United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region III
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

A storage tank at the Allied Terminals collapsed on Wednesday, November 12, 2008, spilling about two million gallons of urea ammonium nitrate liquid fertilizer into the adjacent area. The spill originated from the Allied Terminals in Chesapeake, VA. The spill flooded the secondary containment for Tank 201 and spilled onto three adjacent city streets. A total of 12 homes were evacuated during parts of the response.

The Allied facility hired HEPACO to conduct the cleanup. The cleanup focused on removing liquids and fertilizer-saturated soils from residential areas first, and second, on removing liquid fertilizer from the secondary containment for Tank 201. Approximately 1.8 million gallons of product were recovered. Over 200,000 gallons of liquid fertilizer may have reached the Elizabeth River or may still be contained within soils surrounding the site.

EPA On-scene Coordinators (OSCs) mobilized to the site on November 12, 2009, to provide support to the City of Chesapeake Fire Department (CFD) and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ). The CFD and the VDEQ have requested EPA continue to provide technical support as necessary at Allied Terminals in response to the spill.


This Pollution Report (POLREP) covers site activities from September 22, 2009 through September 30, 2011. It provides an update on site-related activity and on analytical findings from the most recent round of EPA sampling conducted on May 2011.

During this period, EPA OSCs maintained limited on-site activities. EPA OSCs Laura Casillas and Chris Wagner continue to periodically visit the site and communicate with local jurisdictions regarding any potential impacts to the health of the residents, or the Elizabeth River.

During March of 2010, EPA OSC Wagner was informed of local health concerns related to potential ammonia exposures to workers during activities related to the clearing of debris from neighborhood surface drains. Based on previous sampling done by EPA and evaluations of our data by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and through VADEQs mandated quarterly monitoring, OSC Casillas communicated with the local FD that:

1. Ammonia in the surface water was not present at levels that would be harmful to workers or residents.
2. Nitrogen in the surface water was not present at levels that would be harmful to workers or residents.
3. Both ammonia and nitrogen levels in surface waters continue to decrease.
4. It is possible that a pocket of small amounts of ammonia odors may surface. This exposure might compare to that of using household cleaning products. You might have some odor issues from small amounts of ammonia. Step away from any area where ammonia odors become bothersome.

On March 2010 EPA received a request from the DEQ to provide a final round of sampling at the site. Sampling would include surface runoff water, sediment sampling, and sampling of drinking water wells. EPA conducted sampling on May of 2011 and encountered laboratory complications that rendered the samples unusable. EPA OSC Casillas began to reschedule the sampling event.

On October 18, 2010 EPA received notification that a release of approximately 2000 gallons of UAN had taken place at Allied Terminals. EPA OSC Casillas followed up with local responders and received the following information:

1. Fire Marshall estimated 2000-3000 gallons of UAN were released into secondary containment at Allied. The release occurred during a transfer of product into a rail car and was due to operator error on one of the loading arms.
2. Allied had vacuum trucks available-one on site already doing work, and they called their contractor with a second one to address the product. Most of the product stayed in the tank, the portion that spilled stayed within containment with no impact to storm drains, surface drainage, the river or the neighborhood.
3. Allied agreed with VDEQ and Fire Marshall to excavate soils and place on plastic to prevent further leaching of product.  VDEQ followed up with Allied on disposal matters.
4. Reporting. According to Allied this was not a reportable quantity or a regulated hazardous substance, so Allied did not report to NRC. They did call the Fire Marshall within 10 minutes of the spill.
5. Allied was aiming to store 2.5mil gallons of 93-98% sulfuric acid on site. At that time they where proposing to retrofit a former UAN tank. Allied has hearings for appeals with the City scheduled for end of October.
6. OSC Casillas has offered support to the City if necessary. At that time EPAs assistance is not being requested.

EPA sampled again on April 4th, 2011. Validated analytical results from the April, 2011 round of sampling showed no elevated levels of Nitrogen were detected in two drinking water wells in the neighborhood.  Slightly elevated levels of ammonia and nitrogen were detected around drainage ditches and surface waters as expected. These elevated levels of ammonia and nitrogen have been reviewed by the OSC in consultation with previous suggestions from ATSDR, and are not considered to cause adverse health effects.

EPA validated analytical results are posted in the documents section of this web site. Information considered to be Confidential Business Information has been redacted.

On August 28, 2011 OSCs Wagner and Casillas followed up with Chesapeake Fire Department and VA DEQ on a potential release from the Allied Terminals Facility. OSC Chris Wagner received a report on from the Chesapeake City Council on Sunday evening of a potential release from the Allied Terminals Facility secondary containment berm. The Local Fire Department investigated reports from a South Hill Neighborhood resident on Banks street who witnessed a crew using a backhoe and shovels to breach a berm surrounding fie tanks on the Allied Terminals property. The breech was approximately 12 feet wide and released water that had collected in the berm. The liquid drained into a city storm drain as well as crossing Banks Street and pooling in the yard of a private residence at 812 Banks Street. Local Fire Department and Hazmat Team investigated the report. OSC Casillas followed up Sunday evening with EPA CID and offered EPA technical support to the Chesapeake Deputy Fire Marshals and VADEQ.

OSC Casillas discussed the incident with the Deputy Fire Marshal on August 29, 2011. The Fire Department investigation found that water from the recent Hurricane had breached the berms and that Allied Terminals personnel tried to repair the berms during the flooding, unsuccessfully. Fire Department and Hazmat Team sampling showed only water was released from the berms. Allied stated there is not regulatory requirement that they notify regulatory agencies of this type of berm breach. Fire Department requested that Allied provide a courtesy call in the future were such an event to happen.

No further EPA action is expected at this time.

There are no planned removal actions at this site.

No additional EPA support is expected at this time.