The Lincoln Mill Site is located in a mostly residential area at 17 Lincoln Street in Biddeford, Maine. Lincoln Mill is owned by MCMAQ, LLC., which rents out space in the mill to several businesses. No. 2 fuel oil is stored onsite in two aboveground storage tanks (ASTs): a 20,000 gallon tank (the “big” tank) and a 1,000 gallon day tank (the “pony” tank). A canal system runs beneath Lincoln Mill and the neighboring Westpoint Stevens Mill, draining in an easterly direction to the Saco River. The canal system consists of 3 upper and 5 lower canals.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MEDEP) was contacted on October 31, 2003 by a former employee of Westpoint Stevens reporting that there had been several spills of oil and chemicals in the basement under Westpoint Stevens. During a October 31, 2003 visit to the facility, hydraulic oil was discovered on the basement floor and in pooling globules on standing water in the basement, leaking from the ground-level manufacturing room and seeping through the wood floor. The lower canal area was also discovered to be impacted by hydraulic oil. According to MEDEP, the lower canals had been impacted by a hydraulic oil leak in 1999, and oil residual remained following the Westpoint Stevens-led clean-up.
During the investigation, a Plant Engineer with Westpoint Stevens told MEDEP that a strong fuel oil odor was occasionally detectable in the lower canals. During certain times of the year (early autumn) the odor was so strong that employees complained that it made their eyes sting. Westpoint Stevens also informed MEDEP that Westpoint Stevens does not store or use any fuel oil at their facility.
MEDEP subsequently visited the Lincoln Mill facility (MCMAQ, LLC.) on October 31, 2003 and discovered evidence of a recent No. 2 fuel oil spill (unreported) from their 1,000 gallon storage tank. The spill had been incompletely cleaned up with sawdust. Saturated sawdust and some free product was visible in the back corner of the small tank room. Staining on the floor suggested that enough oil had leaked from the tank to flow out through the doorway and down a shaft that penetrates through to the lower canal system. MCMAQ alleged that the spill had been contained to the room. In response to questions regarding oil-like stains on the floor outside of the small tank room, MCMAQ told MEDEP that a second spill from a 55-gallon drum had occurred (also unreported).
During a subsequent visit to the Lincoln Mill facility on November 21, 2003 MEDEP discovered a weeping valve on a steam line that runs to the 20,000-gallon tank. The valve had been leaking for an unknown amount of time and there was significant staining on the concrete under the valve. A bucket was placed under the valve and several weeks later the valve was removed and capped. MEDEP is still in the process of getting MCMAQ to investigate this leak further.
In total, MEDEP has records of 6 spills from the Lincoln Mill facility, one or more of which may be the source of oil contaminating the underground canal system and subsequently infiltrating into the Saco River:
- Discharge of No. 4 oil, estimated at 1000 gallons, reported to Maine Department of Environmental Protection on September 16, 1997
- Discharge of No. 2 oil, estimated at 1500 gallons, on or around November 1999
- Discharge of No. 2 oil, estimated at 50 gal, from 1000 gallon tank on November 6, 2001
- Discharge of No. 2 oil from 1000 gallon tank, estimated at 300-500 gallons, on or around October 2003
- Discharge of No. 2 oil, estimated at 35 gallons, from drum, on or around October 2003
- Discharge of No. 2 oil from leaking steam line to 20,000 gallon aboveground storage tank, spill size unknown, on or around November 21, 2003
Westpoint Stevens undertook a clean up of the hydraulic oil in the underground canal system beginning in November 2003. Clean Harbors was hired to remove contaminated water and soil from the upper and lower canals. Clean Harbors notified MEDEP when red fuel oil was discovered during cleanup operations in the lower canal system. MEDEP investigated further and discovered a large amount of fuel oil impacting two of the lower canals. Because Westpoint Stevens does not use or store fuel oil on their property, MEDEP requested that Clean Harbors cease fuel oil cleanup pending further investigation at neighboring Lincoln Mill into the source and extent of the fuel oil contamination.
In December 2003, EPA received a call from MEDEP requesting access to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF), in order to better charactize the source and extent of No. 2 fuel oil contamination in the lower canal system.
During a walking tour of the Lincoln Mill facility’s ASTs and secondary containment areas on January 22, 2004, OSCs Tom Condon and Melanie I. Pincus observed dark, oil-like staining on the sides of both storage tanks.
Samples of the oil in MCMAQ’s storage tank and of the spilled oil in the lower canals were collected by MEDEP in February 2004. These samples were analyzed by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Marine Safety Laboratory (MSL) and were determined to be from a common source.
MEDEP has decided to assume responsibility for funding and managing the investigation into the nature and extent of the contamination in the underground canal system.
The U.S. EPA OSCs will remain in communication with MEDEP regarding investigation and removal activities in the lower canal system, however MEDEP is assuming the lead role in funding and managing the site investigation. EPA will continue to communicate with MEDEP regarding the Lincoln Mill Site, and will take appropriate action should federal assistance in this matter become necessary.
On January 23, 2004, OSC Pincus issued a Notification of Federal Interest to MCMAQ, LLC. regarding the No. 2 fuel oil spills at the Lincoln Mill facility and contamination in the lower canal system.
On March 18, 2004, EPA issued to MCMAQ, LLC. a Clean Water Act 311 Information Request letter, to gather more information regarding the facility’s spill history and oil storage capacity.
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