United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region I
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

The Kenyon Piece Landfill Site is located off Sand Plain Road near the intersection of Sand Plain Road and County Trail [a.k.a. Rhode Island (RI) Route 2] in Charlestown, Washington County, RI.  The Site consists of an irregular L-shaped 62-acre parcel of land identified on the Town of Charlestown Tax Assessor’s Map No. 25 as Lot No. 94.  The geographic coordinates of the Site, as measured from its approximate center, are 41 26' 21.6" north latitude and 71 38' 19.8" west longitude.  Land use within 1 mile of the property is zoned as mixed residential/agricultural/commercial.  The 62-acre Site is bounded by Sand Plain Road to the north; RI Route 2 to the east; and residential properties, woodland, and farmland to the south and west.  A right-of-way for overhead electric utility lines traverses the south-central portion of the property in a northeast to southwest direction.

RI DEM had MACTEC Engineering and Consulting, Inc. (MACTEC) performed a Targeted Brownfields Assessment (TBA) and Site Investigation (SI).  In the MACTEC January 2007 Data Submittal Report, MACTEC identified 7 test pits with buried drums and containers. Analytical results in the report also identified lead, toluene, ethylbenzene, tetrachloroethene, and naphthalene in the soil and groundwater at levels high enough to support the need for a Federal response.  In August of 2007, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) notified EPA of the presence of buried drums and containers at this vacant property and requested EPA’s assistance in addressing the Site. On November 6, 2007, EPA initiated a Preliminary Assessment/Site Investigation (PA/SI) which included walking the Site with representatives of DEM, reviewing site background information, sampling of surface soils, and mapping magnetic anomalies using geophysical surveys to verify the areas identified in the TBA.  The PA/SI was concluded, and a action was recommended in a closure memo dated June 20, 2008.

As the removal action has progressed since starting on August 4, 2008, the size of the exclusion zone has increased as we have dug up trenches which led into the trees south, east, and slightly west of the initial zone. Thus, the 7 test pits identified by MACTEC significantly underestimated the extent of the area on the Site where buried drums and containers would be found.

Operational Activities

Beginning the week of 2/2/2009 and continuing through the week of 2/13/2009:

1) Completed backfilling the areas where the drums and containers were exhumed.

2) Site preparations were completed for the T&D activities which were scheduled to begin the week of 2/23/2009. A semi-circle drive was leveled and filled with gravel on the Site to permit easy entrance to and exit from the Site for trucks picking up overpacks. A transportation plan was created and provided to the town which detailed how trucks would enter and exit the Site during T&D.

3) Overpacks were restaged adjacent to the circular drive in order make more efficient handling during loading of trucks for T&D.

4) T&D scheduling and documentation was finalized.  T&D was scheduled for the week of 2/23/2009.

5) Personnel demobed from the Site on 2/13/2009 until 2/23/2009.


During the week of 2/23/2009:

Transportation and Disposal of the overpacks containing the exhumed buried drums and containers began on 2/23/2009.

T&D contained daily throughout the week and the last overpacks left the Site on 2/27/2009.

Groundwater Sampling

EPA will do monthly groundwater sampling of on-site monitoring wells that will be analyzed by RI DEM. This sampling will provide some insight as to whether the ongoing removal action is affecting groundwater. Sampling was done on 3/5/2009. These results indicate that several contaminants are decreasing in the groundwater.

Earthen Cap Design

On 2/4/2009, authorization  was granted to begin work the earthen cap design.

On 2/6/2009 and 3/4/2009, surveyors came to the site in order to document elevations throughout the Site and provide data necessary for designing the earthen cap.

On 3/13/2009, a draft basis of design package for the cap was submitted. After resolving several questions, the draft was approved on 3/17/2009.

Planned Removal Actions

1) Finalize the design and work plan for the earthen cover that will cover the areas where the drums and containers were exhumed.

2) Plan and schedule the personel, equipment and materials necessary for the cap installation.

3) Install a 2ft earthen cover over the excavated areas;

4) Repair any response-related damage; and

5) Demobilize all equipment, supplies and personnel as needed when they are no longer required at the Site.

The OSC will direct and coordinate with START and ERRS the ongoing removal action. The OSC will continue a dialogue with the residents surrounding the Site in order to answer any concerns they may have.