2.1.1 Narrative
CSX has completed cleaning and purging all of the derailed cars. The damaged rail cars that were cleaned and purged are staged on the ballast adjacent to the rail line. They will be kept on-site due to investigations by the FRA and NTSB. Following removal of the cleaned derailed cars from the containment area, the poly liner that the rail cars were staged on was placed into roll-off boxes for T&D.
All crude oil remaining in the heels of the rail cars involved in the derailment was transferred to frac tanks and subsequently pumped into rail cars for transport to the customer. Approximately 10,000 gallons of pure crude oil remains stored in one frac tank at Handley, which will require truck transport to the customer, as CSX will not partially fill a rail car.
Oil/water mixture from vacuum operations at the spill site is still being transported to Handley for storage in frac tanks, pending separation into an oil/water phase and subsequent T&D. To date, 147,790 gallons of oily water mixture have been recovered from vacuum operations. T&D of oily water continues; a total of 132,342 gallons of oily water has been transported off Site to Washington, PA, for disposal.
During transfer operations of crude oil into the rail cars, VOCs reached 436 ppm, 30 ppm benzene, and 12% LEL in the frac tank manway; personnel remained in Level C PPE during transfer operations. In all other work areas, minimal VOCs were detected, remaining under 5 ppm. In the past day, VOCs were minimally detected in all areas with sporadic readings of 0.1 ppm, as heavy rains began and continue to be steady.
T&D of stockpiled contaminated soil at the spill site continued. To date, a total of 315 truckloads, an estimated 6,484 tons, were transported off Site for disposal at the Waste Management Landfill located in Charleston, WV.
Vacuum recovery operations of oil from the sump areas and shore line of the Kanawha River continued. Sheen was identified in the runoff water that flows through the hillside, showing signs of crude contamination. Efforts were being made to control the flow of contaminated water into sump areas that are being manned with vac trucks. Additional stone was brought to the spill area to facilitate additional truck access. Four vac trucks are staged in the spill area and workers are continuously skimming oil from the seep areas and shoreline 24 hours per day.
An additional section of boom was deployed along the exterior of the outer boom in preparation for heavy precipitation and increased river flow, anticipated to reach 10,000 CFM. During this increased river flow, workers were not in small boats due to safety concerns. The inner oil-coated section of boom was replaced with 450 feet of new boom. For safety reasons, the barge was removed from the downstream side of the boom, and an additional outer section of boom was deployed.
CSX is currently focusing all efforts on diverting run off water away from the oil-contaminated areas in the derailment area. Culverts and a diversion trench are in the process of installation.
A certified diver with welding experience repaired breaks in the sheet piling. Additional welders are on Site to raise the two low sections of the sheet piling in order to prevent overflow of the oil-contaminated water contained beneath the shoreline and the sheet piling.
WVAWC and CSX contractors continued to collect samples of raw and finished water from the Montgomery WTP. No results exceeded MCL's; however, on 3/2/15, a low-level detection of benzene was reported in the finished water of the WTP.
2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
CSX is the responsibile party. EPA finalized it's Recommendation for Determination of Imminent and Substantial Threat to Public Health or Welfare at the CSX Mount Carbon Train Derailment Site on 2/27/15. EPA also issued a unilateral administrative order (UAO) to CSX on 2/27/15. An Administrative Order on Consent was signed on 03/04/2015 by CSX, detailing their responsibilities at the site.
CSX has been responsive, employing multiple cleanup contractors and environmental consultants to advise them on the technical aspects of the response. CSX has also provided their hazmat team and security on-site. OSC Matlock will coordinate with EPA and WVDEP enforcement personnel, as appropriate.
2.1.4 Progress Metrics
Waste Stream |
Medium |
Quantity |
Manifest # |
Treatment |
Disposal |
oily water |
|
132,342 gallons |
|
|
X |
oil-contaminated soil |
|
6,484 tons |
|
|
X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|