The Site is a defunct tissue paper manufacturer aka paper converting) located in a rural area of Greenwich, NY, 20 miles east of Saratoga Springs, NY.
The company became defunct 2 years ago, had filed for liquidation bankruptcy, and the owner walked away from the property. The plant was purchased by St. Regis Investments, LLC, a company based in California. The original intent was to reopen the plant, but due to economic considerations the plant will be demolished and sold for residential development.
The Site occupies 27 acres in a rural/residential area, and is perched on the edge of a cliff over the Battenkill River. It has one large brick and wood, multi-level manufacturing consisting of a warehouse, two hydroelectric power plants, manufacturing areas, a lab, offices, and repair shops. There is a boiler house and an associated 20,000 gallon AST for waste oil. There are a number of small out-buildings used for vehicle and misc. equipment storage.
Security guard service was in-place from 8AM to 6PM, seven days a week, but was discontinued. The facility has limited access via a dirt road, however, the property is unfenced and the buildings are unlocked and unsecured.
Initially, this was an RP-lead removal action without an enforcement document. However, at a point in the removal activities the RP informed EPA that he did not have the funds to continue the removal action, and asked that EPA take over. After deliberating on the turn of events, and with a written site referral from the NYSDEC, EPA agreed to complete the removal action.
In connection with this proposed activity, the OSC and members of the US Coast Guard Atlantic Strike Team visited the Site on September 6, 2005 to conduct field sampling/testing on 10 drums of unknown chemicals staged at the Site. Test results revealed the presence of corrosive waste chemicals and flammable waste chemicals.
Additional funds in the amount of $25,000 were transferred from the Contingency and RST accounts to ERRS Mitigation, providing for continuing funding for Other Direct Costs such as equipment rental, off-site hours for the Site Chemist and Response Manager.
OSC has signed consent to subcontract for the disposal of 17 waste streams from the Site. ERRS chemist continues work on completing waste stream disposal profiles. OSC has decided to temporarily shut down site ops as of March 10th until first week of April while disposal paperwork is being prepared.
Action Memo requesting an additional $100,000 in mitigation funding has been finalized and signed in RPB, and sent to NYC for approval.
Additional funds will allow for final Site ops through April, including final T & D of all wastes on Site.
Rep from NALCO Chemical visited Site to inspect his 8 chemical totes in preparation for shipping them back to supplier at no cost to the government. Rep from Jamestown Chemical visited Site on 2/28 and retrieve his chemical tote containing almost 400 gallons of bleach solution, at no cost to the government. Rep from GE Betz-Dearborn has agreed to retrieve 5 full and partially full chemical totes, and two 55-gallon drums of chemicals, at no cost to the government, and is making arrangements for Clean Harbors to remove the chemicals for disposal.
Minimal activities are currently underway at Site; crew is preparing drums for labels and putting them into shippable condition.
Maintain minimal presence on Site to deter intruders and to prepare drums for shipping via common carrier.
Continue preparation of paperwork for T & D; peform Off-Site Compliance checks for all disposal facilities; continue contacting suppliers for retrieval of old chemicals.
Key issues remain retrieval of old chemicals by chemical suppliers; securing additional funding to complete removal action; preparation of documentation for T & D; compliance checks on disposal facilities.
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