See polrep number 1.
Monday, August 04, 2003: EPA-1, START-1, ERRS-3. EPA, ERRS, and START mobilize to the site. ERRS mobilizes supplies and subcontracts heavy equipment for the asphalt cutting and trench digging. Utility locate completed.
Tuesday, August 05, 2003: EPA-1, START-1, ERRS-3
ERRS set up work zones with temporary fencing and caution tape. Trench outlines were delineated and all asphalt and concrete cutting was completed. Excavation on trench west of MW-9 was completed as well as north of MW-9. Bedrock was encountered at 4 feet below ground surface. A pyrotechnic device was found while excavating the trench. EPA contacted local sheriff. Ashton police and local sheriff contacted Idaho State Comms and the Explosive Ordinance Division. Device was placed inside sand bag and taken by police to secure area for review by EOD in morning.
Wednesday, August 6, 2003: EPA-1, START-1, ERRS-3. EPA works on obtaining right-of-way encroachment permit from Idaho Transportation Department. START conducted product/water level measurements on all wells (on and off site). Miguel Bella, USCG NPFC case officer on site to conduct site walk, observe operations, and view path to surface water body. ERRS completed most of trench work to MW-9 and MW-10 except for two areas where bedrock outcrops impeded progress. ERRS used jack hammer to remove rock. Ashton Police, Freemont County Sherrif, and Army Bomb disposal Ordnance Company removed the pyrotechnic device from the temporary storage located at the city's sewage lagoons. Device removed and disposed of by Army. ERRS began excavation of trench leading to MW-15 and encountered an old footing near the southwestern corner of the fuel island's concrete pad. The trench was enlarged and rerouted around the concrete footing. START documented site conditions for developing the as-built drawinings and conducted health and safety monitoring with photo ionization detector. OSC makes decision to stage excavation soils under canopy until analytical results have been received - was given approval from operator Mr. Kerssen. Additional ERRS worker mobilized to the site.
Thursday, August 7, 2003: EPA-1, START-1, ERRS-4.
ERRS completed trench work to MW-15 and began to excavate around each extraction well. ERRS obtained more powerful jack hammer to remove the outcropped bedrock found in two locations in the trench. Sand and Gravel arrived on site. ERRS placed bed of sand inside of trench and compacted it according to specification. PVC pipe arrived on site and ERRS began to stage pipe for assembly. IDEQ Steve Heaton and Jim Johnston on site for site walk and to observe site operations. IDEQ stated they could give approval, via permit, for land disposal of the excavation soils. IDEQ stated they could also assist by providing fuel storage services. ERRS began to install piping for the treatment system: 1 - pipe for controller cables, 1- pipe (double-walled) for product recovery, and 1-pipe (double-walled) for water recovery (if needed). Olympic Technical Services Fritz Durham on site (consultant hired by Bravehearts) to collect product samples from MW-3 and MW-2. Samples were sent to a commercial laboratory in Seattle, Washington. START collected 4 composite soil samples, one from each half, of the two excavation stockpiles. Samples were sent to a commercial laboratory in Seattle, Washington. Electrician on site to repair electrical cable inside of trench, rewire conduit over the base of the Texaco sign, and wire the control box for the treatment system controls. ERRS completed installation of the 4 inch pipe from MW-15 to the southwestern corner of the trench line.
Friday, August 8, 2003: EPA-1, START-1, ERRS-4
ERRS worked to connect 6 inch pipes to MW-15 and clearing dirt away from side wall of trench near the bend towards MW-9. Post Register Newspaper photographer on site to document site conditions and installation work. Truck loads of gravel and sand arrived today and were staged on asphalt east of the canopy. Electrical subcontractors on site to finish installing control panel, rerouting electrical conduit and junction box. START demobilized from the site. ERRS began the installation of pipe to MW-9 and MW-10.
Saturday, August 9, 2003: EPA-1, START-0, ERRS-4
ERRS completed construction of the PVC pipe lines. ERRS discussed the design of the water line (the 2" line inside the 6" line) START engineer and made field decision to connect the water line from MW-15 to MW-9 with a "T" joint rather than run two 2" lines through the 6" conduit as originally planned. This change sped up construction of the final section of the water line. This modification was approved by the OSC. Field decision was also made to run the product overflow control cables aboveground via an electrical conduit. EPA OSC approved this modification. EPA OSC demobilized from site.
Sunday, August 10, 2003: EPA-0, START-0, ERRS-4
ERRS conducted pressure tests of the PVC pipelines in early morning. After checking the lines, ERRS discovered that sections of the PVC lines leading to MW-15 were not properly cemented. These lines included the 2", 4", and 6" Schedule 80 PVC lines where they rise up into the MW-15 well vault location. ERRS properly cemented the sections and then left the job site for several hours to allow the cement to set. The OSC was informed of the failures. ERRS response manager visted the property of Mr. John Hess of Ashton, Idaho, to assess the proposed location for placing the excavated trench soil from the Ashton Texaco Site. The site is a pit left in the ground after a former potato cellar burned. Mr. Hess is currently filling the pit with construction debris from the high school construction project and other fill soil that he can obtain. The site is located on the south side of a slight hill that is surrounded by crop land. According to Mr. Hess, the closest surface water is the Falls River, which is approximately 1-1/4 mile to the south. The terrain between the site and the falls river is flat cropland. ERRS returned to the job site at 1200 to prepare the pressure tests. At 1225, ERRS began the pressure test of the 6" Schedule 80 line (secondary containment for the water line). The pressure test failed for that line. ERRS pressure tested the 2" line located inside the 6" line. The 2" line failed the pressure test. ERRS began the pressure test of the 4" line (secondary containment for the product line). The pressure was slowly ramped up to 35 psi, and the line held the pressure. At 50 psi, the test failed, and the 4" line blew apart at a 22.5° elbow between MW-15 and MW-9 locations. Note that none of the pressure test failure locations included the section of pipe that had been cemented earlier that morning at MW-15. ERRS repaired the PVC pipelines, and RM Hall called OSC Szerlog to discuss the results. ERRS discussed the testing parameters with the START engineer, and a decision was made to lower the target pressures, especially for the two secondary containment lines (the 4" and 6" lines). ERRS and START spoke with the OSC and all agreed that 30 psi will be the target pressure for the 4" and 6" lines, and 50 psi will be the target for the 2" water line.
Monday, August 11, 2003: EPA-0, START-0, ERRS-4
ERRS conducted the next series of pressure tests. The 6" and 4" lines failed the test at 30 psi. The lines did not blow out as before, but there were definite leaks in some of the joints that allowed the pressure to escape. Using soapy water, ERRS detected one leak in the 4" line and two leaks in the 6" line. ERRS conducted the repairs and let the pipe cure overnight.
Tuesday, August 12, 2003: EPA-0, START-0, ERRS-4
ERRS conducted the pressure test of the 4" line (secondary containment for the product lines.) The pressure in the line was increased to 30 psi, where it initially held. After 20 minutes of testing, the pressure dropped to approximately 29 psi. By using soapy water, ERRS determined that there were a couple of pin-hole sized leaks in a few fittings. ERRS discussed the results with OSC Szerlog, who was meeting with START Engineer. The OSC and START decided that the pressure test results were sufficient since the secondary containment line would ideally not be under more than atmospheric pressure. ERRS tested the 2" water line. The 2" line held for two hours at 50 psi, and was determined to pass the pressure test. Once the 2" pressure test was completed, the 2" and 6" lines were rebuilt underneath MW-10 such that a "T" joint was installed so that the water line would stub up into the well vault, and an extension length was left underneath and outside the area of the MW-10 well vault so that a future water line could be connected to it. ERRS installed new product tubing through the 4" line to replace the original tubing, which had become slightly worn from the additional pipe work.
Wednesday, August 13, 2003: EPA-0, START-0, ERRS-3 One ERRS demobilized from the site. ERRS conducted the pressure test for the 6" line, which is the secondary containment for the water line. The pressure in the line was increased to 30 psi. After approximately 15 minutes, the pressure had dropped to 25 psi. After approximately 45 minutes, the pressure in the line was approximately 23 to 24 psi. ERRS discussed the results with the OSC, and it was decided that the results were sufficient for the intended use of the secondary containment line which would be under atmospheric pressure. ERRS backfilled the trench with sand at the bottom of the trench and around the pipes to a minimum height of 6" above the pipes. Over the sand, ERRS backfilled with "Pit Run", which was the backfill available from the local gravel supplier and which was specified by the city engineer of Ashton for backfill and roadwork. The Pit Run was laid down in approximately 6" lifts and compacted until an approximate depth of 9" below grade was obtained. Over the Pit Run, ERRS backfilled with approximately 6" of ¾ minus Road Base to a depth of about 2" to 3". By the end of the day, ERRS completed the backfill and compaction of most of the trench, with the exception of the areas around the wells.
Thursday, August 14, 2003: EPA-0, START-0, ERRS-3
ERRS placed and built up the well vaults at MW-9, MW-10, and MW-15. ERRS also began to prepare the trench for asphalt repair by cleaning out the area that had been backfilled and compacted the previous day.
Friday, August 15, 2003: EPA-0, START-0, ERRS-3
ERRS finished backfilling and compacting the trench around the three well vaults and then used an asphalt saw to straighten out the area to be re-asphalted. ERRS then had an asphalt subcontractor repair the asphalt with approximately 3 inches of fresh asphalt. Approximately 500 square feet of asphalt was replaced. Once the asphalt work was completed, ERRS began to install the concrete collars around the well vaults and to stockpile all excavated soil under the canopy pending transportation off-site. Two ERRS demobilize off site.
-Install extraction and treatment system according to the engineering design.
-Determine product recovery rate and develop operating parameters and timeline.
-Operate system for 6 month period and re-evaluate.
Transportation and Disposal of soil cuttings.
-Transportation and Disposal of oil/water
-Transportation and Disposal of recovered product.
-Once treatment system is operational, EPA will re-evaluate the need to operate the system after 6-months
On Tuesday, August 5, 2003 a pyrotechnic device "blasting cap" was unearthed from the excavation trench. The cap looked intact and was placed inside a cooler in the shade. Freemont County Sheriff was called and respoded with Ashton City Police. Idaho State Communications was notified and the Army's Bomb Disposal Ordnance Company out of Tooele, Utah were notified. The Army removed the device on August 6, 2003 from the temporary storage area that the device was housed by the Ashton Police.
Encountering the pyrotechnic device, the outcrops of bedrock, the buried concrete footing, and the pressure testing failures caused several days of unexpected and additional work.
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