United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region VI
POLLUTION REPORT



Date:
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
From:
William Rhotenberry

To:
Ragan Broyles, Prevention and Response Branch
Debbie Dietrich, Office of Emergency Management

Subject: 

Assessment Begins
Helena Chemical
602 Holland Avenue, Mission, TX
Latitude: 26.2131000
Longitude: -98.3336000


POLREP No.:
4
Site #:
0606
Reporting Period:
08/22-23/05
D.O. #:
Start Date:
 
Response Authority:
CERCLA
Mob Date:
7/12/2005
Response Type:
Demob Date:
 
NPL Status:
Non NPL
Completion Date:
 
Incident Category:
Removal Assessment
CERCLIS ID #:
TXD980625008
Contract #
RCRIS ID #:
 

Site Description

This site is a former pesticide formulation and packaging facility, and was the subject of corrective action by USEPA in 1982.  Deterioration of the containment cap has raised concerns over potential health impacts from chlorinated pesticides.

Contamination of surrounding properties was addressed by previous TCEQ actions.


Current Activities

Monday night: EPA personnel attended and participated in a community meeting at the Mission Community Center to describe the assessment activities and answer questions.

Tuesday: Sampling activities began.  The geoprobe team completed five holes.  The wipe sampling team completed floor sampling in the main building.

Upwind and downwind Mini-Rams are operating to collect particulate samples, which will be analyzed for pesticides.

Personnel used a manlift to access the top of the tanks and evaluate approach angles and points of entry for sampling.  Each tank has a screw-on cap and pipe extending through the manway.  The sampling team applied tools and tested approach angles and work areas to optimize chances of successful entry.

OSCs contacted representatives from the City of Mission Fire and Police Departments and local medical services and secured support for the AST Level B sampling effort scheduled for 0800 tomorrow.


Planned Removal Actions

As appropriate following assessment


Next Steps

Continue sampling activities

Following safety briefing, Level B entry to open and sample the two ASTs, with support from Mission Fire Department, Police Department and CareMed (ambulance).

Community interactions as appropriate


Key Issues

Extreme heat

Level B sampling of ASTs


Estimated Costs *
  Budgeted Total To Date Remaining % Remaining
Extramural Costs
RST/START $95,000.00 $0.00 $95,000.00 100.00%
Intramural Costs
 
Total Site Costs $95,000.00 $0.00 $95,000.00 100.00%

* 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.


response.epa.gov/helenachemicalmission

POLREP #4 Last Updated 8/24/2005