The Chesapeake Fire Marshall reported a urea ammonium nitrate spill to EPA on November 12th. The spill originated from the Allied Terminals Compound in Chesapeake, VA. EPA On Scene Coordinators (OSCs) continue to be on site to assist the Chesapeake Fire Department (CFD) and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ), the leads for the response.
Early reports indicated a 250,000 gallon spill from the facility. A 2.3 million gallon aboveground steel roof fixed tank collapsed during repairs. More recent figures show that the tank spilled 2 million gallons of urea ammonium nitrate (liquid fertilizer) into its containment and the adjacent area. The spill flooded three city streets, some yards, and moved toward the Elizabeth River. Two workers doing tank maintenance were injured and taken to the hospital.
The Allied facility hired an environmental contractor on Wednesday November 12th to conduct the cleanup in the area. The initial cleanup focused heavily on removing liquids from residential areas and to prevent product from reaching the Elizabeth River. HEPACO, Allied’s contractor used berms and dikes to contain product to the facility and keep it from continuing to enter the neighborhood. HEPACO then used vacuum trucks to collect product from the storm water drains, to keep it from flooding the residential area. Heavy rains followed the spill on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Rain helped wash away product from most of the affected yards. The rain also created significant water management issues. HEPACO was able to contain most of the product and to store it in several fracture tanks and three fixed tanks on the facility.
EPA OSCs were on scene as part of unified command, under the Chesapeake Fire Department. The OSCs were on scene on a 24 hour cycle starting the evening of Wednesday, November 12th through Saturday, November 15th. OSCs worked closely with Allied and the Fire Department. EPA worked with Allied to ensure product was collected promptly from neighborhood ditches and storm drains. Next, EPA worked with Allied to ensure product from the failed tank’s containment berm was collected, and that no product was being released from the site.
EPA OSCs assisted the lead agencies throughout the response by addressing human health concerns. EPA requested on site assistance from a representative from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). ATSDR was on scene Thursday and Friday to coordinate with the Virginia Department of Health in addressing residents’ health concerns. ATSDR helped EPA OSCs establish and communicate exposure related goals.
The Virginia Department of Health was on scene and addressed issues related to the city drinking water. VDH verified with the City of Chesapeake that no ammonium nitrate had impacted the city drinking water supply for the neighborhood. VDH also verified that the city water tested negative for bacteria.
EPA OSCs requested onsite assistance from a community involvement coordinator (CIC). The EPA CIC kept residents that were temporarily relocated up to date on the cleanup. The CIC in conjunction with the ATSDR representative compiled informational fact sheets. The EPA CIC together with a representative from the Fire Department went door to door talking to residents and distributing the informational fact sheet. The EPA CIC was on scene until all residents where brought back into their homes and made sure they had contact information available to them.
Allied has estimated their total release based on 2,128,154 gallons of product released to be 223,605.11 pounds of ammonia. A total of 1,135,685 gallons of product were collected from the containment berm. A total of 607,281 gallons of product were collected from the storm water drains and ditches.
The Chesapeake Fire Department has demobilized from the scene and continues its investigation of the release.
EPA OSCs consulted with VDEQ on an approach to addressing environmental impacts of the release. VDEQ will continue to be the lead on Environmental Impact issues. EPA will share its analytical data with VDEQ.
Throughout the response EPA collected air monitoring information throughout the neighborhood, monitored drainage, and recorded general water quality readings at ditches and outfalls. EPA has collected samples for analytical analysis from two drinking water wells, two rainwater outfalls, two storm water ditches in the neighborhood, and soil samples at two different yards. Drinking water wells did not contain nitrates or nitrites above drinking water standards. Two residents who have drinking water wells were informed of these results prior to coming back to their homes. EPA is still awaiting results from all other analytical samples. Validated results are expected December 1st.
EPA has been consulting with ATSDR to safely address the digging of a few drainage areas that may become secondary sources of product. EPA and DEQ are requesting that Allied dig areas of drainage ditches fertilizer saturated the soils. Soils will be dug until ammonia readings in air are below 10ppm and less than 1.7ppm under crawl spaces in adjacent homes, for three days in a row.
The VDEQ has been on scene taking steps to assess environmental impacts. Its Elizabeth River Water Quality team conducted water monitoring and sampling on Monday November 17th. The team monitored and sampled at four different locations, upriver, downriver, and near the storm water outfall area. Results for this sampling are expected back on Monday November 24th. VDEQ is also addressing potential impacts to the Elizabeth River by continuing monitoring as necessary.
On November 19, 2008, OSC Wagner issued verbal notice to Allied Terminals, Inc. that EPA considers the company to be a potentially responsible party under CERCLA.
Allied continues to address the cleanup and community concerns. Allied will continue to coordinate with some residents to dig soils at a few spots where product previously pooled on the ground.
Allied contractors continue to monitor neighborhood drainage areas and to contain additional rainwater and fertilizer still in stagnant ditches. Allied is coordinating removal of the tank throughout the next weeks and to dig out several retainment ponds with debris in them. Allied is continuing air monitoring operations. Ammonia odors can sporadically be detected as storage trucks and vacuum trucks move around.
The DEQ will remain the lead agency on Environmental impact. EPA will share monitoring and analytical data with DEQ and provide any necessary support to DEQ in assessing environmental impacts of the spill.
EPA will continue to monitor activities on scene until the roof of the tank is removed from within the berm to verify if there is additional product under the roof that needs to be addressed. EPA is expecting analytical results for the samples collected on Tuesday. EPA will support DEQ in addressing digging of drainage areas that may become secondary sources of product.
Chesapeake Fire Marshals Office continues to be the lead on the incident. The Fire Marshals office is conducting an investigation of the incident and has been in touch with the EPA Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act program, the EPA Oil Inspections Program, and the Chemical Safety Board.
OSC Casillas was contacted by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board for information regarding the incident. OSC Casillas has reqested the CSB to assist the City of Chesapeake Fire Marshal’s Office.
The excavation activities have resulted in elevated ammonia readings in the air in the neighborhood. Therefore, EPA has determined backfilling must begin as soon as possible. EPA has issued a letter to Allied directing them to excavate in 6-inch increments until air readings are below 10 ppm ammonia. After backfilling operations are complete, Allied must also continue air monitoring in two residential crawl spaces. These proposed actions have been reviewed and supported by ATSDR. EPA is the Chesapeake Fire Department, VDEQ and VDH on this issue.
One resident whose property is contaminated has denied access to Allied and its contractors. EPA has been trying to work with this resident, who is now represented by legal counsel. EPA has determined that cleanup actions are needed on this property to prevent further migration of the fertilizer offsite and also to reduce ammonia vapors in the area. Access to the property is expected on Monday. Digging and backfilling will commence as soon as access is granted.
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