On 9/6/2007, EPA’s R6 Emergency Response Team was notified of an ongoing release from Agrifos Fertilizer Inc. located at 2100 Jackson Road, Pasedena, TX. The National Response Center ( NRC) has assigned the incident NRC # 847936. The release occurred when a retaining wall failed resulting in the discharge of process water from a large gypsum mound. The discharge is reported to exhibit a pH of 2, contain sulfuric and phosphoric acids, and metals. The USCG has confirmed a fish kill associated with the release with a noticeable “dead” zone. The RP has estimated that 10 million gallons of process water has been discharged since the incident began. It is estimated approximately 6 million gallons of process water has been pumped and discharged within the past two days. This discharge was pumped by the responsible party (RP) to reduce hydraulic pressure on the retaining wall and provide additional capacity for future rain events. The RP has requested an emergency discharge permit for the discharge from the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Currently, the release is an un-permitted discharge from the facility to Cotton Patch Bayou and then into the Houston Ship Channel.
It is estimated that 25-35 million gallons of process water is contained behind the retaining wall. An additional 175 million gallons of process water is contained within the impoundments located on the top of the gypsum mound. The RP is concerned about the potential catastrophic release of either of the impoundments. The facility has had similar releases from the facility in the past.
The USCG, TCEQ, and Harris County Pollution Control were responding to the incident.
The RP is conducting a feasibility study to utilize the facility’s WWTP for the treatment of effluent. Assisting in the study was EPA’s Michael Williams (EPA R6 Enforcement), START-3 and OECA contractors. It was determined that the facility WWTP could treat the effluent but would likely exceed permitted ammonia concentrations. It is expected that the WWTP could treat up to 275,000 gallons per day.
The RP is conducting pH monitoring of the Houston Ship Channel three times per day. Small seeps were observed in the retaining wall along the area of the original breach. The RP has resumed adding soda ash to try to neutralize the pH of the water prior to it entering Cotton Patch Bayou.
An environmental assessment was conducted by START, USCG and the RP along Cotton Patch Bayou and the Houston Ship Channel. Stressed vegetation and dead wildlife were observed (ie: crabs, crawfish, fish).
Workgroups continue to develop a storage/disposal solution and a contingency plan for worst-case scenarios.
ICS is being utilized for the response. EPA continues to operate within unified command. The RP, TCEQ, and the USCG represent the UC/IC.
The UC/IC will continue trying to finalize the storage/disposal and contingency plans.
START-3 will continue monitoring surface water bodies for pH, provide photo documentation of the RP response actions, provide T&D technical assistance, and provide other technical assistance as necessary.
1) Identify potential disposal options for 25-30 million gallons of process water.
1) The facility currently has 25-35 million gallons of water that needs to be removed to return the facility to a non-emergency situation. Remedies developed, proposed, and implemented will likely not be long-term solutions.
2) No additional storage capacity has been identified.
3) Any precipitation that is received by the facility add to the cumulative total of water that needs to be removed. 1" of rain is equal to 10.5 million gallons of additional water that must be removed.
4) The RP has contracted the repair of the retaining wall.
5) Additional seeps have been observed along the retaining wall in the area of the original breach.
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