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The 22nd Street Station Site (Site) is located at 2200 South Racine, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, in a mixed residential, commercial, and industrial area. The site is bordered to the north by Cermak Road, to the east by an electrical substation owned by Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), and to the south by the South Branch of the Chicago River. The Site is approximately 7.2 acres in size and is occupied by ComEd.
The Site is a former manufactured gas plant (MGP) that operated as an MGP facility from approximately 1862 to 1958. The Site was initially developed by Peoples Gas to produce coal gas. In 1934 it was modified to produce carbureted water gas and oil gas. In 1944, two production sets were modified to produce reformed natural gas. Peoples Gas began leasing portions of the site to ComEd in 1931 and sold the last portion to ComEd in 1959. The MGP facility at the Site stopped operating in 1958 and the plant was entirely dismantled by 1960.
A preliminary assessment of the Site was conducted by Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) in 1988. Peoples Gas performed site investigations between 2000 and 2002. A Remedial Objectives Report (ROR) was developed that recommended the removal of impacted material from several on-site locations.
Remediation activities, consisting of excavation and disposal of contaminated soils, were begun by Peoples Gas in April 2006 under the IEPA Site Remediation Program. Peoples Gas is the potentially responsible party (PRP) for this site. The PRP contractor remediating the Site is Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc. (BMcD) along with their subcontractors.
Site activities by the PRP include excavation to depths ranging from 3 feet to 30 feet below ground surface (bgs). Other site activities by the PRP include daily air monitoring, continuous 24-hour perimeter air monitoring and sampling, confirmation soil sampling, and water treatment and discharge to Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) sanitary sewer.
Site features at the 22nd Street Station include active utility lines that must be supported during excavation work. One area of the site is considered a High Risk Evolution (HRE) area by ComEd. ComEd has placed restrictions on excavation in this area.
Prior to the U.S. EPA oversight at the Site, BMcD excavated impacted material in the east gas holder (to a depth of approximately 20 feet bgs) and portions of the former Throop’s Canal (to a depth of approximately 30 feet bgs). Please see the BMcD map of excavation areas under "documents" on OSC website. An Administrative Order on Consent was signed by Peoples Gas in early June 2007, prompting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) to begin PRP oversight activities at the Site.
On June 18, 2007, U.S. EPA began PRP oversight activities at the three Peoples Gas MGP sites: Hough Place Station, Pitney Court, and 22nd Street Station. The U.S. EPA Superfund Technical and Response Team (START) contractor is performing PRP oversight during the removal activities at the sites. As part of the removal activities, START collects or observes the collection of confirmation samples of soil to confirm that the PRP cleanup objectives are being met. Samples are being collected to identify the potential presence of the following site contaminants of concern:
• Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX);
• Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH);
• Synthetic precipitation leaching procedure (SPLP) lead, manganese, and selenium;
• Carbon disulfide [a volatile organic compound (VOC)];
• 2-Methylnaphthalene and 4-chloroanaline [semivolatile organic compounds (SVOC)]; and
• Total lead, manganese, and selenium.
Soil cleanup objectives for the 22nd Street Station Site are IEPA TACO Tier 1 industrial/commercial and construction worker standards for soil ingestion and inhalation, Tier 1 or Tier 2 soil migration to groundwater, and a non-TACO Tier 1 remediation objective for 2-methylnaphthalene.
START also collects or observes the collection of confirmation samples of treated water to be discharged to a MWRD sanitary sewer. Water samples confirm that the MWRD treatment objectives are being met. Samples are being collected to identify the potential presence of the following site contaminants of concern:
• Target Compound List (TCL) VOC;
• PAH; and
• Target Analyte List (TAL) Metals.
Treated water objectives for the 22nd Street Station Site are established by MWRD in the discharge permit issued for the site.
During the reporting period, the PRP excavated in Areas T, N, C, D1, and D2 (see BMcD map of excavation areas under "documents" on OSC website). The PRP collected soil samples in Areas T, D1, and D2.
The PRP subcontractor, Thatcher, began trimming one to two feet off the top of the installed sheeting along the North, West and South site boundaries to allow for future site grading. The PRP subcontractor, H2O Industrial Services, began cleaning the angle iron of the site boundary sheeting in preparation for sealing with grout. The PRP subcontractor, Helm Electrical, began installation of additional temporary power lines and poles in preparation for relocating site trailers to allow for continued excavation.
A summary of the activities performed during the reporting period by the PRP are as follows:
• Transported 1057 loads of soil to CID Landfill in Calumet City, IL; all trucks decontaminated prior to leaving
• Broke concrete in Area N
• Performed perimeter air sampling and air monitoring on a continuous basis (24-hour air samples and air monitoring is conducted around the perimeter). On several days throughouth the reporting period, elevated levels of dust were detected from onsite activities. Dust control measures were used. On August 18, 29, and September 3 through 6, 8, and 9, elevated levels of benzene were detected. Benzene control measures were used.
• Performed health and safety air monitoring during site activities
• Performed street sweeping and dust suppression activities
• Performed de-watering activities in excavation areas
• Transported 350,000 gallons of untreated water offsite for disposal
• Treated 300,200 gallons of water and discharged to an onsite MWRD sanitary sewer
• Excavated in Areas T, N, C, D1, D2, and backfilled completed areas
Confirmation sampling activities are described below. All confirmation soil samples were analyzed for VOCs, SVOCs, Total and SPLP metals.
On August 18, 2008, START and BMcD collected one soil sample from the floor and of Area T cell 22. The sample results have been received by START and were below the TACO Tier 1 cleanup objectives.
During the reporting period, confirmation soil samples were collected by BMcD from the following areas:
• one soil sample each from the floor and east wall of Area C cell 4, and the floor of Area T cell 7.
• one soil sample each from the floor and east wall of Area T cell 23, and the east wall of Area T cell 22.
• one soil sample from the floor of Area T cell 14.
• one soil sample each from the floor and east wall of Area T cells 15, and 16N.
• one soil sample each from the floor and east wall of Area T cell 24, and the south wall of Area T cell 22
• one soil sample each from the floor of Area D2 cells 3 and 4, and the west wall of Area D1.
• one soil sample each from the floor of Area D2 cells 2 and 5, and the north and southwest walls of Area D1
• one soil sample each from Area D1 northwest wall, Area D2 south wall, and the east wall of Area T cell 14
• one soil sample from the floor of Area A2 cell 4. This cell has been previously sampled twice by BMcD, and did not meet the remediation objectives.
• one soil sample from the west wall of Area D2 cell 1.
On August 25, 2008, BMcD collected the monthly sample of the treated discharge water. The sample results have not yet been received by START.
Analytical results for the following previous sampling events were received and evaluated by START. Soil samples were analyzed for VOCs, SVOCs, Total and SPLP Metals:
• The sample results for Area T cell 20 east wall did not meet the remediation objectives as stated in the RAP.
• The sample results for Area T cell 21 east wall did not meet the remediation objectives as stated in the RAP.
No further remediation for above exceedences can occur due to the eastern wall of the cells being located at the site’s eastern property boundary limit for permitted excavation.
Planned removal actions at the 22nd Street Station Site are as follows:
• Excavate soil per the Remedial Action Plan (RAP)
• Transport excavated soil to CID Landfill for disposal
• De-water excavation areas
• Treat water from de-watering activities and discharge to MWRD sanitary sewer, or transport untreated water offsite for disposal
The next steps to be carried out by the PRP are as follows:
• Continue excavation of Areas D and N.
• Continue to de-water excavation areas as required
• Treat water from excavation areas and discharge treated water to MWRD sanitary sewer
• Continue 24-hour perimeter air monitoring and sampling
• Continue air monitoring in work zones
• Continue street sweeping activities on Racine Street
• Continue to decontaminate trucks prior to trucks leaving site
• Collect confirmation samples of Areas T, N, and D when excavation complete.
• Complete backfilling of Areas T and D with clean fill
None.
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