminants are declining and that people’s health and the environment are protected. The EPA also conducts reviews every five years to ensure the effectiveness of the cleanups.

For more information about Superfund sites in New Jersey and across the country, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund.

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

12-085                                                             #   #   #

EPA to Hold Public Meeting on Liberty Industrial Finishing Superfund Site in the Village of Farmingdale, New York

Press release:

EPA to Hold Public Meeting on

Liberty Industrial Finishing Superfund Site in the Village of

Farmingdale, New York

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

(New York, N.Y. – July 12, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to change a portion of its plan to build two separate systems to treat contaminated ground water at the Liberty Industrial Finishing Superfund site in Farmingdale, New York. Between 1940 and 1978, various industrial operations took place at the site including aircraft parts and fiberglass products manufacturing and metal plating and finishing. Hazardous substances including cadmium, chromium and trichloroethene were disposed of in unlined basins and other areas on the site. One portion of the ground water under the site was contaminated by activities at the site itself, and another portion was believed to be contaminated by activities at the nearby Farmingdale Plaza Cleaners. The two separate areas of ground water at the 30-acre former industrial park were contaminated by volatile organic compounds, which can cause serious damage to people’s health and the environment. In 2002, the EPA issued a plan to install two separate systems to treat the portion of ground water contaminated by the manufacturing facility and the portion contaminated by the dry cleaner site. The system to treat contamination from the Liberty Industrial site was constructed and is currently operating. EPA is proposing to not build the second system because the dry cleaner site is being cleaned up by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and recent monitoring data shows that the contamination levels in the portion of ground water under the Liberty Industrial site that was contaminated by the dry cleaner site have dropped significantly. The EPA is also announcing a change in restrictions on the future use of a portion of the site to allow recreational use of that area.

The EPA will hold a public meeting on July 26, 2012 at 7:00pm to explain the proposed plan at the Farmingdale Library, 116 Merrits Road, Farmingdale. Comments will be accepted until August 20.

In December 2002, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation began work to clean up the Farmingdale Plaza Cleaners site under the state’s Superfund program. At that time, the EPA requested that the state also cleanup the ground water contamination underneath the Liberty Industrial site that was caused by the dry cleaner site. Since 2002, monitoring data has found that ground water contamination levels from the dry cleaner site have declined to near drinking water standards. Based on the monitoring data and the state’s plan to address the ground water as part of its work to clean up the dry cleaner site, the EPA no longer plans to build the second ground water treatment system at the Liberty Industrial Finishing site. The EPA will require periodic ground water sampling to verify that the level and extent of contaminants are declining and that people’s health and the environment continue to be protected.

The EPA is also announcing a change in restrictions on use of a portion of the site that has already been cleaned up. The original 2002 cleanup plan stated that a 7.5-acre portion of the site known as the Central Sub-Parcel could be used only for commercial or industrial activities after the cleanup. The Town of Oyster Bay, however, has since then acquired the 7.5-acre portion of the site for further expansion of the Ellsworth Allen Park, and has undertaken additional cleanup at the Central Sub-Parcel. After assessing the cleanup that has been completed at the site, the EPA has concluded that the Central Sub-Parcel is suitable for redevelopment with clearance for recreational use.

EPA has overseen a comprehensive cleanup of the Liberty Industrial Finishing site including:

• Excavation and disposal off-site of 70,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil
• Removal of contaminated water and solid material from vaults and sumps under ground
• Removal of underground storage tanks
• Construction and ongoing operation of a system to treat the ground water contaminated by former industrial activities at the site
• Excavation and disposal off-site of 4,200 cubic yards of contaminated pond sediment at the Massapequa Preserve.

Superfund is the federal cleanup program established by Congress in1980 to investigate and clean up the country’s most hazardous waste 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. Cleanups are only funded by taxpayer dollars when those responsible for the pollution cannot be found or are not financially viable. The cleanup of the Liberty Industrial Finishing Superfund site is being conducted and paid for by the parties responsible for the pollution with oversight by the EPA.

Written comments may be mailed or emailed to:

Lorenzo Thantu, Remedial Project Manager

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

290 Broadway, 20th Floor

New York, New York 10007-1866

(212) 637-4240

thantu.lorenzo@epa.gov

For more information on the Liberty Industrial Finishing Superfund site, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/libertyindustrial.

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

12-083                                                             # # #

New treatment system cleaning up groundwater At Crossley Farm Superfund Site

Press release:

Contact: Roy Seneca seneca.roy@epa.gov, 215-814-5567

New treatment system cleaning up groundwater

At Crossley Farm Superfund Site

BARTO, Pa. (July 10, 2012) – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin commemorated the opening of a new water treatment system today in a ribbon cutting ceremony. The new system will remove contamination from the groundwater at the Crossley Farm Superfund site in Hereford Township in Berks County.

“This construction project, which used approximately $6.5 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and created more than 60 jobs, demonstrates EPA’s commitment to transforming the contaminated groundwater associated with this Superfund site back to beneficial use for the local community,” said Garvin. “The people of Hereford Township can look upon this site as a tremendous success story.”

Located on 200 acres of farmland, the Crossley Farm site was once used for dumping various wastes, resulting in a TCE-contaminated groundwater plume. As part of EPA’s ongoing long-term cleanup plan for the site, the pump-and-treat system will treat the TCE-contamination in the groundwater. Underground piping connects the new treatment plant to four wells where the contaminated water is pumped to the plant and treated before being discharged on farm property adjacent to Perkiomen Creek. The system, which includes four extraction wells that can pump a total of about 450 gallons per minute, will help prevent the contaminated plume of groundwater from spreading.

The groundwater will be treated with air stripping technology to remove the TCE contamination. The water will then go through carbon filtration before it is discharged. The vapors coming from the air stripping treatment will also be treated before being released.

EPA received about $6.47 million in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to accelerate construction of the treatment plant and the cleanup. This Recovery Act funding was part of the $600 million that Congress appropriated to the federal Superfund remedial program. 

More details on the Crossley Farm Superfund cleanup can be found at http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/npl/PAD981740061.htm . 

Kellwood Company Agrees to Conduct Cleanup at the Riverfront Superfund Site in New Haven, Mo.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7

901 N. Fifth St., Kansas City, KS 66101

Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations

Kellwood Company Agrees to Conduct Cleanup at the Riverfront Superfund Site in New Haven, Mo.

Contact Information: Ben Washburn, 913-551-7364, washburn.ben@epa.gov

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., July 10, 2012) - Kellwood Company has entered into a settlement with EPA and the State of Missouri, to clean up contamination associated with its former metal fabrication plant in New Haven, Mo.

The settlement requires Kellwood to clean up soils and ground water contaminated with tetrachloroethylene, also known as PCE, a common industrial degreaser, at what is known as the Riverfront Superfund Site, Operable Units 2 and 6. Kellwood has also agreed to pay past and future response costs incurred by EPA and the State of Missouri associated with those two Operable Units (OUs).

“The signed agreement reflects the commitment EPA has to holding polluters accountable for their actions in order to protect human health and the environment,” EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks said. “I commend Kellwood for voluntarily entering into this agreement and taking responsibility for their past actions in the community of New Haven.”

The Riverfront Superfund Site was listed on EPA’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 2000 and consists of six Operable Units. Operable Unit 2 is the site of a former metal fabrication plant, owned and operated by Kellwood from approximately 1973 until 1985. Operable Unit 6 is the ground water contaminant plume emanating from OU 2 which has contaminated residential drinking water wells in the area. Kellwood has supplied whole house water filtration systems for the affected homes.

In 2011, EPA issued a Record of Decision setting forth the remedial actions to be taken at OUs 2 and 6.

# # #

EPA Reaches $14.6 million Settlement for Groundwater Cleanup at Torrance Superfund Sites

Press release:


For Immediate Release: July 12, 2012
Media Contact: Nahal Mogharabi, mogharabi.nahal@epa.gov


EPA Reaches $14.6 million Settlement for Groundwater Cleanup at Torrance Superfund Sites
Plant will Treat a Million Gallons per Day, Prevent Spread of Contamination

LOS ANGELES - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reached a $14.6 million settlement with four companies for the construction of a groundwater treatment system at the Montrose and Del Amo Superfund sites in Torrance, Calif. Construction of the treatment system is the first step in the cleanup of groundwater contaminated by chemicals used to manufacture DDT and synthetic rubber over three decades.


Once operational, the system will extract up to 700 gallons of water per minute, or a total of a million gallons each day, removing monochlorobenzene and benzene, and re-injecting the cleaned, treated water back into the aquifer. The treated water will not be served as drinking water, but will instead be re-injected to surround the contamination and prevent it from any further movement into unaffected groundwater areas. Construction of the treatment system is expected to be completed in 18 months. EPA will pursue further settlements with the four companies and other parties to ensure that additional cleanup actions are taken and the groundwater treatment system is operated and maintained until cleanup levels are met.

“One of the toxic legacies of DDT and synthetic rubber manufacturing is polluted groundwater,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “The treatment plant will be a milestone for the site, protecting the groundwater resources for the thousands of people who live or work near these former facilities.”

Montrose Chemical Corporation of California manufactured the pesticide DDT from 1947 until 1982. Monochlorobenzene was a raw material used in making DDT. The Montrose site was placed on the EPA’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. The Del Amo Superfund site, located adjacent to the Montrose site, was formerly a synthetic rubber manufacturing facility that used benzene, naphthalene and ethyl benzene. The Del Amo site was placed on the NPL in September of 2002. Groundwater contamination from both sites has co-mingled and will be cleaned up by this single treatment system.

The four responsible parties for this settlement are: Montrose, Bayer CropScience Inc., News Publishing Australia Limited, and Stauffer Management Company LLC. In addition to constructing the treatment system, these parties will also pay oversight costs incurred by EPA and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control.

To date, extensive investigations and cleanup actions have been performed at both sites. EPA’s DDT soil removal actions in the neighborhood near the Montrose site were completed in 2002. In 1999, Shell began cleaning-up the Del Amo Superfund site, constructing a multi-layer impermeable cap over the waste pits and installation of the soil-vapor extraction and treatment system. Additional soil and soil gas cleanups at the Del Amo site are slated to begin in 2013.

The proposed consent decree for the settlement, lodged with the federal district court by the U.S. Department of Justice on July 9, 2012, is subject to a 30-day comment period and final court approval. A copy of the proposed decree is available on the Justice Department website at: http://www.justice.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html

For more information on the Del Amo and Montrose Superfund Sites, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/socal/superfund/index.html


###

EPA Awards Over $139,000 to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission for Groundwater Protection

Press release from EPA:

EPA Awards Over $139,000 to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission

for Groundwater Protection

(DALLAS – July 10, 2012) The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) $139,217 to ensure continued protection of groundwater in Oklahoma. The EPA has delegated authority to the OCC to administer and enforce the underground injection control (UIC) program in Oklahoma. The funds will be used to issue permits for injection wells that meet program requirements and for shutting down wells when pollution has occurred. The funds will also be used to inventory injection wells, perform technical reviews of all permit applications, perform on-site field investigations and conduct interviews and visual observations for compliance assurance.

The mission of the EPA is to protect public health. This ensures American citizens have safe sources of drinking water through a cooperative effort between the EPA, state and tribal governments. The UIC program works toward protecting underground sources of drinking water from contamination by regulating the construction and operation of injection wells.

More information on the EPA Region 6 UIC program is available at http://www.epa.gov/region6/water/swp/uic/

Additional Information on EPA grants is available at http://www.epa.gov/region6/gandf/index.htm

More about activities in EPA Region 6 is available at http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.html

# # #

EPA Reaches Settlement for $6.6 Million Groundwater Cleanup at San Gabriel Valley Superfund Site

For Immediate Release: May 15, 2012
Media Contact: Nahal Mogharabi, mogharabi.nahal@epa.gov

EPA Reaches Settlement for $6.6 Million Groundwater Cleanup at San Gabriel Valley Superfund Site
Cleanup has removed 4,600 lbs of contaminants from one of the most polluted sites in the U.S.

LOS ANGELES - The U.S Environmental Protection Agency has entered into three settlements totaling $6,605,080 to help pay for groundwater cleanup at the South El Monte portion of the San Gabriel Valley Area 1 Superfund Site in Los Angeles, Calif. Since EPA began cleaning up this site in 2008, approximately 4,600 pounds of contaminants have been removed from the groundwater.

EPA has recovered a total of $25 million for the South El Monte cleanup, with the latest $6.6 million to pay for extraction and treatment of groundwater polluted with industrial solvents such as TCE (trichloroethylene) and PCE (perchloroethylene), a chemical once common in dry cleaning operations.

“EPA remains committed to pursuing parties responsible for environmental damage in the San Gabriel Valley,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “So far, more than ten billion gallons of water have been treated to provide safe drinking water for the local communities.”

The three settlement claims were brought by the U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of EPA and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control against eleven current or former landowners and operators of business facilities that contributed to the contamination in South El Monte.

The first of the recent consent decrees was entered in the federal District Court on April 13, 2012. The second and third consent decrees were lodged on May 15, 2012. All three resolve liabilities for contamination.

The eleven responsible parties are Quaker Chemical Corporation; Art Weiss, Inc.; Astro Seal, Inc.; Craneveyor Corp.; EBA, Inc. D/b/a Earl Butler & Associates; M&T, LLC; Mary Brkich; New Air, Inc.; Pacific Coast Drum Co.; Seachrome Corporation; and Linderman Living Trust A.


The San Gabriel Valley Area 1 Superfund site was placed on the National Priorities List in 1984, and overlays approximately eight square miles of solvent-tainted groundwater in the areas of South El Monte, El Monte and Rosemead. The San Gabriel Valley is a suburban, largely-developed portion of Los Angeles County containing more than one million residents and covering more than 170 square miles.


EPA signed an interim Record of Decision with the goal of containing contaminated groundwater at the site in 2000 and issued an Explanation of Significant Differences to address new contaminants in 2005. The San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority implements the cleanup under a Cooperative Agreement with EPA. The agreement funds groundwater extraction and treatment systems operated by the City of Monterey Park, San Gabriel Valley Water Company, and Golden State Water Company.


For more information on the San Gabriel Valley Superfund Area 1 Site, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/region9/southelmonte

Copies of the consent decrees will be available at: http://www.justice.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html

###

EPA Seeks Comments

News release from EPA Region 2:

EPA Seeks Public Input on Plan for Cleanup at

American Cyanamid Superfund Site in Bridgewater Township, N.J.

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

(New York, N.Y. - Feb. 16, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a cleanup plan for contaminated soil, ground water and six waste disposal areas at the American Cyanamid Superfund Site in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey, located on the Raritan River. The soil, ground water and waste disposal areas, called impoundments, are contaminated with volatile organic compounds and other hazardous materials. The ground water underlying the site is highly contaminated with benzene. Area residents are serviced by a public water supply that provides a safe source of drinking water.

The EPA is encouraging the public to comment on the plan through March 31, 2012 and will hold a public meeting on March 8, 2012 at 7:00 PM at the Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School, 14 Vogt Drive, Bridgewater, New Jersey.

"The cleanup plan for the American Cyanamid site is an important milestone in the EPA efforts to protect the health of people who live or work near the facility and water quality in the Raritan River," said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “EPA encourages the public to comment on the proposed plan and to learn more about it at the March 8 public meeting.”

Many volatile organic compounds are known to cause cancer in animals and benzene can cause cancer in people. Some volatile organic compounds have no known health effects. The extent and nature of potential health effects depend on many factors, including the level and length of exposure.

The American Cyanamid Superfund site has a history of industrial pollution dating back to 1915. For nearly 100 years, prior owners used the location for manufacturing chemicals. The site was placed on the federal Superfund list in 1983 after hazardous chemicals were found in the soil and ground water. The 435-acre Superfund site contained various areas used for the disposal of chemical sludge and other waste. In 1998, the EPA deleted 140 acres of the site from the Superfund list after they were evaluated and determined to be acceptable for redevelopment. The TD Bank Ballpark Stadium was subsequently built on a portion of the area. In 2009, Pfizer Inc. assumed responsibility for the American Cyanamid site as part of its purchase of the Wyeth Holding Corporation, a prior owner.

Because of the nature and complexity of the contamination at the site, the EPA divided the investigation and cleanup into phases. The plan announced today is the first phase of the cleanup. The proposed plan announced today details approaches to address contaminated soil, ground water and six waste disposal areas (Impoundments 3, 4, 5, 13, 17 and 24). Two additional impoundments (Impoundments 1 and 2) are the focus of a separate study to consider the feasibility of options to address them.

The highly toxic material in Impoundments 3, 4, and 5 will be treated at their current locations by introducing a mixing agent into the waste to make it more solid. This treatment method is a proven technology that immobilizes contaminants to prevent their migration. After this step, the waste disposal areas will be covered with a barrier system that traps vapors and prevents contaminated air from escaping into the atmosphere.

The soil at the site will be addressed using three different methods depending on the extent of the pollution in the soil. Soil that consists of tarry material or is highly toxic, similar to the waste within Impoundment 3, 4, and 5, will be excavated and combined with the material in the three impoundments. It will be treated with the existing waste in Impoundments 3, 4 and 5. Soil that contains volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds will be covered with a vapor control barrier and mitigation system to prevent the release of vapors into the air. Soil that has a lower level of pollution will be covered by a 24-inch thick engineered cap that will serve as a barrier that prevents direct contact. Additionally, the EPA will conduct an ecological study of the waste in Impoundments 13, 17 and 24, which are located in the flood plain of the site, to determine the appropriate treatment for these materials.

A currently operating ground water collection system, which has already treated millions of gallons of contaminated ground water at the site, will be improved by relocating the primary extraction wells to a more central location. Several new extraction wells will be added to enhance the efficiency of the ground water collection system. In addition, a recovery system for collecting and treating shallow contaminated ground water from portions of the site will be constructed at several locations. This system will prevent contaminated ground water from seeping into the Raritan River, Cuckhold’s Brook and Middle Brook. The details of these improvements will be developed during the remedial design phase of the cleanup project.

The proposed plan also calls for the placement of controls such as legal restrictions on land use to minimize the potential of future exposure and to ensure that the cleanup measures are not disturbed. Throughout the cleanup, monitoring will be conducted to ensure the effectiveness of the remedy. The EPA will conduct periodic reviews to ensure that the cleanup remains protective of public health and the environment.

The EPA is accepting public comments on the proposed plan until March 31, 2012. Written comments may be mailed or emailed to:

Joseph Battipaglia, Remedial Project Manager

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

290 Broadway, 19th Floor

New York, New York 10007-1866

Email: Battipaglia.joseph@epa.gov

The EPA has a website to inform the community about the site at: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/american_cyanamid.

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

12-017                                                             #   #   #