Severe storms with rain, hail, high winds, and tornadoes moved through eight counties in central/western Kansas during the evening of May 4, 2007. The city of Greensburg (Kiowa County, approximately 1,500 residents) was hit directly by an F5 tornado. This particular tornado tracked through six counties (starting in Comanche, Kiowa, Edwards, Stafford, Pratt, and Barton Counties). EPA dispatched three On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) to the scene with the response truck and mobile command post, and they reported observing scattered miscellaneous hazardous waste, including solvents, paints, propane tanks, chlorine cylinders, anhydrous ammonia tanks, rail tankers, etc.
EPA continued coordination with Southern Plains Continuity Operations Plan (COOP) to resume the transfer of the remaining contents of the 26,000-gallon anhydrous ammonia bulk tank and to repair the leaking bulk propane tank pressure valve. The COOP needs electrical power to complete the transfer from the ammonia bulk tank and will have power restored on Friday to complete the transfer. The transfer of propane from a propane bulk storage tank is complete.
EPA provided the Emergency Support Function (ESF) 10 input for the Incident Action Plan being developed for tomorrow's operational period.
EPA and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) are jointly coordinating and monitoring the cleanup of oil from the Union Pacific rail cars. Union Pacific's contractors are using a vacuum truck to remove oil from the rail yard and along the shoreline of the adjacent creek, and contaminated soil is being excavated along the rail area.
EPA is coordinating with the owners of an overturned tractor trailer containing aviation motor oil. The owner, located in California, is making arrangements to transfer the products to another transport vehicle with EPA's assistance. A transport is in-route for the off-loading and is expected to be on-site on the morning of May 10, 2007.
EPA responded to a call concerning oxygen cylinders found in a damaged car. The owner of the car was met at the scene, and all but one cylinder was taken by the owner. The remaining damaged cylinder was staged by EPA for recovery. EPA also responded to a call to check on an aboveground storage tank that was found north of the COOP.
Reconnaissance of impacted areas continues, including previously assessed situations to confirm their status has not changed.
EPA in coordination with KDHE and local officials has located a suitable staging area for hazardous materials that are recovered. An access agreement has been given to the county for use of the area, and they have given verbal approval. EPA received formal notification that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has issued a mission assignment for EPA to manage hazardous substance, oil spills, orphaned containers, household hazardous waste, and white goods under ESF 10 of the National Response Plan.
Meetings are being held to determine the best course of action for the PCB-containing electrical transformers damaged by the storm.
Planning is being done for the layout of the hazardous materials staging area, along with planning a strategy for household hazardous waste collection. KDHE has begun distributing fliers to the local residents telling them to place their household hazardous waste at curbside for pickup and disposal.
Emergency Rapid Response Services and Superfund Technical Assistance And Response Team personnel are mobilized and in-route to the Site.
A sampling plan is being developed for the pre- and post-sampling of materials in the hazardous materials staging area, the white goods in the staging area at the south landfill, and for the new burn pit on private property at the north landfill. KDHE has been given access for this activity by the property owner.
OSC Janice Kroone will be arriving on-site today to overlap and replace OSC Eric Nold.
Meetings concerning the cleanup and disposal of PCB-containing transformers and contaminated soil/debris will continue as a high priority. KDHE and Kiowa County officials have approved a plan to burn debris, including construction and demolition materials, at the landfill located two miles north of Greensburg. EPA will be available to conduct air monitoring as requested by KDHE.
KDHE will have one of their asbestos personnel on-site to evaluate asbestos issues and make recommendations as to disposal of possible asbestos containing debris.
President Bush was on-site today for a tour of some of the damaged areas.
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