EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Response activities in New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Irene continue to move towards completion. 

Final load-out and shipment of hazardous wastes from NJ were being conducted today, 11/03/2011, leaving only the shipment of a small quantity of medical wastes which is scheduled for early next week.

Hurricane Irene operations in New York are limited to locations in Essex and Clinton Counties.  Orphan container collection continues as local governments find additional debris piles in impacted areas of Essex and Clinton Counties.  EPA continues to work with local and county officials in attempt to complete this operation by 11/18/2011.

Operations conducted in response to Tropical Storm Lee in NY also continue to move towards completion.  Boat operations and land-base orphan container recovery where completed on 10/28/2011 and 10/31/2011 respectively.  EPA has provided local government officials with close-out letters for the operational areas at Scarborough Rd and Vestal Rd.  The Owego site is completed accept for the removal of one non-hazardous, solid waste roll-off container.  The Barlow Rd Site remains open as EPA continues to package and ship wastes off-site.  Completion of operations in the TS Lee area is anticipated to be on or before 11/11/2011.

CURRENT ISSUES

·         None to Report

LONG TERM ISSUES

·         None to Report

HURRICANE IRENE OPERATIONS (NJ/NY)

NEW JERSEY RESPONSE ACTIONS

Disposal of wastes to off-site facilities is the only remaining operation for the NJ response action.  Off-site compliance checks for the shipping of hazardous wastes were completed on 10/28/2011.  The final shipments of hazardous wastes were in process today, 11/3/2011.  Upon completion of T&D for hazardous wastes, the only pending item in the New Jersey Operation is shipment of a small amount of medical wastes which is currently scheduled for the week of 11/8/2011.

Below is a Waste Disposition Table for Dover, NJ Facility.  This table was updated as of 11/02/2011.

NEW YORK RESPONSE ACTIONS

NYSDEC Region 4 Area 

EPA contractor personnel worked on the cleaning of areas where the HHW pad were established as well as conducted land restoration activities at the Prattsville staging area.  Once the Prattsville area restoration activities are completed, there will be no further actions in this region.

On the last situation report it was reported that several HHW materials left behind at the Howes Cave and Schoharie Debris Pile were removed on 10/27/2011.  The Howes Cave area was completed however additional HHW was observed at the Schoharie Debris Pile and recovered on 10/28/2011.  The additional HHW observed at the Schoharie Debris Pile was a result of residents dropping off materials after the completion of EPA activities at that area.  EPA has again contacted county officials to notify them regarding EPA’s completion of work in this area.  It was reported that county officials have agreed to address any future HHW segregation and/or disposal in this area.  All EPA collected waste was brought to the Barlow Rd staging facility and will be packaged and shipped off-site from that location.  Costs associated with these actions will be kept separate from the TS Lee Mission, costs will be charged against the Hurricane Irene Mission Assignment.

Below is a Waste Disposition Table for the NYSDEC Region 4 Areas.  This table was last updated on 10/20/2011.  No additional updates have been provided since the last reporting period.  Although these locations are no longer actively collecting materials, wastes have been disposed of following the most recent dates posted.

NYSDEC Region 5 Area

EPA completed the sifting and segregation of wastes at the Upper Jay Fire District Property on 10/27/2011.  EPA continued sifting and collection operations at the Dugway Road Debris field as well as collection of orphan containers in the town of Keesville, Au Sable Forks, and at the Au Sable Delta.  EPA anticipates operations in this area will be completed by 11/18/2011. 

CUMULATIVE HAZARDOUS WASTE SUMMARY TABLE – HURRICANE IRENE

Below is a summery table indicating the amount of containers collected through HHW and orphan container recovery efforts in response to Hurricane Irene.  This data was collected at 1445 on 11/03/2011. 

 Note: Numbers listed in the table are accurate at the time of delivery of this report.  Field crews sometimes transfer numbers following the end of the reporting period due to communication issues.  As a result, daily totals may change in future reports to capture all containers collected for that operational period.  Because of this, operational period totals do not reflect true count numbers due to late reporting.  However, the grand cumulative numbers are accurate at the time this report.

TROPICAL STORM LEE (New York ONLY)

NYSDEC Region 7 Area

Boat Operations, Orphan Container Reconnaissance/Collection

·         Completed on 10/28/2011 with all containers staged at the Barlow Rd Site. 

Land-based Operations, Orphan Container Reconnaissance/Collection

·         Completed on 10/31/2011 with all containers staged at the Barlow Rd Site.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal

·         Endwell (Scarborough Rd) – EPA has closed out this site completely as well as delivered a notice of completion letter to the Township Supervisor, Town of Union.  This letter provided notice that EPA has completed its operations at the site along with documentation of site conditions immediately after EPA demobilized resources.

·         Vestal (Vestal Rd) – EPA had completed this site in a previous operational period.  During this operational period EPA provided the Vestal Township Supervisor with a close-out letter.  This letter provided notice that EPA has completed its operations at the site along with documentation of site conditions immediately after EPA demobilized resources.

·         Owego – All wastes have been removed from this site with exception of one roll off for non-hazardous solid waste.  Once this remaining roll-off container is removed, EPA will deliver a close-out letter the Owego Township Supervisor.

·         Barlow Rd (Kirkwood, NY) – While Orphan Container Recovery operations were completed on 10/31/2011, periodically reports have come in from local or county entities that have warranted further investigation and/or collection activities.  EPA will continue to support this operation while currently processing and packaging wastes.  As EPA progresses with waste packaging, transportation, and final disposal, to a point of completion, it will transition any future collection needs to county and/or state response entities.  EPA anticipates this happening sometime around the date of November 11, 2011.

Below is a Waste Disposition Table for the NYSDEC Region 7 Areas. 

CUMULATIVE HAZARDOUS WASTE SUMMARY TABLE – TROPICAL STORM LEE

Below is a summery table indicating the amount of containers collected through HHW and orphan container recovery efforts in response to Tropical Storm Lee.  This data was collected at 1445 on 11/03/2011.

 Note: Numbers listed in the table are accurate at the time of delivery of this report.  Field crews sometimes transfer numbers following the end of the reporting period due to communication issues.  As a result, daily totals may change in future reports to capture all containers collected for that operational period.  Because of this, operational period totals do not reflect true count numbers due to late reporting.  However, the grand cumulative numbers are accurate at the time this report.

EPA REGION 2 COORDINATION ACTIVITIES

Starting the week of 10/31/2011, one primary EPA resource will be dedicated for situational updates and documentation.  The liaison officer will remain integrated but on a part-time basis.  Personnel working on approving cost accounting and monetary tracking will also maintain functions in the REOC. 

The REOC began implementing normal operating procedures for Day-Time Response operations on 10/31/2011.  Those daytime response activities are being run separately to the Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee activities. 

EPA continues to track costs and monitor funding levels against FEMA Mission Assignments.  Current Mission Assignments and Estimated Expenditures and Daily Cost Burn as of 11/03/2011 @ 1330;

SAFETY OFFICER

On 10/27/2011, the New York ASO transitioned from Safety over to Operations as NY operations started to wind down.  Final safety visits were being conducted to HHW's as they close out to document the condition of the pad and the safe clean-up and decommissioning of the site.  Daily Safety Messages continue to be developed and sent out to the field and are being posted on the website.  Safety messages were issued this week for defensive driving, inclement weather, driving in ice and snow, trailer safety, cold weather alert and cold stress symptoms and first aid.

 LIAISON OFFICER

Steve Touw has been designated as the Liaison Officer (LNO) for Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee response efforts.  The LNO secured a time extension from FEMA for EPA's Hurricane Irene field operations mission assignment in NJ.  The extension through 11/18/2011 was granted to reflect limitations under the current continuing resolution, and should be sufficient to complete field operations.

The LNO has not received a response from the NY State Police regarding the costs associated with the aerial reconnaissance overflights that were conducted on behalf of EPA in New York State.  The LNO will continue to coordinate with NYSP and FEMA to determine how those costs will be accounted for, either through EPA or directly from FEMA.

INFORMATION OFFICER

Pat Seppi, 646-369-0068, is the Public Information Officer (PIO) designated for the response. Due to the decrease in work activities and the movement towards closure of the projects, the PIO had no activities to report during this period.  The PIO remains available for support when needed.

The following table is a reflection of the most current available resources at the time and day of reporting.  It reflects the amount of personnel solely on the day of reporting.  Because the Situation Report details over several days, the following table may not be a representation of every work day.

WEBSITE:  http://www.epaosc.org/R2HurricaneIreneResponse

If you find that you are having trouble viewing the website, please contact the EPA duty officer at (732) 906-6850

EPA Edison REOC                                                                      732-906-6850

Afterhours Notifications, National Response Center (NRC)               800-424-8802
Regional Incident Commander (RIC) for NY, James Daloia               908-420-4505
Regional Incident Commander (RIC) for NJ, Christopher Jimenez      908-420-4484

Liaison Officer, Steve Touw                                                           908-420-4458

Information Officer, Pat Seppi                                                        646-369-0068

REPORTING SCHEDULE

Situation Reports are generated once a week.

The next Situation Report will be distributed on Thursday November 10, 2011.

SPOT Reports will be distributed upon need.