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Former Tombarello & Sons Property Site

All POL/SITREP's for this site Former Tombarello & Sons Property Site
Lawrence, MA - EPA Region I
POLREP #5
Final
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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Former Tombarello & Sons Property Site - Removal Polrep
Final Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region I

Subject: POLREP #5
Final
Former Tombarello & Sons Property Site
01FQ
Lawrence, MA
Latitude: 42.7174990 Longitude: -71.1410129


To:
From: Eric Vanderboom, OSC
Date: 9/26/2011
Reporting Period:

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: 01FQ    Contract Number: EP-W-08-062
D.O. Number:      Action Memo Date: 7/7/2010
Response Authority: CERCLA    Response Type: Time-Critical
Response Lead: EPA    Incident Category: Removal Action
NPL Status: Non NPL    Operable Unit: N/A
Mobilization Date: 9/14/2010    Start Date: 9/14/2010
Demob Date: 7/6/2011    Completion Date: 7/6/2011
CERCLIS ID: MAD019426238    RCRIS ID: MAD019426238
ERNS No.: N/A    State Notification: 3-18126
FPN#:    Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category

 

The “Site” consists of nine privately-owned residential properties (total of approximately 2 acres) and an abandoned former metal scrap recycling facility (14 acres) known as Tombarello and Sons.  Operations had included magnetic separation of metals from soil and truck driving instruction, both of which generated dust for many years. The residential properties have reportedly been contaminated due to their proximity to the facility. They are all currently occupied, and their condition and features are consistent with well-maintained homes.

 

Tombarello had erected a fence between the homes and the facility in the mid-1960s, and later maintained it to help mitigate fugitive dust from entering the residential properties.

 

On April 2, 2008 the Site was referred by letter to EPA from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), who had already sampled the nine residential properties and the facility, as a potential removal action. On April 29, 2008, EPA performed a Preliminary Assessment/Site Investigation (PA/SI) on the residential properties.  The facility was not inspected at that time because of access issues.

1.1.2 Site Description

The Tombarello property is generally level, contains several buildings and building foundation pads, and is secured with chain-link fencing. Most of the equipment, metal and debris have been removed, but some, including one excavator, remains. The surface is a mostly bare soil/gravel mix with some sparse vegetation and some soil piles. A drainage ditch runs from the north to the southwest, adjacent to I-495.  Sampling on the northern property boundary indicates contamination with PCBs and metals in surface soil.

The residential properties are well-maintained and contain homes, lawn, decorative shrubbery/ trees and a variety of outbuildings and patios. Elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and metals had been detected throughout the back yards.

A narrow strip of land in the back of some of the residential properties is legally part of the Tombarello & Sons property, but had been incorporated as an integral part of the resident’s back yards for years because the fence was placed inside the Tombarello & Sons property and a vegetative border evolved.

According to the Region ArcGIS mapping tool, within one mile of the Site there are:

  • 21,968 residents;
  • 8 public and private schools;
  • One day care center;
  • One hospital;
  • Two nursing homes.


According to the EPA Region 1 Environmental Justice Mapping Tool, the Site is not in an environmental justice area.

1.1.2.1 Location

 

The impacted residential properties are located at 19-53 Hoffman Avenue in Lawrence, Essex County, Massachusetts (Map 33, Lots 14, 13, 12, 12a, 11, 10-1, 10-2, 9 and 8), north of the  Tombarello property the address of which is 207 Marston Street (Map 33, Lot 17); (42 43’ 10.88 North latitude, 071 08’ 29.41 West longitude).  This mixed industrial/ residential area is bounded on the east by I-495, on the west by Marston Street, on the north by the Hoffman Avenue, and on the south by industrial properties. A middle school is located across Marston Street from the Tombarello property.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

 

Analysis of 17 soil samples from the northern property line of the Tombarello & Sons property detected PCBs, lead, cadmium, chromium and barium in excess of MassDEP and/or EPA screening levels for unrestricted residential use.

 

Analysis of 129 soil samples from the residential properties detected PCBs, lead, cadmium, chromium and arsenic in excess of MassDEP and/or EPA screening levels for unrestricted residential use.

 

The PA indicated that the pathway of the contaminants to the abutting yards was both by air via wind and dust and by surface water run-off. SI sampling supports these pathways by indicating that the contamination is on or near the ground surface.  In the following table summarizing the data, highlighted entries indicate exceedences of allowable contaminant levels and associated properties.

The maximum concentration for lead (the driving contaminant) in the residents yards was 7000 mg/kg (ppm).



2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
    2.1.1 Narrative

  • ERRS completed phase 1 of activities on 10/5/2010.
  • ERRS completed phase 2 -residential removal action and demoblization- on 7/6/2011.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

8/25/2010 - 7/5/2011 - See POLREPS 1, 2, 3, and 4.

  • Demoblized from site on July 6, 2011.
  • Subcontractor (Landscaper) provided hydration from June 30 - July 28, 2011 for the plantings and hydroseed.
  • Received final weight slips for off site disposal and report on August 2, 2011. 
  • Additional Site restoration work was completed in Septemeber, 2011. 
2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
A Notice Letters were sent to the agent for the Note holder on 8/26/2010, to the Note Holder's last known site contact. Research as to contact information for the source PRP continues.

The PRP has signed an Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent (AOC) for Removal Action on the industrial part of the Site.  The agreement went into affect on April 26, 2011 and work was complete in May, 2011.  

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal
 Non-RCRA Lead Contaminated Soil  soil  648.84 tons  MA Bill of Lading BWSC112  none  Greenwood Street Landfill,
30 NippNapp Trail
Worcester, MA
01607



  2.2 Planning Section
   

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
  • On-site activities are complete. 
2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

2.2.1.2 Next Steps  
  • Distribute After Action Report to partnering agencies and the administrative record.
2.2.2 Issues
  • Residents unhappy with some of the restoration work e.g. bare spots in grass in yard, uneven yard surfaces, sprinkler heads sticking up too far, and fence not level to name a few.  Some of the complaints could not be addressed due to cost or other factors, but EPA sent a crew back on September 15, 2011 to address those which could be addressed.


  2.3 Logistics Section
    No information available at this time.

  2.4 Finance Section
    No information available at this time.

  2.5 Other Command Staff
    2.5.1 Safety Officer
none

2.6 Liaison Officer
none

2.7 Information Officer
none

2.7.1 Public Information Officer
2.7.2 Community Involvement Coordinator


3. Participating Entities
  3.1 Unified Command


3.2 Cooperating Agencies
  • MassDEP
  • MADPH
  • City of Lawrence
  • Residents
  • EPA Community Involvment Staff and ATSDR.


4. Personnel On Site
  none

5. Definition of Terms
  No information available at this time.

6. Additional sources of information
  No information available at this time.

7. Situational Reference Materials
  No information available at this time.