United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region III
POLLUTION REPORT



Date:
Friday, August 22, 2008
From:
Michael Towle


Subject: 

Removal SIte Operations
Lin Electric Company Site
1400 Bluefield Avenue, Bluefield, WV
Latitude: 37.2630900
Longitude: -81.2409500


POLREP No.:
10
Site #:
A3CN
Reporting Period:
D.O. #:
Start Date:
 
Response Authority:
CERCLA
Mob Date:
 
Response Type:
Time-Critical
Demob Date:
 
NPL Status:
Completion Date:
 
Incident Category:
Removal Action
CERCLIS ID #:
Contract #
RCRIS ID #:
 

Site Description

See POLREPs #4 and #5 for Site Description information.




    


Current Activities

Removal Action activities are continuing.  In general, contaminated water and oil is still being pumped from basement and vault areas to assist  the OSC to identify connections between the Site and area drainage systems. Operations were focused on the former compressor room and adjacent vault.  Approximately 70,000 gallons of liquid has been removed and contained.

The ERRS contractor removed the drainage pipe leading from the former degreaser tank vault area sump and drain (located in former Crane Shop 2 Area 1d of the Site).  The pipe was full of black oily material. After the majority of the pipe was removed, underground waters entered the pipe and were seen migrating through the westside dropbox, to the storm inlet by the westside gate and then into the storm inlet in the gutter of Bluefield Avenue.  The water accumulated at that location.  The street drain either contains a sump or is clogged.

The drums removed from the basement were consolidated into new drums for disposal.

The ERRS completed removal of residual water and sufficient solids from the former degreaser vault in Area 1d in order to plug the connections between the vault and the adjacent sump and to plug the sump and a pipe inlet which leaked water into the vault.

The ERRS completed removal of contaminated water from the tank vault adjacent to the compressor room.  Sufficient solids were removed to allow for the identification of drains, etc.  A drain which connects to the compressor room was found and plugged (the connection was verified by blowing air through the drain).  Two areas which leaked underground water into the vault through cracks were found and plugging was attempted.  A broken drain pipe hung across the wall was also plugged.  The water level in the vault was originally at the level of this pipe which drains into the loading bay area and then to unknown points.

ERRS placed solid materials removed from the degreaser vault, Area 1d sump and drain, and Bluefield Avenue storm drain (removed by City of Bluefield) into drums.

Three transformers in the formerly flooded compressor room were removed.  Water had entered the transformers and displaced some of the oil into the compressor room.  According to available information, the PCB concentration is 2 ppm in a composite of the oil.

The old storm drain was excavated in the area of the former coil forming room and then opened.  The City of Bluefield verified that the pipe extends into Bluefield Avenue without entering the sanitary lines.  This system likely enters the area storm drain located under Bluefield Avenue.  ERRS plugged this line.

ERRS plugged the storm inlet draining the former degreaser sump and drain at the westside gate.

A sample was collected from the westside 36" diameter storm drop box and split with the WVDEP.


Planned Removal Actions

Continue removal of contaminated waters in compressor room and basement to enable evaluation of drainage from the Site.  Continue to coordinate with City officials to determine how the drainage may be connected to the area drainage systems (storm and sanitary).  Evaluate how drainage from the Site can be minimized.

Sample surface waters during storm event.


response.epa.gov/linelectric