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.

Since September 7, EPA and its contractors have completed the removal and disposal of the liquid wastes with a volume of approximately 84,322 gallons (52,906 gallons of used oil with elevated concentrations of water and solids and 31,416 gallons of used oil contaminated water), 60 cubic yards of oily debris, and 30 cubic yards of Asbestos Containing Material. In addition, 23 of the 28 tanks on the R&H Site have been demolished and are being processed for scrap.  The demolition activities have resulted in the recycle of approximately 140 tons of scrap steel.    Additionally, EPA is currently in the process of solidifying oily sludges and consolidating contaminated soils.

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 include the removal and disposal of visibly contaminated soils, completion of the demolition activities, and minor site restoration activities to ensure proper drainage and minimize potential off-site drainage.

Extensive soil contamination has been observed within the tank and process areas and east of the main tank area. It appears that this soil contamination extends down approximately 3-5 feet below ground surface within these areas. The contamination appears to be consistent with historic spills, tank bottom failures, and intentional burial of hyrocarbon type wastes.  In addition, several of the tanks appear to have been retrofitted with concrete over failed tank bottoms.