United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region VI
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

The former Big Tex Grain Site is located on a 7.5-acre lot in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, at 328 Blue Star Road.  The geographic center of the site is located at Latitude 29.405° North Longitude -98.492° West.

The Big Tex Grain Site has historically been associated with industrial activity, including operating a vermiculite exfoliation plant, grain production, and sawdust warehousing.  The EPA Region 6 office performed an assessment of the subject property to determine potential impact to human health and the environment based on the transporting of vermiculite from Libby, Montana, to the W. R. Grace vermiculite exfoliation plant in San Antonio, Texas. The property has been listed in the EPA CERCLIS database since 2000.

The site consists of approximately 31 structures including the Big Tex grain elevators and warehouses on the eastern portion of the property.  To the north-northwest of the site, there are numerous grain silos that were converted into office spaces.  The site is bounded to the south and west by Union Pacific railroad tracks and to the north and east by the San Antonio River.  The site is secured by a chain link and barbwire fence extending around the entire perimeter of the facility.  Within the facility exposed soil areas are heavily vegetated, but still accessible.  The Big Tex Grain Site is scheduled to be developed into a “Mixed Use” facility.

USEPA OSC, USEPA ERT, and START-3 mobilized to the Big Tex Site on 02/19/2008.  During this reporting period, crews have conducted soil sampling utilizing a track mounted GeoProbe on 115 sample stations throughout the site’s 7.5 acres.  Crews successfully completed dust sampling within the 32 site structures.  All samples have been documented using SCRIBE and sent to an EPA approved laboratory for asbestos analysis.  Crews utilized a cutting torch to access the underground piping network in preparation for dust sampling operations.  USEPA and START-3 conducted an in depth assessment to determine if the site posed and chemical hazards.  As a result of this assessment, crews relocated various drums and containers to a lined staging area.  The staged containers were sampled in preparation for Hazardous Categorization (HAZCAT).  START-3 maintained a site dedicated logbook, posted pertinent information on EPA OSC.Net, as well as documented all site activities and site photographs on Response Manager.

USEPA and START-3 will complete soil sampling operations, HAZCAT site drums, and collect dust samples from accessed underground piping.  START-3 will completed the preparations of soil and dust samples for shipment to the laboratory.  START-3 will secure the site prior to demobilization.

USEPA and START-3 will use the analytical data collected during this phase of the project to determine locations for the upcoming “Activity Based Sampling”.

START-3 will need to obtain specific information from USEPA ERT in regards to evaluating the analytical results as it applies to the upcoming activity based sampling, as well as the potential removal action that may take place later this year.