United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region IX
POLLUTION REPORT



Date:
Thursday, February 8, 2007
From:
Robert Wise

To:
Josha Curtis, CADFG-OSPR
Steven Hsu, RHB
Denise Klimas, NOAA
Denise Steurer, USFWS
Glen Forman, DTSC
Jeff Philips, USFWS
John Fassell, CADHS
John Cubit, NOAA
Katherine Pease, NOAA
Keith Duval, VCo. APCD
Kurt Zimmerman, NOAA
Marilyn Levine, CADOJ
Mitch Disney, VCoDA
Michael Lumbard, CADHS
Morgan Wehtje, CADFG
Paula Rasmussen, RWQCB
Phil Blum, DTSC
Robert Montgomery, City of Oxnard
Rod Nelson, RWQCB
Rich Sherwood, DTSC
Sayareh Amirebrahimi, DTSC
Steve Koyasako, DTSC
Steve Pay, CADHS RHB
Steve Mattern, City of Oxnard
Tracy Woods, RWQCB
Barbara Hamrick, CADHS RHB

Subject: 

Completion of PRP Removal Action and Initiation of Fund Lead Site Stabilization Removal Action
Halaco Engineering
6200 Perkins, Oxnard, CA
Latitude: 34.1389000
Longitude: -119.1819000


POLREP No.:
6
Site #:
09X6
Reporting Period:
12/09/2006 - 02/07/2007
D.O. #:
Start Date:
6/19/2006
Response Authority:
CERCLA
Mob Date:
6/16/2006
Response Type:
Emergency
Demob Date:
6/29/2006
NPL Status:
Non NPL
Completion Date:
 
Incident Category:
Removal Assessment
CERCLIS ID #:
Contract #
RCRIS ID #:
 

Site Description

See Last Polrep.


Current Activities

The respondents to the Settlement Agreement repaired the sediment barrier in by late December.  On January 12, 2007, the OSC, RPM, Superfund Division management were on-site for a tour of Halaco.  At that time, the OSC determined that the respondents had failed to remove the scrap magnesium.  In early January, the OSC sent the respondents a letter threatening stipulated penalties in accordance with the settlement agreement.  As a result, the scrap magnesium was removed by the respondents contractor during the week of February 5, 2007.

In January, the current owners of the WMU property and lease holder of the smelter failed to meet required deadlines for the stabilization of the site against off-site migration of contaminants.  As a result, the OSC took over the site.  An Action Memorandum amendment for a total of 3.8 million dollars was approved by the Regional Administrator.  On February 5, 2007, OSC R. Wise initiated a removal action to stabilize the site.  From February 5 - 7, 2007, the ERRS contractor, the START contractor and the USCG PST completed mobilization tasks.  The command post for the removal was established in the 700 block of McWane Blvd.  During this period, the ERRS procurred heavy equipment, office trailers, storage containers and all utilities.  An ERRS contracted surveyor, surveyed the site.  The START and the PST set up an air surveillance program and began to collect background air samples.  A civil engineer form START was on-site on February 7, 2007 to evaluate engineering concerns with the stabilization of the WMU.


Planned Removal Actions

1.  Reduce the slopes of the WMU to a 3:1 grade.
2.  Cover the slopes of the WMU with a fiber matting to prevent erosion.
3.  Construct drainage canals to move runoff away from the toe of the WMU.
4.  Move all waste process solids from the smelter to the WMU for storage.
5.   Stabilize the exposed waste process solids in the banks of the OID


Next Steps

ERRS will build roads into the WMU and prepare a pad in the northern section of the WMU to stage equipment.  The START and PST will finalize the air surveillance program.  The air surveillance program will consist of sampling for radioactive particulates and heavy metal particulates for laboratory anaylyis and  monitoring for dust and ammonia.

On February 12, 2007, the ORIA ERGS will be on the beach to conduct further gamma surveys of the beach sand.


response.epa.gov/Halaco