Franke's Laundromat operated as a laundry and dry-cleaning facility from the early 1960's until the business closed in March 2000. The site has been unoccupied since. Site investigation activities conducted by the property owners and City of Caldwell since 1999 have revealed high concentrations of tetrachloroethene, also known as perchloroethylene (PCE) in soils and groundwater at and downgradient of the site. PCE was detected in shallow groundwater at the site as high as 155,000 ug/l. PCE is in the lower aquifer 400 feet downgradient from the site at 120 ug/l. PCE in soils at approximately 9 foot depth are as high as 450 mg/kg.
On June 24, 2003, EPA entered into an Administrative Order on Consent with the property owners for removal site investigation activities, to characterize the lateral and vertical extent of PCE contamination and investigate appropriate removal action. The property owners refused to enter into additional negotiations for removal cleanup activities. EPA, therefore, is initiating a removal action to remove PCE contaminated soils that present an on-site human health exposure threat, or threat of continued migration off-site in groundwater and soils. In order to access highly contaminated soils beneath and adjacent to the former laundromat, the unoccupied building must be demolished and removed.
See Polreps #1 through #5 for work performed prior to June 15.
June 15, 2004
Personnel on site:
ERRS Contractor - 6
START Contractor - 2
EPA OSC - 1
Weather: Dry, high in 70s.
Work Performed: Continued backfill of excavation cells 4 & 5 (towards police station) with 3/4" minus pit run. Compacted in approximately 3 foot lifts and tested for adequate compaction rate. Removed shoring from excavation areas 4 & 5. Loaded out 5 trucks (165 tons) of stockpiled excavated soil for disposal at US Ecology facility in Grandview, ID.
June 16, 2004
Personnel on site:
ERRS Contractor - 6
START Contractor - 2
EPA OSC - 0
Weather: Dry, high in 70s.
Work performed: Finished backfill of excavation cells 4 & 5. Dug footprint and installed shoring for excavation cells #6 and #7, at Northwest corner of site towards 4th Avenue. Collected samples from stored water (groundwater from excavation pit stored in 20,000 tank on site) Loaded out 5 trucks (165 tons) for disposal at US Ecology facility in Grandview, ID.
June 17, 2004
Personnel on site:
ERRS Contractor - 6
START Contractor - 3
EPA OSC - 1
Weather: Dry, high in 80s.
Work performed: Began excavating cells #6 and #7(28' x 34' total) to approximately 5 feet below ground surface. Collected samples of excavation floor and sidewalls for on-site analysis, to determine necessary extent of excavation. Collected samples from 50-yard stockpiles of excavated soils for TCLP analysis. Loaded out 4 trucks (132 tons) for disposal at US Ecology facility in Grandview, ID. Discharged approximately 10,000 gallons of water from tanks to sanitary sewer, after receiving analytical results that show PCE levels below discharge limit provided by City of Caldwell, and notifying City of the discharge.
June 18, 2004
Personnel on site:
ERRS Contractor - 6
START Contractor - 2
EPA OSC - 1
Weather: Dry, high in 80s.
Work performed: Continued excavation of cells 6 & 7 to approximately 9 feet bgs. Collected samples of excavation floor and sidewalls for on-site analysis, to determine necessary extent of excavation. Collected samples from 50-yard stockpiles of excavated soils for TCLP analysis. Loaded out 5 trucks (155 tons) for disposal at US Ecology facility in Grandview, ID. Continued discharge of stored water to sanitary sewer (approximately 15,000 gallons. On Saturday 6/19, ERRS only worked 1.5 hours cleaning up site, START 8 hrs perfroming GPS and data transcription, and no work on Sunday.
June 21, 2004
Personnel on site:
ERRS Contractor - 6
START Contractor - 2
EPA OSC - 1
Weather: Dry, high in 80s.
Work performed: Pumped accumulated groundwater (approx. 300 gals.) out of cells #6 & #7 into on-site holding tank. Completed excavation of cells #6 & #7, to 15 ft. bgs. Decommissioned monitoring well MW-19 that was in the excavation pit. Cut it off at approximately 15 feet bgs and filled remaining well with bentonite pellets. Collected floor and sidewall samples at 11.5 and 15 ft. depth for on-site analysis. Put 4-5 feet of clay in pit and compacted with excavator, thereby stopping additional groundwater coming into pit.
June 22, 2004
Personnel on site:
ERRS Contractor - 6
START Contractor - 2
EPA OSC - 1
Weather: Dry, high in 90s.
Work performed: Backfilled excavation cells #6 & 7 with clean compacted clay up to about 6.5 feet bgs, and removed shoring. Loaded out 2 trucks (66 tons) for disposal at US Ecology facility in Grandview, ID.
June 23, 2004
Personnel on site:
ERRS Contractor - 6
START Contractor - 2
EPA OSC - 1
Weather: Dry, high in upper 90s.
Work performed: Completed backfill and compaction of cells #6 & 7, with 1/4 minus clean fill. Loaded out 6 trucks (198 tons) for disposal at US Ecology facility in Grandview, ID. Total amount of soils sent for disposal to date is 2,131 tons. Excavated footprint for cell #8, adjoining and north of #7 (along edge of property at 4th Ave., towards Main Street).
Continue excavation of cell #8 and, if necessary #9. Anticipate at this time that these will be the final excavation cells. Install slide rail shoring as necessary. Field screen during excavation using PID and samples collected for on-site GC/MS analysis. Collect and analyze samples of excavation pit walls and floor to determine necessary extent of removal. Stockpile excavated soils in 50-yard piles for TCLP analyisis and disposal. Send contaminated soils off site for proper disposal based on analytical results. Test and discharge collected water from groundwater intrusion into excavation pit. Backfill excavation pit, compacting each lift, and restore site.
An Action Memorandum cost ceiling increase has been approved, and increase in funding has been provided for START contractor and is in process for ERRS contractor. Increased costs are result of greater area and volume of contaminated soils above site cleanup action levels than was earlier anticipated. Total amount of soils sent for disposal to date is 2,131 tons.
Data from samples collected during excavation, and analyzed with on-site GC/MS show that PCE contamination above risk-based action level for potential migration to groundwater, while decreasing in concentration with distance from the source area, likely extends beyond the property to the northwest at approximately 11 to 15 feet below ground surface. The OSC determines that this cleanup will not continue beyond the Franke's Laundromat property in that direction, because of complications encountering utilities and access on 4th Avenue.
|
