United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region X
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

The site is at the location of the formerly known Ashton Texaco retail fuel sales facility and convenience store located at 363 Highway 20 in Ashton, Idaho, at the intersection of US Highway 20 and Walnut.  Tests have indicated that one 12,000 gallon underground storage tank (UST) and three pump housings are leaking.  The station has removed all but 5 inches of gasoline from the UST.  Gasoline was detected in on-site and off-site monitoring wells by IDEQ contactors.  IDEQ requested EPA's Emergency Response Unit's assistance to address potential surface water releases from the facility (sheen was detected in downgradient wetlands and surface water ditches).

Tuesday May 27, 2003 (EPA-1, START-4)Temps 85 F, sunny:  Mobilized to the Ashton Texaco site to conduct OPA preliminary assessment.  Two START members drive box truck with equipment including field portable gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS).  Met with IDEQ and IDEQ contractors at the IDEQ's Idaho falls office.  Mobilized to the hotel.

Wednesday May 28, 2003 (EPA-1, START-4)Temp 95 F Sunny: Staged the box truck at the city of Ashton's water treatment facility.  START chemist set up GC/MS and conducted initial calibrations.  EPA met with IDEQ on site to talk with local residents and to show EPA the location of the sheen on surface water.  EPA was granted consent for access and START collected subsurface soil samples along the ditch line adjacent to Highway 20 and in the wetland area on the Eidem's property.  Bedrock (basalt) was visible at several locations of the ditch. The ditch had flowing water inside.  The ditch travels north for 1.1 miles before discharging into Baker Springs Creek, a tributary of the Henry's Fork River, a tributary of the Snake River, a navigable waterbody.  START chemist redid calibration for the GC/MS and ran one water sample.  START also collected groundwater samples from three off-site monitoring wells.  Met with the operator who indicated the 12,000 gallon UST still has approximately 4 inches of gasoline remaining inside the tank.  FOSC instructed the operator to remove the gasoline.  Operator indicated he would coordinate with property owner to remove remaining gasoline.

Thursday, May 29, 2003 (EPA-1, START-4, ERRS-1) Temp 90 F sunny:  START continued to run subsurface soils, surface water, and groundwater samples using the GC/MS.  START collected groundwater from one off-site monitoring well and four on-site monitoring wells.  START also collected samples from the 12,000 gallon UST.  EPA and START noticed a slight sheen inside of the ditch near an exposed section of bedrock (bottom of the low flowing ditch).  A sample was collected for on-site analysis.  START also collected more subsurface soil samples from the ditch on the west side of Highway 20 and from wetlands located behind the Galloway property.  Results from all soil and surface water samples were less than the instrument detection limits (< 20 parts per billion).  Gasoline (benzene, toluene, ethylbenze, and xylene constituents) was detected in both on-site and off-site monitoring wells at various concentrations.  Visible gasoline product was detected in off site wells located downgradient from the site and adjacent to the surface water ditch. ERRS on site to conduct pre-planning for potential emergency Oil removal activities.  

Friday, May 30, 2003 (EPA-1, START-4, ERRS-1) Temps 85 F, sunny:  EPA and START demobilize from the site.  ERRS met with IDEQ contractor on site.  ERRS demobilized.  EPA FOSC sent property owner Bravehearts, L.L.C. a Notice of Federal Interest Letter via electronic mail (E-mail) citing that the site posed a threat of release to navigable waters.  In addition, FOSC required Bravehearts, L.L.C. to remove the remaining 4-6 inches of gasoline still remaining inside of the UST; to develop a plan to remove the tank and subsequent soil contamination; to install extraction wells to remove gasoline from groundwater to create a "cone of influence" to insure that the gasoline can not migrate to surface water.

START contractors are developing a removal plan for the UST, contaminated soils, and contaminated groundwater.  START contractors are developing a groundwater extraction plan to remove gasoline and create "cone of influence" to protect surface water from the threat of release.  

ERRS working on cost estimate based on START's plans.

Bravehearts, L.L.C. has agreed to remove the remaining gasoline from the 12,000 gallon UST.

Bravehearts, L.L.C. indicated intention to hire environmental contractor to develop plan to remove tank and contamination. EPA will conduct oversite.

EPA will be ready to conduct Oil removal action if Bravehearts, L.L.C. is not able to or not conducting action in timely manner.

Groundwater monitoring wells contain gasoline.
Fractured Basalt is located at 5 to 10 feet below ground surface to a depth of 45 feet below ground surface.  Basalt was visible in ditch.  The ditch, with flowing water, leads to tributaries of navigable waterways.