United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region III
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

This site is at the Perryville, Maryland water filtration plant.  A contractor working onsite on March 5, 2009, removed a transformer containing PCB oils.  The level of PCB in the oil was greater than 20%. The oil from the transformer was spread over a portion of the site. The contractor never notified anyone. An operator at the water plant called the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) two days after the removal of the transformer due to the strong odors onsite.  The MDE arrived onsite Saturday evening, March 7, 2009, and sampled the oil.  Lab results received Monday morning indicated the presence of PCBs at high levels in the oil.  MDE requested EPA assistance with the site.

The cleanup of PCB contaminated soil at this site is currently on hold. The construction contractor (JLW Associates, or "JLW") had hired an environmental cleanup contractor to excavate and removed the PCB contaminated soil.  To date, 35 rolloff boxes have been filled with contaminated soil, for a total of 591 tons of soil that has been shippped offsite for proper disposal.  Approximately 80% of the cleanup has been completed.  However, soil samples collected onsite indicate that there is still contaminated soil onsite that needs to be removed, in the area where the oil was originally spilled.  
At this time, JLW and its insurance agent are discussing the cleanup and coverage issues, and the cleanup is on hold.  

An EPA OSC was onsite on the following days observing the progress of the cleanup:  May 4 & 18,2009.

EPA has had discussions with the owner of JLW to expedite the completion of the cleanup.  EPA will be evaluating formal options for the completion of the cleanup if the voluntary PRP cleanup is not completed soon.