U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
North Bridge Street Benzene - Removal Polrep
Initial Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region V
Subject: POLREP #1
Initial
North Bridge Street Benzene
C53F
Linden, MI
Latitude: 42.8150430 Longitude: -83.7826410

To: Mark Johnson, ATSDR
Valencia Darby, Department of Interior
Dan Wyant, MDEQ
Bill Schuette, Michigan Department of Attorney General
Rodney Stokes, Michigan DNR
Todd Goeks, NOAA
Wayne Babcock, U.S. Department of Interior
Robert Burr, U.S. Department of Interior
Carolyn Bohlen, U.S. EPA
Sam Borries, U.S. EPA
Yolanda Bouchee-Cureton, U.S. EPA
Mark Durno, U.S. EPA
Jason El-Zein, U.S. EPA
HQ EOC, U.S. EPA
Sherry Fielding, U.S. EPA
Charlie Gebien, U.S. EPA
John Glover, U.S. EPA
Sharon Jaffess, U.S. EPA
Shelly Lam, U.S. EPA
Matt Mankowski, U.S. EPA
Thomas Marks, U.S. EPA
Mike Ribordy, U.S. EPA
Carol Ropski, U.S. EPA
Annette Trowbridge, U.S. Fish & Wildlife
From: Elizabeth Nightingale, OSC
Date: 7/10/2014
Reporting Period: 7/8/14-7/9/14

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: C53F    Contract Number:  
D.O. Number:      Action Memo Date:  
Response Authority: CERCLA    Response Type: Emergency
Response Lead: EPA    Incident Category: Removal Assessment
NPL Status: Non NPL    Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date: 7/8/2014    Start Date: 7/8/2014
Demob Date:      Completion Date:  
CERCLIS ID:    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:    State Notification:
FPN#:    Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category
Emergency Response

1.1.2 Site Description
The site encompasses several blocks of downtown Linden, and includes residential and commercial buildings, including a nursing care facility. 

1.1.2.1 Location
Vicinity of 109 N Bridge Street, Linden, MI

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
In 2013, Genesee County Land Bank Authority requested EPA assistance at 105 N Bridge Street (a property they owned), to help assess the source of odors in the building and general vicinity. EPA conducted a site assessment on September 24, 2013. Air monitoring was conducted at 18 sanitary or storm sewer inlet location, and indoor air monitoring was conducted inside 105 N Bridge. Monitoring was conducted with a MultiRae and UltraRae (for benzene). Indoors, no levels above background were detected. Outdoors, the highest VOC reading was collected at a sanitary manhole (20.3 ppm), and 1.0 ppm benzene. Based on the assessment results, EPA did not find an imminent threat to human health or the environment at the time. 

On July 8, 2014, EPA responded to a NRC report (#1088279) and request for assistance from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) regarding benzene odor complaints within downtown Linden. Odors were highest in several basements near sump pump pits, and in the vicinity or storm drains. MDEQ collected a water sample from one sump pump pit and  detected high levels of benzene in the water. The source of this material is currently unknown.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
See Operations section of this report.
2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
    2.1.1 Narrative

On July 8 and 9, EPA made contact with property owners/ occupants in the vicinity of the area where odors have been report, and conducted indoor and outdoor air monitoring and air sampling.

Property Owner/Occupant Contacts
EPA attempted to reach all property occupants within 1 block in each direction of the area where odors have been reported. EPA gathered information on whether the property has a basement, whether it has a sump pump, whether the occupants have experienced odors in the past, and whether they would like us to contact air monitoring inside their home/business. A map of the interview results is in development. 

Air Monitoring
Air monitoring was conducted with a MultiRAE - with the goal of measuring ambient volatile organic compounds (VOCs). If VOC levels exceeded 1 part per million (ppm), an UltraRAE was used to measure ambient benzene. Benzene was also measured if there was any other reason to measure it such as upon request, or in investigation of a suspected source area, etc. Sorm and sanitary system monitoring as conducted by with 2 foot long tubes attached to the MultiRAE and UltraRAE. The tubes were inserted into the inlet or catch basin or access area and all readings were taken at a similar depth.

An excel table that includes all collected monitoring data is included in the documents section of the epaosc.net website for this action. A map of these results is in development.

Indoor Air Monitoring
During July 8-9, EPA conducted air monitoring at 13 properties and collected a total of 38 air monitoring readings at various locations within those properties. In the breathing zone (bz), measured VOCs ranged from 0-3.73 ppm. Measured benzene ranged up to 0.05 ppm.

Levels of VOCs and benzene were higher in a few non breathing zone areas indoors within a few properties - levels were highest in the sump pump pits where MDEQ had recently detected high levels of benzene in the water. VOCs in non-breathing zone areas ranged from 0 to 13.02 ppm. Benzene in non-breathing zone areas ranged from 0 to 4.85 ppm. 

Outdoor Air Monitoring
A total of 50 points along the storm and sanitary sewer system within a similar area were monitored approximately within 1 block in each direction of the area where odors have been reported. WIthin the storm drainage system, lower explosive limit (LEL) was zero at all points. VOCs ranged between zero and 5.87 ppm. Benzene ranged between zero and 6.15 ppm. Within the sanitary sewer system, LEL was zero at all points, VOCs ranged between zero and 2.5 ppm and benzene was zero at all points where it was tested. 

Indoor Air Sampling
A total of 6 confirmatory 24 hour air samples were collected. 4 were collected at various locations within buildings that had higher VOC levels upon monitoring and did not have too many obvious sources present (a number of properties had things such as gasoline cans and engines, chemicals used in beauty shops, recently painted, etc present). 1 was collected at a location that had previously experienced odors. The last sample was collected oudoors to serve as an outdoor comparison. These samples are being submitted to the laboratory and analyzed for VOCs. Results will be available early next week.


2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
See above. 

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
Several suspected sources have been identified. Further investigation is ongoing.

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal
           
           
           


  2.2 Planning Section
    2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
On July 10, START is scheduled to be onsite again to collected remaining 24 hour samplers. START will also conduct follow up air monitoring at additional and previously visited properties if requested. 

EPA will evaluate the analytical results to determine if further emergency response actions are necessary. MDEQ is conducting further investigation of several potential sources. 

EPA is also sharing the data collected with public health agencies, who are able to provide public health related interpretation of the data. 

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities


2.2.1.2 Next Steps
Further actions will be determined after evaluation of all data collected to date. 


2.2.2 Issues
  2.3 Logistics Section
    No information available at this time.
  2.4 Finance Section
    2.4.1 Narrative
An estimate of expenditures is not yet available.
   
Estimated Costs *
  Budgeted Total To Date Remaining % Remaining
Extramural Costs
TAT/START $15,000.00 $0.00 $15,000.00 100.00%
Intramural Costs
 
Total Site Costs $15,000.00 $0.00 $15,000.00 100.00%

* The above accounting of expenditures is an estimate based on figures known to the OSC at the time this report was written. The OSC does not necessarily receive specific figures on final payments made to any contractor(s). Other financial data which the OSC must rely upon may not be entirely up-to-date. The cost accounting provided in this report does not necessarily represent an exact monetary figure which the government may include in any claim for cost recovery.


  2.5 Other Command Staff
    No information available at this time.
3. Participating Entities
  3.1 Unified Command

3.2 Cooperating Agencies
MDEQ
City of Linden
MDCH
ATSDR
4. Personnel On Site
  7/8/14
EPA - 1
START -2
MDEQ - 2
City of Linden - 4

7/9/14
EPA -1
START - 2
MDEQ - 2
5. Definition of Terms
 
ATSDR   Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
 BZ  Breathing Zone
CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
CERCLIS   Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System
DNR   Department of Natural Resources
EPA   Environmental Protection Agency
ERNS   Emergency Response Notification System
ERRS   Emergency and Rapid Response Service
MDEQ   Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
PPM  parts per million
NCP   National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan
NOAA   National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
NPL   National Priorities List
NRC   National Response Center
OSC   On Scene Coordinator
PPE  Personal Protective Equipment
PPM  Parts per million
RCRIS   Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Information System
RP   Responsible Party
RRT   Regional Response Team
START   Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team
US FWS   United States Fish and Wildlife Service
USCG   United States Coast Guard


6. Additional sources of information
  6.1 Internet location of additional information/report
www.epaosc.net/northbridge

6.2 Reporting Schedule
Another POLREP will be issued after we receive laboratory data back.
7. Situational Reference Materials
  No information available at this time.
POLREP #1 Last Updated 7/11/2014