Work Mission Statement:
Safely and efficiently investigate and remove Munitions and Explosives of Concern (MEC); Materials Potentially Possessing an Explosive Hazard (MPPEH), Munitions Debris (MD) and explosively contaminated soil(TNT) from the Elkton Farms Firehole Site, as defined in EPA's geophysical study.
The site was remobed on January 28, 2008 with a limited crew. One UXO team was mobed. Magging and digging activities discontinued on May 2 when the trommel mixer was mobilized to the site. The UXO team supports both the trommel sifting activity and the firehole excavation as per SOW and AHA. During this reporting period four grids were finalized.
On July 7, 2008 an additional five (previous polrep reported six, however the sixth tech was not mobilized) uxo technicians from USA Environmental were mobilized to the site in anticipation of implementation of Appendix K of the Work Plan. This Appendix outlines the implementation of a pan scraping approach to the remaining 30 grids and is to be implemented by the property owner's operator and his equipment under an AOC. Unfortunately due to some last minute legal concerns the work was not initiated. Therefore this new team was placed in support roles to existing uxo tech activity. As of this writing the pan scraping of remaining grids is still not implemented.
1. Total Grids Cleared Gov't QA: 82
2. Total MEC/MD found: 41,879 (MEC items include detonators,grenade fuze,blasting caps,tracer elements,incendiary bomblets, flares etc. etc.)
3. Firehole MEC found: 3,374 (incl.3288tracers)
4. Total MD found: 9,329lbs.
5. Scrap metal found: 8,066lbs.
6. Total Phase II processed soils: 9702cy
Trommel Sifting Activities:
On 5/2/08 the trommel mechanical sifter was mobilized to the site. Of the approximately 11,670 MEC items recovered off the trommel since it was mobilized, 11,596 are tracers. In addition 16 fuzed 40mm and 25 fuzed 20mm artillery items were found via this sifting operation and placed in the on site explosive magazines.
Firehole Excavation Activities:
Excavation and coarsing of the fireholes continued. It is anticipated that two weeks of excavation activities remain within the fireholes. Large quantities of debris (metal, plastic, glassware and fragments thereof) greater than 4 inches is collected and staged causing delays in the completion of excavation activities. Approximately 6,600 cu yds of soils have been excavated, coarsed and moved to the trommel pad area. Excavation to 5-6ft depths continue and scraping around the lip of the fireholes down to approximately 4 feet is ongoing. A total of 3374 MEC items have been found. A total of 5,324lbs of scrap have been removed and staged on site from the fireholes thus far. Suspected friable ACM was double bagged as per the SOW and placed in drums (12). These drums will not be disposed of by EPA as per Action Memorandum.
On July 15, 2008, 22 drums containing MD were shipped off site for disposal at a smelter in Wilmington, De. The MD was certified as containing no hazardous or explosive material by USA Environmental. As part of their evaluation, every piece of MD was individually evaluated by uxo personnel. Each drum weighed approximately 800lbs. EPA and GES are still evaluating disposal options for the MEC wastestream which may include the large quantity of tracers. It is anticipated that at least 60 drums of this material will be generated.
Sampling and monitoring for airborne asbestos fibers and particulate continued on dry days as per AMSAP. So far no site standards have been threatened for both asbestos and the particulate. Heavy rains during the week of July 21, 2008 precluded the need to perform air sampling or dust monitoring.
OSCs Fitzsimmons and Ventura and MDE representative met with property owner, construction manager on July 23 to coordinate anticipated pan scraping of remaining 30 grids. Process will be implemented under Appendix K of the Work Plan pending AOC approvals.
OSC Fitzsimmons demobed from the site and has been replaced by OSC Dominick Ventura.
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