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 occurring 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.
On June 19, 2006, the OSC activated a removal action at the site under his delegation of authority for $250,000. Initial actions included the installation of an entrance fence and coordination with the Army Corp of Engineers (ACOE) for assistance in design/construction of an access bridge across Pond Fork stream.
OSC received Stream Crossing Plan from ACOE on 06/20/2006.
EPA has notified current and former owners and/or operators of the Site that they may be potentially liable for the costs incurred by EPA for the Site clean-up.
On September 13, 2006, a Removal Action Memorandum for the amount of $2,516,339 was signed to address the environmental issues at the Site.
Vessel and Concrete Pad Activities:
The entire concrete pad, which the CCA treatment operations were previously conducted, was considered contaminated along with portions of adjoining soil south and southwest of the concrete pad. The entire hotzone was marked with survey tape and a decontamination area was setup at the northeast corner of the concrete pad. ERRS cleaned off the northwest section of the concrete pad (west of the rails) and consolidated the contaminated debris into the existing stockpile. Cement powder was used to create a berm on the edges of the concrete pad to prevent runoff from migrating out of the hotzone.
Piping was removed from the vessels. These pipes were cut into 3 foot pieces in preparation for disposal. The remains of a concrete wall between the two tanks were completely dismantled and removed by ERRS. A 4,000 gallon frack tank was mobilized to the Site. ERRS plans on pumping the contents of a 500 gallon vertical tank located on the south west corner of the concrete pad into the frack tank. The frack tank will also be used to store any water generated in cleaning out the 2 large tanks. Debris which was located on and under the rails, was removed by ERRS, and placed in the contaminated debris stockpile.
A compressor was delivered onsite to ERRS which was used to help transfer the contents of the 500 gallon vertical tank into the frack tank. Once the aqueous material, suspected to be rainwater, was transferred, ERRS removed the remaining sludge from both vertical tanks and transferred it into a 55-gallon drum. The sludge from the suspected rainwater vertical tank appeared to contain approximately 3 inches of wood chips and 3 inches of a wet green sludge. ERRS used a shovel followed by pressure washing to clean the drip pad rails. The material was directed towards the sump which was later pumped clean. The aqueous contents were transported into the frack tank, and the sludge was transported to a 55-gallon drum.
ERRS pressure washed the concrete pad and the drip pad rail in preparation for geoprobe activities which are scheduled for week of October 16, 2006. The aqueous material in the sump was pumped into a 55-gallon drum, where it is planned to be transferred into the frack tank.
During the week of October 16, 20006, START is to implement an extent of contamination sampling plan, which will include surface and subsurface soil sampling as well as groundwater flow determination.
START to utilize a Geoprobe subcontractor to aid in collection of the subsurface soil samples.
OSC will continue to coordinate site activities with State and local authorities.
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