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The Browning Lumber Company operated a pressure treatment facility at the site location until 1996 and a sawmill at the site location until 1998. Chromated Copper Arsenate was utilized during the pressure treatment processing of lumber and the company obtained an EPA ID number for hazardous waste activity in 1987; the company also received a WV/NPDES Permit for operation of the treatment facility.
Since the facility's abandonment in 1998, a fire destroyed portions of the facility. However, during an inspection conducted by WVDEP in July, 2002, to evaluate compliance with the West Virginia Hazardous Waste Management Act, residual products from the operations conducted at the facility were observed on the site. WVDEP observed that human trespassing was occuring at the site by evidence of dumped materials and trash. WVDEP conducted TCLP sampling and determined that elevated TCLP values for arsenic were present in one of the pressure treatment vessels and in the soil below the vessel.
WVDEP contacted EPA Region III and requested that they take the lead in conducting a full assessment at the site and take any necessary actions in mitigating the threats at the site.
START conducted a sampling assessment during the week of February 10, 2206. START collected a total of 11 surface water, 13 sediment, and 47 surface soil samples from the site.
July 10, 2006
OSC Ventura, ERRS, ERRS' subcontractor, and START mobilized to the site, conducted a safety meeting, and began construction of a chain-link fence to better control unauthorized access to the site. ERRS began installation of temporary erosion controls (silt fence) in areas designated by the OSC. The OSC and START located two of the monitoring wells on the Site and searched for two more. A third well was determined to be buried beneath a pile of debris and required assistance from ERRS to remove the debris with a mini-excavator. A fourth well was also determined to be buried beneath small debris and soil. The Corps of Engineers were on site to collect data for drafting of maps for the construction of an access road across Pond Fork.
July 11, 2006
ERRS continued construction of the erosion controls on the site. ERRS' subcontractor continued to construct the chain-link fence at the entrance to the site.
START collected ground water samples from MW1, MW2, MW3 and MW4.
ERRS' subcontractor completed construction of the chain-link fence leading to the site. ERRS decontaminated the mini-excavator. START decontaminated their pumping and sampling equipment. Throughout site activities, START conducted photographic and written documentation.
July 12, 2006
START packaged and shipped rental equipment from the site. A total of 6 samples were shipped for analysis; one field blank, one duplicate, and four field samples.
During the week of July 10, 2006, EPA sent Notice Letters of Potential Liability to two potentially responsible parties (PRPs), Browning Lumber Company, Inc., which used to operate the wood treatment facility and sawmill at the Site, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., which merged with Bank One, West Virginia, N.A., the former owner of the Site property from 1951 to 1994."
Future actions include excavation and T&D of the arsenic contaminated materials at the site. This will include removal of the CCA pressure vessel that contains hazardous concentrations of arsenic, chromium, and copper.
The OSC will continue to work with the State, Corps of Engineers and ERRS contractor to install the proper access over the creek.
Arsenic contamination has been determined at the site in a concentration of 191,000 ppm in the CCA pressure vessel, up to 1,500 ppm in the soil, and up to 213 ppm in the sediment. Chromium contamination has been determined at the site in a concentration of 96,600 ppm in the CCA pressure vessel. Copper contamination has been determined at the site in a concentration of 60,900 ppm in the CCA pressure vessel.
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