Polution Situation Report

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Samoa Pulp Mill - Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region IX

Subject:

POLREP #19
Sludge removal near completion
Samoa Pulp Mill

Samoa, CA
Latitude: 40.8049600 Longitude: -124.1933100

To:

Harry Allen, EPA Region 9
Peter Guria, EPA Region 9
Dan Meer, EPA Region 9

From:

Chris Weden, OSC

Date:

7/10/2015

Reporting Period:

6/15 - 7/10/2015

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Site Number:	A949	Contract Number:	EP-S9-12-01
D.O. Number:	0937	Action Memo Date:	7/30/2014
Response Authority:	CERCLA	Response Type:	Emergency
Response Lead:	EPA	Incident Category:	Removal Action
NPL Status:	Non NPL	Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date:	9/30/2013	Start Date:	10/1/2013
Demob Date:		Completion Date:	9/30/2015
CERCLIS ID:		RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:		State Notification:
FPN#:		Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category

Emergency Response

1.1.2 Site Description

The Samoa Pulp Mill Site is a 70 acre former industrial pulp manufacturing facility. The pulp mill was constructed in 1963 by Georgia Pacific. In the early 1970's Louisiana Pacific acquired and ran the facility until 1990. From 1990 until 2008 various smaller groups owned and operated the facility. The last operating owner of the facility was the Evergreen Pulp Company which ran the facility until 2008. Evergreen experienced financial difficulties and "walked away" from the mill site without properly closing operations. Sometime in 2009 a venture group called Freshwater Tissue Company purchased the facility site with intent of converting to a tissue mill. This quickly failed to reach fruition and Freshwater began scrapping the facility and consolidating hazardous waste. In August of 2013 Freshwater Tissue Company sold the facility to the Humboldt Bay Harbor District (aka - Port Authority). The facility is currently staffed with 2 part-time Humboldt Bay Harbor District employees.

1.1.2.1 Location

The Samoa Pulp Mill Site is located within Humboldt County in Samoa, CA. The Site is approximately 70 acres of industrial pulp processing operations and is situated on the North Spit of Humboldt Bay. The facility is on the shore line of Humboldt Bay and has an industrial wharf on the Bay. The Pacific Ocean is located within 800 yds to the west of the facility.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

The primary concern is 11 ASTs containing 3-4 million gallons of highly caustic liquids (pH greater than 13). Five of these ASTs are not designed to store caustic liquids and periodic seismic activity (6.8 earthquake occurred off coast of Humboldt Co. 3/9/2014) has caused grave concern regarding their stability. Additionally, there are a half dozen ASTs containing 2000-3000 gallons of sulfuric acid (pH less than 1), 3,000 tons of corrosive sludges in uncontained areas, approximately 3000 gallons of turpentine, and several thousand containers of various types (i.e., compressed gas cylinders, paints/thinners, mercury containing gauges and equipment).

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

Please refer to previous Polreps

2. Current Activities

2.1 Operations Section

2.1.1 Narrative

During this reporting period, each day began with a Toolbox Safety Meetings. Meeting topics are related to the actual work activity scheduled for that particular day. EPA’s Mobile Command Post was staged and operated by the Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team at a nearby truck scale each day to document tare and loaded weights for all trucks entering and leaving the site.

The sludge removal and tank demolition phase of this project is nearing completion. Although, Transportation & Disposal (T&D) scheduling was difficult for a few weeks due to the major oil spill near Santa Barbara, the ERRS ktr. persevered and kept this project on schedule. Other work on site was organized around the schedule and arrival of the trucks.

On June 29, 2015 it was determined that more trucks would be needed to finish the sludge removal than were allowed under the CO approved subcontract. The sludge from the tank bottoms had a higher density than what was found in the upper portion of the tanks. Further, it required more solidification media (flyash and sawdust) to be legally transported. A dual subcontract award created good competition with the trucking companies and prompt CO approval to modify the subcontracts for the increased weight enabled this removal action to near completion on schedule.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)

On-going

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

*Waste Stream*	*Medium*	*Quantity*	*Manifest #*	*Treatment*	*Disposal*	*Recycled*
Pulping Liquors	liquids	2.7m gallons				To date - 2.7 million gallons. Kapstone Paper Company, Longview, WA
Sulfuric Acid - Re-usable	liquids	6k gallons				Purchased by Valley Acid, Stratford, CA (11/13)
Sulfuric Acid - Waste	liquids	4k gallons		x	x	21st Century Environmental Management of CA, LP
Hydrochloric Acid - Waste	liquids	2,100 gallons	011138259 JJK	x	x
Non-hazardous corrosive sludges	solidified	7109 tons			x	Recology, Vacaville, CA Subtitle D facility
Turpentine	liquids	3k gallons
Lab Chemicals	various	~2k containers	0000990296DAT	x	x	21st Century Environmental Management of CA, LP
"HHW" type	various	~2k containers				HBHD to coordinate with Humboldt County HD
Hg debris	solid	2 drums of drebris	On file			Clean Harbors
Waste oils	liquids	~2k gallons				~200 gallons removed by Asbury Environmental for recycling
Hg elemental	liquid	250 lbs				Arranging for retirement at Bethleham Apparatus via Stericycle
Hazardous corrosive sludges	solidified	~3500 tons				US Ecology - Beatty, NV and Kettleman Hills
Non-hazardous corrosive liquids	liquid	45,968 gallons				US Ecology - Beatty, NV
Hazardous corrosive liquids	liquid	105,198 gallons				US Ecology - Beatty, NV
Sulfuric acid tank bottoms	sludge	14 over-packed drums				Clean Harbors
Steel		1144.53 tons				Recycled at SIMS Metals in Richmond, CA
Stainless Steel		83.63 tons				Recycled at SIMS Metals in Richmond, CA

2.2 Planning Section

HBHD has been ordered by the CUPA to conduct a thorough inventory of all remaining hazardous materials on the Samoa Pulp Mill property (HHW, waste oil, sand blast grit, etc.). HBHD conducted this inventory during the week of 7/6/2015 and found more sulfuric acid sludge (stored in trash can) and chemicals in the HHW area that might not be accepted via the County HHW program. ERS will, pending management approval, re-mobilize after HBHD has finalized their inventory and assist them with the removal of these materials.

There is a possibility that Naval Special Forces may implode the smoke stack and the six concrete/tile tanks on-site. When this activity is confirmed and scheduled, an OSC, with PST and ERRS will return to provide logistical support and arrange for T&D of the wastes described above that HBHD cannot address.

2.3 Logistics Section