A storage tank at the Allied Terminals collapsed on Wednesday, November 12, spilling about two million gallons of urea ammonium nitrate liquid fertilizer into the adjacent area. The spill originated from the Allied Terminals in Chesapeake, VA. The spill flooded the secondary containment for Tank 201 and spilled onto three adjacent city streets. Two people were seriously injured in the collapse and taken to a hospital. A total of 12 homes were evacuated during parts of the response.
EPA On-scene Coordinators (OSCs) mobilized to the site on November 12, 2009, to provide support to the City of Chesapeake Fire Department (CFD) and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ). The CFD and the VDEQ have requested EPA continue to provide technical support as necessary at Allied Terminals in response to the spill.
The Allied facility hired HEPACO to conduct the cleanup. The cleanup focused on removing liquids and fertilizer-saturated soils from residential areas first, and second, on removing liquid fertilizer from the secondary containment for Tank 201. Approximately 1.8 million gallons of product were recovered. Over 200,000 gallons of liquid fertilizer may have reached the Elizabeth River or may still be contained within soils surrounding the site.
This Pollution Report (POLREP) covers site activities from May 28 through July 13, 2009. It provides an update on the recent occurrences, a round of sampling from June 18, 2009, and briefly summarizes EPA regulations applicable to this site. For more information regarding EPA's previous activities, please see previous POLREPs or the Documents section of this website.
During this period, EPA OSCs maintained limited on-site activities. EPA OSCs Laura Casillas and Chris Wagner continue to periodically visit the site and communicate with local jurisdictions regarding any potential impacts to the health of the residents, or the Elizabeth River.
On May 29, 2009 the VDEQ requested that Allied provide a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) that addresses residual contamination resulting from the spill. VDEQ has requested that Allied delineate the extent of areas impacted by the fertilizer and develop a monitoring plan for surface water and groundwater. VDEQ requested that Allied continue to remove standing product or water containing urea ammonium nitrate from the spill areas on a weekly basis, and 24 hours after a rain event, and that Allied provide monthly monitoring reports while the CAP is approved. Allied has contractors continue to pump residues that flow onto the ditches and to do weekly air monitoring for ammonia at an impacted residence.
On June 18, 2009 the City of Chesapeake held a South Hill community meeting. The meeting focused on the ongoing discussions about the relocation of South Hill residents. Neighbors, local elected officials, City of Chesapeake officials, and representatives from the South Hill Civic League were in attendance. Representatives from the Chemical Safety Board, the VDEQ, the City Fire Department, and EPA were available to update the group and to answer questions.
Some of the updates included:
• The Chemical Safety Board presented a summary of its findings report released on May 27, 2009. Their report included details on safety considerations and deficiencies at the Allied Terminals Facility and recommendations for the facility, other State and Federal Agencies.
• EPA, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and the local Health Department reviewed the most current ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites levels in the site. The ATSDR completed a health consult describing that no adverse health effects were expected from the current levels of these at the site.
• EPA would follow up with a third round of sampling for ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites in the surface waters, drinking water, and soils.
• The City of Chesapeake Fire Department assembled a Tank Task force right after the event. The task force has addressed 8 terminals in the city. It found 50 potential items that needed to be addressed, of those, 4 items remain to be addressed. The Task Force requested all Allied tanks inspection records.
• The City Manager discussed the re-appropriation process at the federal level. She also discussed that both the City Council and the State Legislature are working on legislation to address tanks issues. The City presented an informational video on the South Hill neighborhood. The video will be used to inform congressional and outside parties about the situation at the South Hill neighborhood.
• The South Hill Civic League expressed its position is to be relocated and requested the community help in writing elected officials.
On June 19, 2009 EPA and its contractors collected samples for analysis. Drinking water wells at two residences were sampled for the third time. Previous analysis showed no impact to the two homes’ drinking water from elevated nitrates or nitrites. EPA also sampled surface water and soils along neighborhood ditches, along an outfall within the facility, and along outfalls outside the facility. EPA expects validated results the week of July 20, 2009.
The USEPA has followed up on the Allied Terminals Urea Ammonium Nitrate (UAN) spill under several of its authorities. These authorities include the National Contingency Plan (NCP), the Clean Air Act (CAA), and the Clean Water Act (CWA).
On November 12, 2008 EPA was able to immediately support the Chesapeake Fire Department, the Lead for the emergency, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the environmental lead on the incident under the NCP. Through the NCP EPA provided environmental emergency support in the form of immediate sampling of drinking water wells, surface waters, and air quality monitoring. EPA also provided the City and the Commonwealth with technical support to ensure the fertilizer product discharge was adequately contained.
Section 114 of the Clean Air Act allowed EPA inspectors to request information from Allied and to conduct a limited general inspection of the facility in order to investigate the threat to public health and the environment potentially posed the air release of ammonia from the released UAN and by the storage of UAN in tanks at the facility.
Virginia is authorized to administer the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) under Section 402 of the Act. The Commonwealth under state law, or EPA pursuant to CWA Sections 301 and 309, may impose penalties and impose a requirement to cease unpermitted discharges of pollutants into the Elizabeth River. Up to now, the Commonwealth of Virginia has led CWA efforts for this Response.
The EPA addresses tanks within facilities that contain Oil or Fuel Products under its Spill Prevention Controls and Countermeasures (SPCC) Rule (40 CFR Part 112). Tanks containing petroleum products at the Allied facility fall under the SPCC regulation. However, the EPA does not have authorities that specifically address the maintenance and inspection of fertilizer tanks.
EPA does not have a Superfund Removal Action planned for the site at this time.
EPA expects validates analytical results next week, for sampling conducted on June 18, 2009.
EPA is following up on the Chemical Safety Board recommendations detailed in its Allied Terminals May, 2009 findings report.
Because of the large size of this spill and of the land it impacted, it will take some time to address fertilizer residues in the soil. Allied and VDEQ continue to work on how to address fertilizer residues.
The primary health concern at the Site would be Ammonia vapors. The EPA OSC has reviewed air monitoring data at the site. Ammonia vapors have not been detected and therefore do not pose a health threat to residents. Elevated levels of Ammonia are unlikely to resurge at the site because fertilizer residues have now been out in the soil for a long period of time and the Ammonia vapors are no longer present at high levels. EPA will still continue to monitor the potential for Ammonia vapors to resurge, as a precaution.
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