In 2004, the WVDEP requested assistance from the USEPA to conduct a removal site evaluatoin at the abandoned Lin Electric Company facility located in Bluefield, WV. The Site contained numerous containers of hazardous, non-hazardous and unknown constituents. On December 6, 2004, the USEPA began a removal action at the facility and removed many of the containerized wastes and residues from some of the ovens at the Site. On January 31, 2005, the USEPA completed the removal action after the wastes were transported to a waste disposal facility. Some drummed wastes remained at the Site in a basement flooded by oily water. Additionally, some PCB contamination remained in a drain at the Site.
In June 2008, USEPA iniated additional removal site evaluation in response to PCB contamination in surface waters near the Site. Since 2005, most of the Site buildings were demolished, but the conditions since 2005 had otherwise not changed. Declining water levels in the basement uncovered 38 drums of unknown materials. A removal action was re-initiated in August 2008 intending to minimize the off-Site migration through drainage systems at the Site. The removal action was modified in December 2008 to include removal of the PCB sources from the Site.
In June 2009, EPA completed the removal of the identified probable sources of PCB migrating from the Site. A Unilateral Order was subsequently issued under which the accumulated wastes would be removed. Cooper Industries completed the requirements of the Order in 2009.
In 2010,EPA remobilized to the Site to remove contaminated filter media from the Bluefield Sanitary Board facility and to complete an evaluation of the potential for PCB migration through the ground water pathway.
The Removal Action is now completed and a FINAL POLREP is posted in the documents section of this website..
