United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region IV
POLLUTION REPORT



Date:
Thursday, February 8, 2007
From:
Leigh Vorreuter

Subject: 

McCullough Oil
148 County Road 523, Verbena, AL


POLREP No.:
4
Site #:
A4KL
Reporting Period:
D.O. #:
Start Date:
11/7/2006
Response Authority:
CERCLA
Mob Date:
11/6/2006
Response Type:
Time-Critical
Demob Date:
 
NPL Status:
Non NPL
Completion Date:
 
Incident Category:
Removal Action
CERCLIS ID #:
ALN000409805
Contract #
RCRIS ID #:
 

Site Description

McCullough Oil was a former waste oil storage facility. The Site contains over 100 55-gallon drums and 20 ASTs.  Many of the drums and tanks contents contain combustible and flammable materials. Also, the hazardous substances’ pH range from 1 to 14. One of the drums tested positive for halogens. It was estimated that 105,000 gallons of waste oil contained in the ASTs required removal to prevent a major waste oil discharge in the future.

The Site is situated on an approximately 8-acre parcel in rural Alabama. The Coosa River and Mitchell Dam are approximately 1.7 miles northeast of the Site property. An unnamed stream southeast of the site is a tributary of the Coosa River and the topography is sloping downward towards the unnamed stream.

In January of 2005, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) became aware of the potential of environmental impact from the release of unsecured materials at McCullough Oil.  ADEM also has evidence that suggests that the site is being used for unauthorized disposal by unknown parties.


Current Activities

During the weeks of January 29, 2007 and February 5, 2007 EPA completed the following removal activities:

* START conducted air monitoring for Volatile Organic Compounds and explosive vapors during all site activities.  No abnormal levels were detected.  START also documented all site activities including maintenance of the log book and site photographic log.

* A King Vac or Supper Sucker was brought on site to help consolidate sludge more efficiently.

* 3 more tanks went off site for recycling.

* 12 drums which were not compatible with the waste oil were disposed of. Also, a sludge box which contain an estimated 18 cubic yards of sludge and debris was disposed of. ERRS loaded the drums and the sludge box and they were taken off site and transferred custody of the waste to EQ, Inc. for final disposal.


Planned Removal Actions

The week of February 12, 2007, removal activities will continue. 7 more tanks will be cleaned out and recycled.  3 more tanks remain on site will be recycled. An estimated 10 cubic yard will be excavated.


Next Steps

Confirmation samples of the areas where there was stains from the oil will be taken.


response.epa.gov/McCulloughOil