The American Street Tannery Site is located in the Northern Liberties Section of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The site is within the city block comprised of George, Bodine, American and Widley Streets. The area being investigated includes the site of the former tannery and the residential properties and surrounding homes on Widley Street. The former tannery comprised of a complex of five building that housed different tanneries until 1986. The site was abandoned until 1987 when it was subject to a removal action to stabilize facility of a variety of chemicals including acids, base/neutral, corrosives, toxic, and others. Later in 1990, a fire damaged the buildings. The City of Philadelphia decided to demolish the buildings, but not before vandals broke in and spilled PCB at the site and in the neighborhood. A second removal action took place to cleanup the spilled PCBs. The site was later acquired by Tower Development and redeveloped under PA Act 2 Program. The site is currently owned by Liberty Homes Philadelphia Inc. Residents in proximity of the site have expressed concerns about handling of contaminated soils and chemicals left behind in groundwater.
On August 18, 2006, START prepared and submitted a Sampling and Analysis Plan to the OSC for work to be completed at the site. The OSC posted the workplan on the epaosc.net website and sent copies of the plan to PADEP, PADOH, and the City of Philadelphia.
On August 21, 2006, the OSC contacted the City of Philadelphia about the ownership of the vacant lot, which is targeted for sampling. Subsequently, the OSC contacted the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation about the vacant property.
The CIC and the OSC visited residents in the neighborhood to solicit interest in participating in the sampling event.
On September 22, 2006, the OSC sent letters to a number of homeowners requesting access to their properties. These properties were targeted for sampling based on their proximity to the site being investigated. In addition to the residential properties and the vacant lot, access was being sought to sample Liberty Lands Community Park. EPA and ATSDR/PADOH received complaints that dust might have migrated from the redeveloped property and deposited in the park. The OSC requested access from the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association to sample the park.
On November 16, 2006, the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development granted access to EPA to conduct the sampling as described in the workplan.
On December 6, 2006 EPA received permission to sample from the last outstanding property. EPA has received permission to sample all targeted properties.
Sampling activities are scheduled to begin on or about the week of December 18, 2006. All sampling activities should be completed within the week.
According to the established project schedule, the validated data from the sampling event is due in approximately 60 days after the samples are taken. EPA will then forward the data package to ATSDR/PADOH for their review. Once ATSDR has reviewed the data, EPA will send the results to the homeowners and the interested parties. The OSC will work with the CIC to communicate the results and any actions needed as necessary thruogh factsheets and other communication outlets. The OSC and the CIC will continue to coordinate activities with the City of Philadelphia, PADEP, and the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association.
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