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 Extends Public Comment Period on Plan for the White Chemical Corporation Superfund site in Newark, New Jersey

Press release:

EPA Extends Public Comment Period on Plan for the White Chemical Corporation Superfund site in Newark, New Jersey

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

(New York, N.Y. – Aug. 29, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is extending by thirty days the public comment period for the plan it has proposed for the contaminated ground water beneath the White Chemical Corporation Superfund site in Newark, New Jersey. The ground water was contaminated with volatile organic compounds by past industrial activities at the site. Volatile organic compounds can cause serious damage to people’s health and the environment. The proposed plan calls for the injection of chemicals into the ground water that will break down the contamination. The ground water will be monitored and its use will be restricted.

The EPA held a public meeting on August 2, 2012 to explain the proposed plan. At the request of a member of the public, the agency is extending the public comment period from its original date of August 21 to a new public comment deadline of September 20, 2012.

The final phase of the cleanup, which was announced July 25 addresses the contaminated ground water. After extensive study, the EPA has concluded that it is not technically feasible to pump out and treat the contaminated 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.

Instead, the proposed plan calls for bioremediation, the injection of chemicals into the ground water to promote the breakdown of the pollutants. The specific process to be used to inject the chemical additive will be determined by the EPA as part of the design of the cleanup. Once the process has begun, the EPA will collect samples to confirm that the bioremediation is effective. The EPA is proposing to install additional monitoring wells to monitor the ground water and to put into place restrictions that will prevent its use as a source of drinking water in the future. The EPA is requiring 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 former White Chemical Corporation site, which covers 4.4 acres, is located at 660 Frelinghuysen Avenue in Newark, and is surrounded by many residential, commercial and industrial properties. Beginning in the 1930s, portions of the site were used by multiple businesses for industrial activities including the manufacture of acid chlorides and fire retardants. The White Chemical Corporation operated a chemical manufacturing facility at the site from 1983 to 1990 and was cited by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for multiple environmental violations before the company abandoned the facility. Thousands of drums were left behind, with many of them leaking hazardous chemicals. The site was added to the federal Superfund list of the country’s most hazardous waste sites in 1991.

Written comments may be mailed or emailed to:

Ray Klimcsak, Remedial Project Manager

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region 2

290 Broadway- 19th Floor

New York, N.Y. 10007-1866

(212) 637-3916

klimcsak.raymond@epa.gov

           

For more information on the White Chemical Superfund site, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/whitechem.

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

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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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EPA Encourages the Public to Comment on Plan for Cleanup at Scientific Chemical Superfund Site in Carlstadt, New Jersey

News release:

EPA Encourages the Public to Comment on Plan for Cleanup at

Scientific Chemical Superfund Site in Carlstadt, New Jersey

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

(New York, N.Y. – August 2, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a plan to clean up contaminated ground water at the Scientific Chemical Processing Superfund site in Carlstadt, New Jersey. Past industrial activities contaminated the ground water with volatile organic compounds, which can have serious health effects, including liver damage and an increased risk of cancer. The proposed plan calls for the ground water to be treated to break down the contaminants to protect people’s health and the environment.

The EPA will hold a public meeting on August 9, 2012 to explain the proposed plan and is encouraging public comments. The meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the Carlstadt Borough Hall, 500 Madison Street, Carlstadt, New Jersey. Comments will be accepted until September 4, 2012.

From the 1940s to 1980, what is now referred to as the Scientific Chemical Processing site was used to process solvents for further use or disposal. In 1970, the Scientific Chemical Processing Company leased the site and used the property for processing industrial waste from 1971 until the company was shut down.

The Scientific Chemical Processing site was listed on the EPA’s Superfund list of the nation’s most hazardous waste sites in 1983. Between 1983 and 1985, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection required the company to remove approximately 250,000 gallons of wastes stored in tanks which had been abandoned at the site. The EPA took the lead in overseeing the cleanup in 1985.

Because of the nature and complexity of the contamination at the site, the cleanup has been conducted in three phases. The first phase began in 1990, when the EPA implemented a plan to contain contaminated ground water and soil on the Scientific Chemical Processing property proper while a longer term plan could be developed. An underground wall was constructed to prevent contaminated ground water from moving off-site. A cap was installed to prevent exposure to contaminated soil on the site and to keep water from seeping into the ground water. In addition, a system was built to collect the ground water so it could be shipped off-site and treated.

In August 2002, based on the results of monitoring conducted after the first phase of work, the EPA began implementing a long term plan for the ground water and soil on the property. Under this plan, the EPA removed an area of highly contaminated soil and upgraded the ground water extraction. Ground water is still being shipped off-site for treatment. This work was completed in October 2011.

During the third phase, currently proposed by the EPA, substances designed to break the contaminants down to less toxic forms would be injected into the ground water in affected areas outside of the site. Samples of the ground water would be collected and analyzed regularly to ensure the technology is effective, and remains protective of human health and the environment. Monitoring will continue until ground water cleanup levels have been met.

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 Scientific Chemical Processing site is being conducted and paid for by a group of over 100 companies with oversight by the EPA.

Written comments may be mailed or emailed to:

Stephanie Vaughn, Remedial Project Manager

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region 2

290 Broadway – 19th Floor

New York, N.Y. 10007-1866

(212) 637-4410

vaughn.stephanie@epa.gov

For more information on the Scientific Chemical Processing Superfund site, go to: http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/scientificchemical/

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

EPA to Hold Public Meeting on Plan for the White Chemical Corporation Superfund site in Newark, New Jersey

Press release:

EPA to Hold Public Meeting on Plan for the White Chemical Corporation Superfund site in Newark, New Jersey

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

(New York, N.Y. – July 25, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing a plan to clean up contaminated ground water beneath the White Chemical Corporation Superfund site in Newark, New Jersey. The ground water was contaminated with volatile organic compounds by past industrial activities at the site. Volatile organic compounds can cause serious damage to people’s health and the environment. The proposed plan calls for the injection of chemicals into the ground water that will break down the contamination. The ground water will be monitored and its use will be restricted. 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 Newark City Hall Council Chambers, 920 Broad Street, Newark. Comments will be accepted until August 21, 2012.

The former White Chemical Corporation site, which covers 4.4 acres, is located at 660 Frelinghuysen Avenue in Newark, and is surrounded by many residential, commercial and industrial properties. Beginning in the 1930s, portions of the site were used by multiple businesses for industrial activities including the manufacture of acid chlorides and fire retardants. The White Chemical Corporation operated a chemical manufacturing facility at the site from 1983 to 1990 and was cited by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for multiple environmental violations before the company abandoned the facility. Thousands of drums were left behind, with many of them leaking hazardous chemicals. The site was added to the federal Superfund list of the country’s most hazardous waste sites in 1991.

Because of the nature and complexity of the contamination at the site, the investigations and cleanups have been divided into three phases. The proposed plan announced today is for the third phase of the long-term cleanup.

The first phase of the work alleviated immediate threats to the surrounding community. The work was complex and dangerous and included removing drums of potentially explosive chemicals, addressing leaking chemicals throughout the site and decontaminating some buildings. In all, the EPA supervised the removal of about 9,000 drums, 12,500 chemical containers, 50,000 gallons of liquid contained in process tanks and addressed many other hazards at the facility. Some of the hazardous materials were treated on-site to neutralize the contamination. Others were removed for re-use or disposed of at off-site facilities with permits to receive them.

Under phase two of the cleanup, the EPA focused on ongoing sources of harmful vapors that could impact the surrounding area, including contaminated buildings and soil and abandoned storage tanks. In this phase, the EPA excavated and removed 23,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil from the site, demolished nine buildings and removed an above ground storage tank. The EPA then placed clean soil over the contaminated areas and placed a stone cover over the entire property to prevent erosion.

The third phase and final phase of the cleanup announced today addresses the contaminated ground water. After extensive study, the EPA has concluded that it is not technically feasible to pump out and treat the contaminated 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.

Instead, the proposed plan calls for bioremediation, the injection of chemicals into the ground water to promote the breakdown of the pollutants. The specific process to be used to inject the chemical additive will be determined by the EPA as part of the design of the cleanup. Once the process has begun, the EPA will collect samples to confirm that the bioremediation is effective. The EPA is proposing to install additional monitoring wells to monitor the ground water and to put into place restrictions that will prevent its use as a source of drinking water in the future.

The EPA is requiring 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.

To date, the EPA has spent about $20 million on the cleanup of the White Chemical site. The estimated cost of the proposed final phase of the cleanup is $25 million.

Written comments may be mailed or emailed to:

Ray Klimcsak, Remedial Project Manager

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region 2

290 Broadway - 19th Floor

New York, N.Y. 10007-1866

(212) 637-3916

klimcsak.raymond@epa.gov

           

For more information on the White Chemical Superfund site, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/whitechem.

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

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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.

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EPA Adds South Gate Industrial Facilities to List of Nation’s Worst Toxic Sites

For Immediate Release: May 9, 2012
Media Contact: Nahal Mogharabi, mogharabi.nahal@epa.gov

EPA Adds South Gate Industrial Facilities to List of Nation’s Worst Toxic Sites
Superfund investigation begins at LA County Southern Avenue Industrial Area and Jervis B. Webb Co.

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is adding two new sites to the Superfund National Priorities List in Los Angeles County, Calif. Southern Avenue Industrial Area site and Jervis B. Webb Co. are former industrial facilities located in South Gate. 

Last year, EPA proposed to add both sites to the list due to soil and groundwater contamination. Volatile organic compounds, including elevated levels of trichloroethylene (TCE), commonly used as a solvent for cleaning metal parts, have been confirmed in the soils and groundwater at these sites. With today’s action, these two sites are now finalized on the Superfund list. Superfund is the federal program that investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country.

“These industrial plants are located in the I-710 corridor, a priority area for EPA, where low-income and minority populations are overburdened by pollution,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “Now that these sites are officially on the Superfund list, EPA will begin full-scale investigations of the contaminated soil and drinking water sources.”
South Gate is one of several densely populated communities closest to the I-710 freeway, where the effects of pollution are disproportionately higher than in other areas of Los Angeles County. Approximately 1 million people, about 70% of whom are minority and low-income households, are severely impacted by industrial activities and goods movement in the area. In a multiyear effort, federal, state, and local governments and nonprofit organizations are working together to improve the environmental and public health conditions for residents along this corridor.
TCE contamination in the groundwater at Southern Avenue Industrial Area and Jervis B. Webb Co. was found at levels up to 17,000 ppb (parts per billion) and 35,000 ppb respectively. The federal Maximum Contaminant Level for TCE in drinking water is 5 ppb. The MCL is the highest level of a contaminant allowed in drinking water. Although the drinking water supply wells immediately downgradient of the two sites are located in a deeper aquifer and are not currently contaminated, because the aquifers are connected, there is the potential that drinking water wells may become contaminated. There are at least 35 drinking water wells within four miles of the site, serving approximately 226,000 people.
From 1972 through to the present day, the Southern Avenue Industrial Area site has been occupied by a facility that manufactures hot-melt adhesive tape for laying carpets. Prior to 1972, Pacific Screw Products Corporation manufactured screw products at the property until the business went bankrupt.
The Jervis B. Webb Co. conducted metal fabrication, finishing, painting and assembly operations associated with the manufacture of industrial conveyor belt systems from the 1950s to 1996 on a portion of the Jervis B. Webb Co. site. In 1997, Reliable Steel, Inc. purchased this portion of the site. Blake Rivet Company leased another portion of the site until approximately 1981. The Blake Rivet Company produced aluminum and stainless steel aircraft rivets.
Since 1983, 1,664 sites have been listed on the NPL. Of these sites, 359 sites have been completely cleaned up, resulting in 1,305 sites currently on the Superfund list (including those added today). There are 59 proposed sites awaiting final agency action.
With all Superfund listed sites, EPA works to identify companies or people responsible for the contamination at a site, and require them to conduct or pay for the cleanup. For the new sites without financially viable responsible parties, EPA will investigate the full extent of the contamination before starting significant cleanup at the site.
Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the sites: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/current.htm

For more information about the I-710 Freeway initiative, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/region9/ej/enforcement.html

Superfund sites in local communities: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/index.htm

EPA Adds Three Hazardous Waste Sites to Superfund’s National Priorities List

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMay 9, 2012

EPA Adds Three Hazardous Waste Sites to Superfund’s National Priorities List

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is adding three new hazardous waste sites that pose risks to people’s health and the environment to the National Priorities List (NPL) of Superfund sites. EPA’s Superfund program investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country.
“Superfund cleanups take contaminated properties and make them safe places for people and the environment,” said Mathy Stanislaus, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. “They can also return these properties to communities for productive use, which translates into job creation, increased property values, enhanced local tax bases and improved quality of life.”
Since 1983, 1,664 sites have been listed on the NPL. Of these sites, 359 sites have been cleaned up, resulting in 1,305 sites currently on the NPL (including the three sites added today). There are 59 proposed sites awaiting final agency action.
Contaminants found at the sites include benzene, heavy metals, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and trichloroethylene (TCE).
The following three sites have been added to the National Priorities List:
• Jervis B. Webb Co. (former metal fabrication facility) in South Gate, Calif.;
• Southern Avenue Industrial Area (adhesive manufacturer) in South Gate, Calif.;
• Bremerton Gasworks (former gasworks facility) in Bremerton, Wash.
With all NPL sites, EPA works to identify companies or people responsible for the contamination at a site, and require them to conduct or pay for the clean up. For the newly listed sites without viable potentially responsible parties, EPA will investigate the full extent of the contamination before starting significant cleanup at the site. Therefore, it may be several years before significant EPA cleanup funding is required for these sites.
Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the sites: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/current.htm
Information about how a site is listed on the NPL: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/npl_hrs.htm
Superfund sites in local communities: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/index.htm

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Idaho Haz Waste Disposal Site Failed to Disclose Releases

Idaho hazardous waste disposal site failed to disclose chemical releases

Contacts: Hanady Kader, EPA Public Affairs, (206) 553-0454, kader.hanady@epa.gov
Graham Kirn, EPA Toxics Release Inventory Program, (206) 553-1603, kirn.graham@epa.gov

(Seattle—March 22, 2012) US Ecology Idaho, Inc., a hazardous waste disposal site in Grand View, Idaho, failed to report the on-site disposal of thousands of pounds of chemicals at its facility, according to a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The company has corrected the violations of the Toxics Release Inventory Program and will pay a fine.

 “Companies that handle toxic chemicals have a responsibility to be transparent about what they use and release into the environment,” said Kelly Huynh, manager of the Inspection and Enforcement Management Unit at EPA in Seattle. “Accurate, timely numbers from companies are critical for communities to have up-to-date information on chemical releases in their states.”

US Ecology Idaho, Inc. failed to report the on-site disposal of 20 chemicals and chemical categories during 2009.

As part of its hazardous waste disposal operations, the company disposed of more than 10,000 pounds each of aluminum, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper and copper compounds, diethanolamine, ethylene glycol, manganese, methyl isobutyl ketone, nickel, nitric acid, selenium, silver, thallium and zinc.

In addition, the company disposed of more than 100 pounds of lead and lead compounds and more than 10 pounds each of mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls.

Many of the chemicals disposed of at the facility have dangerous human health impacts and risks associated with them.

The company has submitted the required reports to the EPA and the State of Idaho to resolve the violations and agreed to pay a penalty of $184,400.

Under the federal Toxics Release Inventory Program, companies that use certain toxic chemicals are required to report annually about releases, transfers and waste management activities involving toxic chemicals at their facilities.

The Toxics Release Inventory Program falls under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, which aims to inform communities and citizens of chemical hazards in their neighborhoods.

For more information on the Toxics Release Inventory Program, visit: http://www.epa.gov/tri