Polution Situation Report

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Mystery Spill -- Ottoville, Ohio - Removal Polrep
Initial Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region V

Subject:

POLREP #1
Initial
Mystery Spill -- Ottoville, Ohio
Z5J5
Ottoville, OH
Latitude: 40.9330250 Longitude: -84.3397360

To:

Michael Chezik, US Department of Interior
OSLTF USCG, USCG
David Schilt, Ohio EPA
Duty Officer, NRC
Scott Shane, Ohio EPA
Mark Horwitz, USEPA
Jeff Kelley, USEPA
Freddie Thompson, USCG
Kevin Clouse, OEPA
John Tielsch, US EPA
Kaushalya Khanna, US EPA

From:

Stephen Wolfe, On-Scene Coordinator

Date:

12/8/2009

Reporting Period:

09/22/09 through 11/23/09

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Site Number:	B5UK	Contract Number:
D.O. Number:		Action Memo Date:
Response Authority:	OPA	Response Type:	Emergency
Response Lead:	EPA	Incident Category:	Removal Assessment
NPL Status:	Non NPL	Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date:		Start Date:
Demob Date:		Completion Date:
CERCLIS ID:		RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:		State Notification:
FPN#:	E10507	Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category

Emergency Response -- Mystery Spill

1.1.2 Site Description

The area of concern (AOC) is the storm sewer system located under a paved (asphalt) alleyway on the south side of 161 West Canal Street, Ottoville, Ohio. The AOC is located in a mixed residential/commercial area of the village with several commercial businesses to the north (insurance company, restaurant, and sporting goods store) as well as residential apartments, commercial businesses to the east (wood working shop and gasoline station), several commercial businesses to the south (restaurants and car shop) and residential apartments are located to the west. The village's sotrm water system empties directly to the Little Auglaize River, located approximately 0.25 miles north of the AOC. The entire AOC is either asphalt road surface or concrete surfaces.

1.1.2.1 Location

The AOC is located in an alleyway located directly south of 161 West Canal Street, Ottoville, Ohio.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

In the Spring of 2009 the business located at 161 West Canal Street reported "gasoline odors" in their building. The fire Department investigated and could find no cause for the odors. After letting the building air out, the odors dissipated. This continued over the summer on an intermittent basis. The storm sewers were flushed and odors increased, a sewer camera was used to investigate the storm sewer, however due to the age and condition of the system, the entire line could not be investigated. As the problem worsened over the summer, the business owner contacted the Ohio EPA. Ohio EPA investiagted and confirmed the gasoline odor; however a source could not be located.   BUSTR was contacted to investigate the gasoline station located across the street and was satisfied with their findings. Ohio EPA requested assistance from the US EPA in determining the source of the odors. While waiting for the US EPA investigation, the odors worsened, and in an effort to alleviate the problem, the Village of Ottoville installed a catch basin to the storm sewer located in the alleyway. Shortly after installation of the catch basin, gasoline product was found in the storm sewer. Ohio EPA instructed the Village to place absorbent boom at the location as well as out the outfall to the River.   A fan was constructed over the top of the catch basin to pull the contaminated air from the storm sewer, thereby correcting the odor problem in the adjacent business.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

On November 18 and 19, 2009, US EPA conducted subsurface investigations to try and determine the source of the gasoline product. A GeoProbe was used to collect soil borings at the perimeter of the three historic gasoline stations and the two active gasoline stations and no evidence of leaked material was found.   Investigation off the monitoring wells of the current gasoline stations also indicated that there was no product leaving site. All borings consited of approximately 6 inches of fill like material, and then stiff clay for 16 feet.

GeoProbe borings were also collected in the vicinity of the alleyway where the new catch basin was installed. Gasoline odors were evident in the top 6 inches of the soil before encountering stiff clay.   Borings were not placed immediately above the storm sewer in order not to damage it.   Samples of the contminated material was sent for Total VOC (volatile organic compound) and GRO (gasoline range organics) analysis. Results indicated that the material was contamined with constituents of gasoline (Benzene, Toluene, Xylenes, etc) and the GRO result was approximately 110,000 parts per million.

Air samples were collected from within the insurance building under three different conditions, the first was an 8-hour sample with the newly installed catch basin fan off, the second was a 24-hour sample with the catch basin fan turned off, and the third was a 24-hour sub-slab sample. The results indicated that vapor (containing benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, xylene, and other components of gasoline) was migrating via the storm sewer into the building.

The investigative results indicated that at some historic time, gasoline was spilled in the alleyway, and is now making its way to the storm sewer. There are no records for the storm sewer; however, village officials said the system was over a century old and it consisted of clay tiles.

Since gasoline was discovered in the soils surrounding the storm sewer, and product was discovered in the storm sewer itself (which empties directly into a navigable waterway), the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund was acessed in order to remove the source material (contaminated soils) from around the storm sewer.

2. Current Activities

2.1 Operations Section

2.1.1 Narrative

Following the results of the US EPA site investigation, a Pollution Removal Funding Authorization (PRFA) was issued to the Village of Ottoville on November 25, 2009 to excavate and dispose of the contaminated soil.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

The Village of Ottoville has hired a contractor to perform the work under the PRFA isssued. The village of Ottoville also elected to replace the storm sewer line in the AOC and install a catch basin at the main line at their own expense.

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)

Currently no PRPs have been identified. If information is uncovered during the removal of the contaminated material that would identify a PRP, enforcement actions will proceed.

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal

2.2 Planning Section

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

The Village of Ottoville's subcontractor will excavate and dispose of the contamined soils.

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

Excavate and dispose of contaminated soils surrounding the storm sewer system.

Investigate if the contamination is spread further than the anticipated AOC.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

Excavate and dispose of the contaminated soils and (at the expense of the Village of Ottoville) replace the contaminated sewer line. Further investigate the source of the contamination.

2.2.2 Issues

A source of the contamination could not be found so it is unknown whether or not it is confined to the AOC. In addition, there are no records of the storm sewer system and it is blocked approximately 75 feet from the AOC, so the entire line could not be inspected via camera. A larger problem may be uncovered once the excavation work is initiated.

2.3 Logistics Section