In November 2006, EPA was notified of this site via an NRC report indicating a potential release of hazardous substances at the Kentucky Wood Preserving facility in Winchester, KY. The facility was reported to have ceased operations in October 2006, and that wood treating chemicals abandoned onsite may pose a potential threat of a release. The company used Copper Chromated Arsenate (CCA) wood preservatives, and the treatment works were reported to be full of CCA solution at the time that the business ceased to operate. Based on this information, EPA OSC Smith initiated a Removal Site Evaluation (RSE) under Section 300.410 of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). See Polrep No. 1 for more complete information on the RSE.
On 06/12/07, KDEP visited the site and discovered that vandals had broken into the treatment building and pried open the door of the pressure cylinder. KDEP referred the site to EPA on 06/15/07, for purposes of conducting a time-critical removal action, citing concerns over the unstable conditions at the site. Due to the seriousness of the situation, the OSC initiated a time-critical removal action at the Site on 07/18/07.
The emergency phase of the removal action is short-term in nature and is deigned to mitigate immediate threats. Work activities include securing the site, clearing debris, and arranging for the offsite disposal/treatment or legitimate reuse of wood treating solutions. This phase of work is expected to be completed by September 1, 2007, at an estimated cost of up to $250,000.
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