EPA has been performing an emergency removal action at this site which has primarily involved the stabilization, repackaging, transportation, and removal of hazardous magnesium materials and other solid wastes from the facility. EPA completed repackaging abandoned magnesium materials that have been stored in drums that have succumbed to varying degrees of corrosion. The repackaged materials have now been removed from the site. Areas of the site including open pad areas, low areas and drainage ways have been cleared of residual wastes that had spilled when the facility was operating. Low-level radioactive solids, and miscellaneous waste material have been packaged and shipped off site for disposal. Lime was removed from eight large vertical vats located on the west and south side of building 2. The lime was neutralized and shipped off site for disposal. Materials were separated from a large debris pile on the south side of the property that contained broken concrete embedded with rebar, and large pieces of scrap metal, mixed with dirt and other fines. The metal was shipped off site for recycling and the concrete and soil were shipped to landfill. Currently, surface soil is being excavated from locations where elevated arsenic and lead are present, and exploratory trenches are being used to locate and identify anodes and other potentially hazardous materials in the southwest corner of the facility. PADEP is overseeing site activities for the state and providing support. EPA Superfund Technical Assessment & Response Team (START) contractor TechLaw is providing technical and administrative support to the EPA. Site security operations are now relinquished to Lawrence County and Taylor Township officials. EPA will continue cleanup and assessment operations on an intermittent basis.
Personnel On Scene:
04/20/09 EPA-1, START-1, ERRS-7, PADEP-2
04/21/09 EPA-1, START-1, ERRS-7,
04/22/09 EPA-2, START-1, ERRS-7, PADEP-2 Other-1
04/23/09 EPA-2, START-1, ERRS-7, Other-3
04/24/09 START-1, ERRS-7, Other-1
04/25/09 ERRS-7
04/27/09 ERRS-7, PADEP-1, Other-2
04/28/09 EPA-2, ERRS-7, PADEP-1
Weather:
04/20/09 Low of 43° F, high of 54° F, rain, 0.53” precipitation, wind SE to 28 mph
04/21/09 Low of 39° F, high of 54° F, variable, rain , 0..09” precipitation, wind WSW to 23 mph
04/22/09 Low of 37° F, high of 52° F, mostly cloudy, 0.07” precipitation, wind WSW to 16 mph
04/23/09 Low of 34° F, high of 56° F, partly cloudy, 0.00” precipitation, wind WNW to 13 mph
04/24/09 Low of 38° F, high of 84° F, clear, 0.01” precipitation, wind SSW to 32 mph.
04/25/09 Low of 66° F, high of 88° F, clear, 0.00” precipitation, wind SW to 32 mph
04/27/09 Low of 54° F, high of 86° F, clear, 0.00” precipitation, wind SW to 14 mph
04/28/09 Low of 46° F, high of 64° F, overcast, rain, 0.14” precipitation, wind NW to 8 mph
04/19/09
ERRS mobilized to the Site. No on-site activities were conducted this date. PADEP representatives Hoffman and Jordan were on site to observe Site conditions.
04/20/09
The OSC and START mobilized to the Site. ERRS held a morning safety meeting and discussed the days activities. Throughout the day, ERRS contractor Guardian Environmental Services, Inc. hauled large concrete pieces and metal machinery from the area near former buildings 10 and 11 (south side of building 9) and staged the materials at the east end of the south paved lot. Per OSC direction, ERRS excavated a couple of test trenches and a small pit in the area where two partially exposed anodes were found near monitoring well No.4 (MW4). In the first trench, eight additional submerged arc furnace anodes and two partially crushed and rusted drums were unearthed. One drum contained soil and the other contained a bright green powdery solid. In test trench No. 2 located just south of MW4, no suspect hazardous materials were found. In the test pit located near trench 2, a shiny slag material was unearthed. PADEP collected six samples of the materials to be screened on their infrared spectrometer. Operations were halted at 1530 hours due to rain.
Unvalidated data was received from the CLP laboratory for 34 perimeter grid samples. START reviewed the data and began updating the grid maps.
04/21/09
ERRS held a morning safety meeting and discussed the days activities. ERRS continued to haul large concrete pieces from the area near former buildings 10 and 11 (submerged arc furnace buildings) and staged the materials on the east end of the south paved lot. Excavation of contaminated surface soils began in the non-slab covered areas located between building 9 and the field, and from the topographical low drainage way located southwest of building 9. Excavated contaminated surface soils were stockpiled on the loadout pad. The potential location of a UST was investigated in the area SW of building 9 where a metal plate and piping was unearthed. The suspected area was excavated to 6’ depth, however the pipes terminated and no UST was encountered. ERRS loaded a total of 17 trucks with contaminated soil this date. The trucks transported the soil to BFI Carbon Limestone Landfill, Lowellville, OH for disposal. Transportation was provided by John Browning Trucking Company.
START provided the OSC with technical and administrative assistance, conducted contractor monitoring, and written and photographic documentation. START provided updated grid maps to the OSC and a conference call was held to discuss the data. Samples collected by PADEP during test trenching were screened by START for gamma radiation.
4/22/09
ERRS held a morning safety meeting and discussed the days activities. ERRS continued to haul large concrete pieces from the area near former buildings 10 and 11. Excavation of contaminated surface soils continued in the non-slab covered areas located between building 9 and the field. Excavation proceeded from west to east and the contaminated soil was stockpiled on the loadout pad. ERRS loaded a total of 22 trucks with contaminated soil this date. The trucks transported the soil to BFI Carbon Limestone Landfill, Lowellville, OH for disposal. Transportation was provided by John Browning Trucking Company.
PADEP representatives G. Mechtly and M. Hoffman arrived on site and conducted a Site walkthrough and provided oversight. A meeting was held with the OSC to discuss the Site status, possible future actions, and the potential for deed restrictions.
PADEP screened the test trench samples with the infrared spectrometer which was brought to the Site. Analysis of seven samples, including a sample of white material collected this date, concluded that three of the samples contained calcium carbide and or calcium carbonate, one sample contained glass with impurities, and three samples remained unknown.
START provided the OSC with technical and administrative assistance, conducted contractor monitoring, and written and photographic documentation. START provided updated grid maps and identified excavation boundary locations. OSC Easton mobilized to the Site and provided oversight.
04/23/09
ERRS held a morning safety meeting and discussed the days activities. ERRS continued to haul large concrete pieces from the area near former buildings 10 and 11. Excavation of contaminated surface soils continued in the non-slab covered areas located between building 9 and the field. Excavation proceeded from west to east and the soil was stockpiled on the loadout pad. ERRS loaded a total of 15 trucks with contaminated soil this date. The trucks transported the soil to BFI Carbon Limestone Landfill, Lowellville, OH for disposal. Transportation was provided by John Browning Trucking Company.
OSC Easton mobilized to the Site and provided oversight.
START provided the OSC with technical and administrative assistance, conducted contractor monitoring, and written and photographic documentation. START identified excavation boundary locations with sub-meter GPS based on unvalidated analytical data received. START screened the soil stockpile for ionizing radiation. Slightly elevated activity was noted due to presence of TENORM and discussed with the OSC and Site personnel. The OSC spoke with EPA ERT (G. Powell) regarding the radiation levels in the soil pile. The OSC directed START to collect samples of the material and send them to ERT’s subcontractor for analysis with a Surveillance and Measurement (SAM) Isotope Identifier. START collected three samples and shipped them to the ERT subcontractor. ERRS staged the TENORM soil separately.
At 1515 hours, bank appraisals representative K. Teets arrived on Site and showed two individuals from Auction & Reality Service the office interior. Upon request, START also showed them the location of the front end loader in building 2, and the sweeper machine located in the PMC building.
EPA personnel demobilized.
4/24/09
ERRS held a morning safety meeting and discussed the days activities. Excavation of contaminated surface soils continued in the non-slab covered areas located between building 9 and the field. Excavation proceeded from west to east and the soil was stockpiled on the loadout pad. ERRS loaded a total of 3 trucks with contaminated soil this date. The trucks transported the soil to BFI Carbon Limestone Landfill, Lowellville, OH for disposal. Transportation was provided by John Browning Trucking Company.
START provided technical and administrative assistance, conducted contractor monitoring, and written and photographic documentation. Per OSC direction, START identified excavation boundary locations with sub-meter GPS based on unvalidated analytical data received. START demobilized at C.O.B.
4/25/09
ERRS held a morning safety meeting and discussed the days activities. Excavation of contaminated surface soils continued in the non-slab covered areas located between building 9 and the field. Excavation proceeded from west to east and the soil was stockpiled on the loadout pad.
4/27-28/09
ERRS held a morning safety meeting and discussed the days activities. Excavation of contaminated surface soils continued. Contaminated soil was removed from the hillside near the river at hot spot location 9-M,106 (a.k.a. 20’ grid 11,AJ). Contaminated soil was excavated from grids surrounding hot spot location 5-C,0 (a.k.a 20’ grids 26,X; 27,X; 27,AA). Excavations proceeded to 6-in depth and soil was stockpiled on the loadout pad south of building 9. PADEP provided oversight each day and the OSC directed operations on 4/28/09.
EPA and PADEP demobilized by C.O.B.
At the direction of the OSC, START began planning for post-excavation verification soil sampling based on 50-ft grids.
04/29/09
ERRS demobilized.
The OSC directed START to collect post-excavation samples for arsenic and lead analysis. The OSC directed ERRS to determine disposal options for the stockpiled soil. Remobilization to the Site is anticipated during mid-May.
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