United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region VI
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

The R&H Oil Company, Inc. Site (hereinafter the "Site") is an abandoned used oil processing facility.  The facility ceased operation in approximately 1992.  The property has been used for various petroleum refining and used oil processing operations since approximately 1934.  This Site and the adjacent Tropicana Energy Company, Inc. (hereinafter known as "Tropicana") Site have some common historical owner/operator(s) and as such may also share in a portion of the environmental contamination located on the two sites.  The Site consists of 28 Aboveground Storage Tanks (ASTs), extensive refining equipment and piping, separator, sump, and other drums and containers.  The key problem areas of the Site include containerized used oil, used oil sludge, corrosive liquids, used oil contaminated water; miscellaneous containerized materials; visible soil contamination; and, asbestos containing materials (ACM) on tanks, piping, equipment, and within buildings.  In addition, ground water contamination located on the Tropicana Site is believed to be associated with current and historical spills from operations located on these two Sites.

The EPA and its contractors mobilized to the Site on August 13, 2001.  The initial site preparation actions included mobilizing offices and equipment, setting up utilities, cutting back overgrown weeds and bushes, consolidating various drums and other small containers, removing miscellaneous debris, and removing materials from within piping.  In addition, subcontracts are being evaluated for asbestos abatement and demolition services.

The planned removal activities for the Site include the removal/disposal of ACM; removal/disposal of materials in tanks, piping, equipment and other miscellaneous containers; demolition of tanks, piping, and equipment; and, removal/disposal of visibly contaminated soils.

The next steps will include evaluating the materials in the tanks, piping, and equipment; awarding the asbestos abatement and demolition subcontracts; and, conducting the asbestos abatement.

This Site is generating a significant amount of media interest in part due to the wide spread ground water contamination resulting from chlorinated solvent releases from Kelly Air Force Base.  This Site is located less than 1/4 mile from Kelly Air Force Base.  Preliminary sampling of monitoring wells located on the Tropicana Site show free hydrocarbon products floating on the shallow ground water.  Additional investigations will be necessary to determine the exact constituents and the extent of the plume. This Site including the Tropicana Site was proposed to the National Priorities List (NPL) on June 14, 2001.