United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region III
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

The Precision National Plating Site is located at 198 Ackerly Road, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, which is approximately 10 miles north of Scranton, Pennsylvania.  The property measures 46 acres, approximately five (5) acres of which were used for site operations and the remainder of which are undeveloped and largely wooded.  A 45,000 square foot operations building was the principal structure on the site.

The site began operation as a chromium electroplating facility for locomotive crankshafts in 1956.  This operation continued when Precision bought the facility in 1971.  Precision operated an industrial component reconditioning facility on site from 1971 until 1999.

Site operations ceased in April 1999.  With PADEP and USEPA oversight, the former plating building was demolished in the Fall of 2000.

EPA approved the Remedial Action Plan (RAP), submitted on behalf of Precision National Plating by the Retec Group in September of 2005.  The RAP details plans to use calcium polysulfide to reduce the hexavalent chromium in the soils and groundwater to trivalent chromium.  

In July 2006, Precision injected calcium polysulfide into source areas at the site to reduce hexavalent chromium to a relatively non-toxic form which will precipitate and remain in the soil matrix.  The goal of the treatment was to reduce hexavalent chromium levels in soil to below 60 mg/Kg, and hexavalent chromium levels in Ackerly Creek to below 11 ug/L.  

In March 2007, Precision began excavation of the basement of the former facility (see "Images").  The purpose of the removal was to mitigate impacts by potentially contaminated soils beneath the basement.  Any contaminated concrete unearthed during the excavation was taken to an appropriate disposal facility.

Further site investigation activities were performed in the Fall of 2007 and February/March 2008.  The soil boring, rock coring and groundwater sampling activities completed in October 2007 and March 2008 confirmed that residual contaminant sources remain at the Site in the weathered rock and shallow competent bedrock (18 - 30 feet below the ground surface).  

In August 2008, in-situ chemical injections began using calcium polysulfide to treat these residual areas of contamination in the shallow bedrock. Chemical injections were completed on January 9th, 2009.  

Hexavalent Chromium levels have dropped in Ackerly Creek due to chemical injection treatments in July 2006 and the basement excavation in March 2007, and subsequent injection activities beginning in August 2008, however they still remain above the target ecological goal of 11 ug/L.  

On Monday, October 18, 2010, a third round of calcium polysulfide injections began at the site.  Injections are targeted into the shallow bedrock areas of the site.

•    Air monitoring is being conducted for hydrogen sulfide every hour along Arch Ave and Ackerly Road, and every half-hour around the perimeter of the site, at the lagoon, and on Paper Road during and immediately following injection activities.  Aracadis is continuously recording hydrogen sulfide values between the lagoon and the homes on Arch Avenue 24 hours a day.  Hydrogen sulfide readings ranged from non-detect to 7 parts per billion throughout the week.

•    During the week of November 8, 2010, Arcadis has injected approximately a total of 2,652 gallons of 2% calcium polysulfide solution and 2,295 gallons of 1% calcium polysulfide solution into 8 wells.  Since October 18, 2010, a total of 9,690 gallons of 1% calcium polysulfide solution and 12,528 gallons of 2% calcium polysulfide solution has been injected at the site.

•  Injection activities are expected to continue into the winter.

• The Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis is currently under review and will be finalized in late November.  The draft EE/CA is expected to be released for public comment the week of Thanksgiving.  A public meeting will be held during the 30 day public comment period, date and location to be determined.  

• Perimeter air monitoring will continue around the injection site with the use of the remote monitors (continuously) and hand held units (every half hour), and will continue for one week after the injections have ceased.