United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region IX
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

Halaco Engineering Co. is a bankrupt secondary smelter located at 6200 Perkins Ave., Oxnard, CA, 93033.  The site consists of a smelter property and the waste management unit (WMU).  The smelter process generated a large amount of waste solids in a wastewater matrix.  The wastewater was pumped into a series of ponds at the WMU.  After the water clarified, it was pumped off and reused.  The process waste solids were periodically removed from the ponds and stacked up along the shores of the ponds.  The result over a 35 year period caused a 28 acre process waste solids pile that covers approximately 28 acres.  The southern toe of the WMU and the southern end of the smelter are abutted against the Ormond Lagoon and Wetlands.  Historical sampling events conducted by EPA, various State agencies and the Potentially Responsible Party (PRP) documented the presence of elevated concentrations of copper, zinc, nickel, arsenic, cadmium, zinc and chromium.  Historical use of radioactive scrap metals has also resulted in a radioactive component of the WMU.

On June 19, 2006, an Integrated Assessment between the EPA Site Assessment Section (SAS) and the Emergency Response Section commenced.  The assessment was designed and is being executed by Weston Solutions (Weston) under contract to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) through a Memorandum of Understanding between USACE and EPA.  The Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) contractor is also particpating.  Radiation support is being provided by the EPA Office of Radiation and Indoor Air.

June 19, 2006:  1 OSC, 2 ORIA 3 START, 4 Weston

Three wells were installed using the Emergency Response Section Geoprobe.  The air sampling locations were sited.  ORIA began surveying the northern section of the WMU with the Environmental Radiation Ground Survey (ERGS)unit, a mobile large gamma detector.

June 20, 2006:  1 OSC, 1 EPA SAS Project Manager, 2 EPA ORIA, 1 EPA PIO, 3 START, 7 Weston

Weston continued to install the ground water monitoring wells.  OSC R. Wise and SAS Project Manager (PM) M. Mitguard met with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services to determine Endanged Species Act (ESA) issues.  The START conducted air surveillance for heavy metals, alpha radiation and ammonia.  ORIA continued the ERGS survey of the northern WMU.  Weston collected subsurface marine sediment samples off-shore from the Ormand Beach Lagoon.  Weston and START collected background wetlands soil samples.

June 21, 2006:  1 OSC, 1 SAS PM, 1 EPA PIO, 2 ORIA, 3 START, 7 Weston

Weston continued to install the ground water monitoring wells.  OSC R. Wise and Mr.Mitguard met with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services contractor  to identify the nesting sites of the Least Tern, an ESA Endangered Species.  OSC Wise, Mr. Mitguard and EPA Pio F. Arcaurte met granted an interview and site tour to the Los Angeles Times.  The START continued air surveillance.  ORIA ERGS survey of the eastern toe of the WMU and the eastern salt flats adjacent to the WMU.  Weston completed collection of  subsurface marine sediment samples off-shore from the Ormand Beach Lagoon.  Weston and START collected northern WMU and wetlands soil samples.  Weston conducted XRF screening of the soil samples.

1.  Collection of soil samples in the WMU and smelter.
2.  ERGS survey of the WMU, smelter and Ormond Beach.
3.  Biological sampling in the Ormond Beach Lagoon.
4.  Continued air sampling.
5.  Sediment sampling of the Oxnard Industrial Drain and lagoon/wetlands.

1. ESA issues.
2. Splits for the PRPs.