United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region IV
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

      The Site is located off Mills Gap Road, approximately 1 mile east of Skyland, Buncombe County, North Carolina and consists of approximately 9 acres of maintained grounds containing a large single-story building.    In 1952, IRC, Inc. (IRC) bought the land for the Site and constructed the building which it then used for its electroplating operations.  In 1959, IRC sold the Site to CTS, Inc.  From 1959 until 1986, CTS operated an electroplating facility at the Site.  The chemical compound trichloroethylene (a.k.a. trichloroethene or "TCE") was employed by IRC and CTS to clean and/or degrease metal objects prior to electroplating.  In 1987, Mills Gap Road Associates (MGRA) purchased the Site and is the current owner.

In 1999, chlorinated solvents were identified in two springs and one domestic well, located topographically down-gradient from the site.  In August 1999, the NCDENR referred the Site to the U.S. EPA's Emergency Response and Removal Branch (ERRB) for removal eligibility consideration .

     On August 20, 1999, the ERRB conducted a removal site evaluation in accordance with the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP), 40 CFR §300.410 (Ref.  2).  Conditions at the site, specifically contamination of potable drinking water supplies with chlorinated solvents, were found to pose a threat to public health or welfare or the environment.  Consequently, bottled water was provided to the four households that had used the contaminated sources for potable water.  Subsequently the affected residences were connected to the Asheville-Buncombe municipal water supply.

     Analytical results derived from the samples collected from beneath the former CTS plant revealed elevated concentrations of VOCs (e.g. 830,000 ppb TCE), base neutral and acid extractable compounds (BNAs), and petroleum hydrocarbons, most likely #2 fuel oil.  TCE was detected in all samples and was typically present at the highest concentrations relative to other chemical compounds identified.  Sampling by EPA has indicated TCE, 1,1 TCA, and petroleum contamination in surface water emanating from the site.

     Following mitigation of the immediate threat posed by the contaminated springs and waterwell, EPA entered into negotiations with the identified Potentially Responsible Parties and executed an Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) with CTS Corporation and Mills Gap Road Associates in January 2004.  On-Site removal activities began in June 2004. Operation of a Soil Vapor Extraction system commenced in July 2007 and is currently on line.

Under the terms of the 2004 AOC between CTS and MGRA, CTS Corporation is injecting ozone into the soil near four contaminated springs located on the property adjacent to the site.  The contaminated springs are fenced with warning signs posted. Levels of TCE in the springs have ranged from 23 parts per billion to 34,000 parts per billion.  Twenty underground injection points located where groundwater interfaces with spring water deliver ozone to oxidize TCE.  The ozonation system operates as a six-month technology evaluation to determine if ozonation is effective reducing organic contaminant values.  Construction was completed in April 2009, and the system is currently on line.  CTS is currently optimizing performance.  Full-scale implementation would follow if the system successfully reduces TCE values in the spring.

The purpose of the system is to reduce surface water contamination and, as an ancillary benefit, improve localized ambient air in the vicinity of the site.  

The SVE system continues to operate. As of May 7, 2009, an estimated 5,796 pounds of VOCs have been removed from the subsurface by the system.

Monthly testing of the water will provide data for optimization.  If the system is effective, it will remain in place until the spring contamination is mitigated.