Pollution Report Profile - EPA OSC Response

All POLREP's for this site

Frasier Paint & Paper Soil Site
Glens Falls, NY - EPA Region II
POLREP #22 - First Load of Contaminated Soil Shipped for Disposal

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On-Scene Coordinator - Paul L. Kahn & Eric M. Daly, On-Scene Coordinators	10/16/2009
Time-Critical - Removal Action	Pollution Report (POLREP) #22
Start Date: 9/21/2009

Site Description
In September, 2007, NYSDEC Region 5 rep. Mike McClean contacted the EPA Region 2 Regional Response Center and requested EPA assistance with an abandoned paint store in the City of Glens Falls, NY.  The building had been acquired by the City through a tax foreclosure and the dangerous condition of the building was discovered by while the property was being evaluated for a Brownfields redevelopment Grant.

The building was located in the center of a residential area, adjacent to an elementary school and ball field.  The materials inside the building were identified by DEC and Brownfields assessors as paint and solvents.

On September 20, 2007, OSC Eric Daly met with NYSDEC and City officials and performed a preliminary assessment of the building.  OSC Daly observed that the roof structure was deteriorated and that approximately 1,000 rusted containers of paint and solvent were haphazardly stacked throughout the facility.  EPA conducted air monitoring along the perimeter of the building, inside the premises, and along the school grounds.

The building consisted of the main level, a partial basement, and an attic.  The entire structure was unstable.  The roof was dramatically bowed and perforated and the main room ceiling was collapsing.  Containers of solvents and leaking/rusted containers of paint and unknown substances were located on all 3 levels and haphazardly stacked.

EPA was officially requested to conduct a removal action by the Mayor of Glens Falls, the Glens Falls Fire Department, and the Principal of Sanford Street Elementary School.  NYSDEC issued a verbal referral of the site to EPA on September 20, 2007, and, based on the verbal referral, on September 20, 2007, ERRD Director G. Pavlou gave a verbal authorization to proceed with a removal action.  A formal written referral was received by EPA on September 21, 2007.

EPA mobilized its ERRS contractor on September 24, 2007. Initial efforts focused on stabilizing the structure and identifying/consolidating the containers.  All hazardous substances were packaged into cubic-yard boxes, staged in Conex shipping containers  in an adjacent parking lot, and shipped off-Site for disposal.  On October 10, 2007 the removal action was completed.

The City demolished the empty structure in the fall of 2007, and   hired a consultant to perform a Phase II soil analysis.  On June 24, 2008, the City received a report which revealed the presence of elevated levels of mercury in the soil underneath the footprint of the building.  Following the release of this report, EPA received a written request from the City for assistance in removing the contaminated soil, and a written referral of the Site to EPA from the NYSDEC for additional removal work was sent on 8/6/2008.  Following receipt of that request, EPA conducted a removal assessment of the Site, including the acquisition of numerous soil and paint samples which were tested for hazardous constituents.  Based on the analytical results and the close proximity of a public school, a decision was made to initiate a response action.  This decision is documented in an Action Memo which was signed on 8/18/2009.

Current Activities
On 10/15/2009 ERRS began bulking the mercury-contaminated soil into 45 cu. yd. dump-trailers.  As of noon on 10/16/2009 over 315 cu. yds. of soil have been removed and shipped for disposal.

On 10/13 - 10/15/2009 ERRS shipped 120 cu. yds. of low-level radioactive fly-ash for T & D.  In some areas of the Site the fly-ash was 5 feet deep.

On 10/13/2009 ERRS shipped for disposal appoximately 25 pounds of lead-paint flakes that were removed from the concrete flooring and picked up from the ground adjacent to the Site.  The paint chips were disposed of as a D008 waste.

ERRS located a prospective local vendor for back-fill.  The OSC and RM
visited the vendor and acquired a sample of the fill for TCLP analysis prior to subcontracting.  City official looked at the sample of prospective back-fill and said it looked like it was suitable fill for the future plans of for the former Frasier property.  The sample was sent to the lab in Albany with a 5 day turn-around time.

Mayor Diamond and Community Development Manager Donohue visited the Site on 10/14/2009 and expressed their satisfaction with the work being done by EPA.

K. Skopeck, EPA-PAD, was on Site video taping removal activities for posting on the Region II web site.

Under the direction of the OSC ERRS hand-removed sections of the stone foundation in preparation for the City Historian to access the north east corner of the Site to dig for possible historical artifacts.  See SPECIAL POLREP #2 (10/15/2009) for more information.

Planned Removal Actions
Continue bulking and shipping contaminated soil for disposal. Prepare excavation for clean back-fill. Continue to work with City Historian as needed.

Next Steps
See above.

Key Issues
Removing contaminated soil and verifying that the back-fill vendor will be supplying uncontaminated fill.

Disposition Of Wastes

Waste Stream	Quantity	Manifest #	Disposal Facility
concrete flooring with lead paint coating	30 cubic yards on 10/8/2009	n/a	Ontario (NY) County Landfill, Stanley, NY
low-level radioactive fly-ash	60 cubic yards on 10/12/2009	n/a	Republic Services SLF, Lowellville, OH 44436
low-level radioactive fly-ash	30 cubic yards on 10/13/2009	n/a	Republic Services SLF, Lowellville, OH 44436
lead-paint chips (D008)	25 pounds on 10/13/2009	005834556 JJK	EQ-Detroit, MI MID 980126164
low-level radioactive fly-ash	30 cubic yards on 10/14/2009	n/a	Republic Services SLF, Lowellville, OH 44436
low-level radioactive fly-ash	30 cubic yards on 10/15/2009	n/a	Republic Services SLF, Lowellville, OH 44436
mercury-contaminated soil	45 cubic yards on 10/15/2009	n/a	Town of Colonie (NY) Landfill, Cohoes, NY
mercury-contaminated soil	45 cubic yards on 10/15/2009	n/a	Town of Colonie (NY) Landfill, Cohoes, NY
mercury-contaminated soil	45 cubic yards on 10/15/2009	n/a	Town of Colonie (NY) Landfill, Cohoes, NY
mercury-contaminated soil	45 cubic yards on 10/15/2009	n/a	Town of Colonie (NY) Landfill, Cohoes, NY
mercury-contaminated soil	45 cubic yards on 10/16/2009	n/a	Town of Colonie (NY) Landfill, Cohoes, NY
mercury-contaminated soil	45 cubic yards on 10/16/2009	n/a	Town of Colonie (NY) Landfill, Cohoes, NY
mercury-contaminated soil	45 cubic yards on 10/16/2009	n/a	Town of Colonie (NY) Landfill, Cohoes, NY