| 1. Introduction |
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1.1 Background
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| Site Number: |
A809 |
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Contract Number: |
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| D.O. Number: |
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Action Memo Date: |
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| Response Authority: |
CERCLA |
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Response Type: |
Emergency |
| Response Lead: |
EPA |
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Incident Category: |
Removal Action |
| NPL Status: |
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Operable Unit: |
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| Mobilization Date: |
6/12/2011 |
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Start Date: |
6/10/2011 |
| Demob Date: |
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Completion Date: |
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| CERCLIS ID: |
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RCRIS ID: |
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| ERNS No.: |
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State Notification: |
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| FPN#: |
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Reimbursable Account
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1.1.1
Incident Category
Other
- Condemned Structure
1.1.2
Site Description
At
approximately 17:00 on June 9, 2011, EPA Region 8 Emergency Response
Program received a referral from EPA personnel working with the
Oglala Sioux Tribe regarding a landfill fire on the Pine Ridge
Reservation in South Dakota. The phone duty EPA On-Scene
Coordinator (OSC) contacted the local landfill manager, Tribal
representatives and Indian Health Service (IHS) personnel.
Reports from the scene, including video and photographs, depicted a
large, uncontrolled fire at the landfill’s main repository.
Local attempts to cover the area with soil were not successful and
nearly resulted in a serious situation when a bulldozer operator and
his equipment began sinking into the smoldering debris. The
local fire department responded to the fire but declined to become
involved indicating that they did not have the proper equipment to
fight the fire. EPA OSC Paul Peronard deployed to the Pine
Ridge Landfill Fire Site (Site) on June 12, 2011.
The Site
is the sole landfill for the Pine Ridge Reservation and has been in
operation for less than 10 years. It is a Subtitle D solid
waste facility that services some 11 transfer stations throughout
the reservation. The landfill supports approximately 30,000
people including the communities of Pine Ridge and Kyle.
Approximately 30-50 tons of municipal solid waste is deposited at
the landfill on a daily basis. Because there is no alternate
facility and storage at the various transfer stations is limited,
trash and potentially hazardous solid waste continues to be trucked
into the landfill.
1.1.2.1
Location
The
landfill is located 13 miles south of Red Shirt along BIA Highway 41
in southwest South Dakota. Approximate GPS
coordinates are 43.590 north latitude and -102.890 west
longitude. The property is owned and operated by the
Oglala
Sioux Tribe and supported by the Federal Indian Health Service
(IHS).
1.1.2.2
Description of Threat
The fire
has progressed to include approximately 80 percent (~5 acres) of the
landfill surface footprint. As the wind shifts, a resulting
noxious plume inundates nearby BIA Highway 41. Initial
measurements taken on June 13, 2011 indicate elevated levels of
particulates, VOCs and carbon monoxide and decreased levels of
oxygen. Explosive pockets of gas are actively being released
and both intact and exploded canisters (such as propane bottles used
in household barbeques) have been observed.
Regular
cover and compaction has not been applied consistently and the
subsurface fire is expected to burn indefinitely, with the uncovered
trash 10-12 feet deep providing fuel and furnace-type airflow throw
the poorly compacted layers of waste. Use of the landfill is
largely unrestricted, and local contacts indicate that waste is not
screened for hazardous household materials before it is
deposited.
As
previously mentioned, there is
no other facility capable of handling the reservation’s waste
stream, even temporarily. Thus,
unless the fire is put out, landfill personnel as well as workers
hauling daily loads to the landfill and motorists along BIA Highway
41 are at risk of exposure to a noxious plume of gases generated by
the combustion of hazardous substances in the landfill. In
addition, if the landfill becomes unavailable due to the fire, waste
will begin to back up throughout the reservation and public
health will be impacted.
1.1.3
Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection
Results
During
his Preliminary Removal Assessment on June 12, 2011, OSC Peronard
confirmed the conditions identified by the landfill operator and
IHS. Initial
measurements of the smoke plume taken on June 13, 2011, indicate
elevated levels of particulates, VOCs and carbon monoxide and
diminished levels of oxygen. Evidence of hazardous substances
(pesticide containers, paint cans, small drums) is visibly evident
throughout the fire’s footprint and nearby trash heaps are at risk
of adding additional fuel to the fire.
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| 2. Current Activities
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2.1 Operations
Section
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2.
Current Activities |
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2.1
Operations Section |
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2.1.1
Narrative
The
emergency response actions discussed in this initial POLREP
include the Preliminary Removal Assessment which occurred on
Sunday, June 12, 2011, the Removal Site Evaluation which
occurred on Monday, June 13, 2011, and the actual
Removal/Response Action, which began on June 13,
2011.
2.1.2
Response Actions to Date
Sunday,
June 12, 2011: Preliminary Removal Assessment
OSC
Peronard went to the Site to assess the extent and threat
posed by the landfill fire. He found the Site completely
unsecured and unmonitored and determined that approximately
80% or about 5 acres of the landfill were on fire. He
observed evidence of household hazardous waste throughout the
burn zone and witnessed a noxious plume of smoke drifting
across the nearby highway. He determined that, due to
the unconsolidated nature of the waste in the landfill and the
advanced state at which the fire was burning, the fire would
likely burn for months if not addressed.
Monday,
June 13, 2011: Meeting with Oglala
Sioux Tribe
OSC
Peronard met with Hobert Yankton, the Director of Solid Waste
for the Oglala
Sioux Tribe to discuss landfill operations and possible
response actions.
Monday,
June 13, 2011: Meeting with United
States Indian Health Service (IHS)
OSC
Peronard met with Anthony Kathol and Brent Rohlfs, the
engineers with the IHS who helped design and construct the
landfill. OSC Peronard and these officials discussed the
design of the existing facility, current plans for the future
expansion of the landfill into a new cell and a location from
which soil could be excavated in an effort to put out the
fire.
Monday,
June 13, 2011: Removal Site Evaluation and Scoping
Meeting
OSC Peronard directed EPA's Superfund Technical
Assessment and Response Team contactor to collect monitoring
data on the plume and take GPS measurements to map both the
landfill and the extent of the burned area. He met with
Emergency and Rapid Response Services (ERRS) contractors to
discuss firefighting operations and response priorities.
Monday,
June 13, 2011: Initial Mobilization
An ERRS crew of
five personnel arrived on Site in the late afternoon. At
this time, equipment began to arrive and the ERRS crew began
work to stabilize the approach to the landfill on the
northwest side of the landfill. The ERRS crew also
worked to cut a fire line in an attempt to halt the spread of
the fire towards the northwest.
START
continued to monitor the plume.
2.1.3
Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible
Parties (PRPs)
2.1.4
Progress Metrics
- At
this time, a firebreak has been constructed across the
northwestern edge of the fire.
- The
fire is currently 0% contained.
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2.2 Planning
Section
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2.2
Planning Section |
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2.2.1
Anticipated Activities
2.2.1.1
Planned Response Activities
A
borrow pit will be established south of the current landfill
in an area that has been designated for future
expansion. Solid waste in the existing cell will be
excavated, placed and compacted in appropriate lifts within
the cell and then covered with borrow soil to smother the
fire.
2.2.1.2
Next Steps
None
to report.
2.2.2
Issues
None
to report. |
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2.3 Logistics
Section
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2.3
Logistics Section |
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N/A
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2.4 Finance
Section
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2.4
Finance Section |
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2.4.1
Narrative
The
costs below are estimated final figures for this response
action based upon estimates and daily cost
summaries that have been presented to EPA to date.
Accurate accounting of costs is expected to be presented in
final invoices from ERRS and START contractors by the end of
June 2011.
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Budgeted
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Total
To Date |
Remaining
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%
Remaining |
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Extramural
Costs |
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ERRS
- Cleanup Contractor |
<$400,000 |
$15,000 |
$385,000 |
96% |
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TAT/START |
$20,000 |
$2,000 |
$18,000 |
90% |
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Intramural
Costs |
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USEPA
- Direct |
$12,000 |
$1,000 |
$11,000 |
92% |
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Total
Site Costs |
$437,000 |
$0 |
$414,000 |
95% |
*
The above accounting of expenditures is an estimate based on
figures known to the OSC at the time this report was written.
The OSC does not necessarily receive specific figures on final
payments made to any contractor(s). Other financial data which
the OSC must rely upon may not be entirely up-to-date. The
cost accounting provided in this report does not necessarily
represent an exact monetary figure which the government may
include in any claim for cost recovery.
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2.5 Safety
Officer
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2.6 Liaison
Officer
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2.7 Information
Officer
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2.7
Information Officer |
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2.7.1
Public Information Officer
There
is currently no media interest in this
Site.
2.7.2
Community Involvement Coordinator
N/A
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| 3. Participating Entities
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3.1 Unified
Command
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3.
Participating Entities |
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3.1
Unified Command |
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N/A
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3.2 Cooperating and Assisting
Agencies
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3.2
Cooperating and Assisting Agencies |
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Oglala Sioux Tribe
Indian Health
Service
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| 4. Personnel On Site
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4.
Personnel On Site |
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Paul
Peronard - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
On-Scene-Coordinator
Martin McComb - U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency On-Scene Coordinator
Russ
Nelson- Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team
Contractor, Technical Specialist
Terry Henderson -
Emergency and Rapid Response Services Contractor, Removal
Manager/Foreman
Steve Harrington – ERRS Contractor,
Equipment Operator
Kory Martin – ERRS Contractor, Equipment
Operator
Joseph Cordova – ERRS Contractor, Equipment
Operator
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| 5. Definition of Terms
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5.
Definition of Terms
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| 6. Additional sources of
information |
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6.1 Internet location of
additional information/reports
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6.
Additional sources of information
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6.1
Internet location of additional information/reports
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To
be established COB June 14, 2011 as internet connectivity
permits. |
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6.2 Reporting
Schedule
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6.2
Reporting Schedule
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| 7. Situational Reference
Materials |
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7.
Situational Reference Materials
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