The Precision National Plating Site is located at 198 Ackerly Road, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, which is approximately 10 miles north of Scranton, Pennsylvania. The property measures 46 acres, approximately five acres of which were used for site operations and the remainder of which are undeveloped and largely wooded. A 45,000 square foot operations building was the principal structure on the site.
The site began operation as a chromium electroplating facility for locomotive crankshafts in 1956. This operation continued when Precision bought the facility in 1971. Precision operated an industrial component reconditioning facility on site from 1971 until 1999.
Site operations ceased in April 1999. With PADEP and USEPA oversight, the former plating building was demolished in the Fall of 2000.
EPA approved the Remedial Action Plan (RAP), submitted on behalf of Precision National Plating by the Retec Group in September of 2005. The RAP details plans to use calcium polysulfide to reduce the hexavalent chromium in the soils and groundwater to trivalent chromium.
In July 2006, Precision injected calcium polysulfide into source areas at the site to reduce hexavalent chromium to a relatively non-toxic form which will precipitate and remain in the soil matrix. The goal of the treatment was to reduce hexavalent chromium levels in soil to below 60 mg/Kg, and hexavalent chromium levels in Ackerly Creek to below 11 ug/L.
In March 2007, Precision began excavation of the basement of the former facility (see "Images"). The purpose of the removal was to mitigate impacts by potentially contaminated soils beneath the basement. Any contaminated concrete unearthed during the excavation was taken to an appropriate disposal facility.
Further site investigation activities were performed in the Fall of 2007 and February/March 2008. The soil boring, rock coring and groundwater sampling activities completed in October 2007 and March 2008 confirmed that residual contaminant sources remain at the Site in the weathered rock and shallow competent bedrock (18 - 30 feet below the ground surface).
In August 2008, in-situ chemical injections began using calcium polysulfide to treat these residual areas of contamination in the shallow bedrock. Chemical injections were completed on January 9th, 2009.
Hexavalent Chromium levels have dropped in Ackerly Creek due to chemical injection treatments in July 2006 and the basement excavation in March 2007, and subsequent injection activities beginning in August 2008 and continuing through the December 2010, however they still remain above the target ecological goal of 11 ug/L.
On Tuesday, October 11, 2011 Precision began the fourth round of injection activities at the site. This is the third round of injections into shallow bedrock. The current round of injections are scheduled to be completed in early December.
During the week of November 21st, a total of 4,393 gallons of 1% concentration calcium polysulfide was injected into a total of 10 wells. Injections were completed on November 22nd, 2011. A total of 54,303 gallons of 1%, 9,090 gallons of 2%, and 50 gallons of 5% concentration calcium polysulfide has been injected into a total of 48 wells during this round of injections.
Air monitoring is being conducted by Arcadis and EPA contractors for hydrogen sulfide every hour during injection activities along Arch Ave and the perimeter of the site from the time injections begin in the morning to one hour after injections are completed each day. Arcadis is continuously recording hydrogen sulfide values between the lagoon and the homes on Arch Avenue 24 hours a day. Hydrogen sulfide readings from hand held monitors ranged from non-detect to 6 parts per billion throughout the week at Arch Avenue and perimeter monitoring locations.
EPA representatives were onsite throughout the week conducting oversight while activities were conducted at the site. The site was secured and no work occurred for the Thanksgiving holiday on November 24th and 25th, 2011.
Perimeter air monitoring will continue around the injection site with the use of the remote monitors (continuously) and hand held units (every hour) by Precision contractors, and will continue through November 29, 2011.
Results from the sampling activities conducted in September 2011, are expected to be received in November 2011.
Precision will conduct sampling activities in December 2011 or January 2012 following completion of all injection activities. EPA will conduct split sampling of surface water locations.
EPA will review historical documents in the EPA files in Philadelphia and upload any applicable reports to the website.
EPA is in the process of preparing a web based mapping tool to better provide access and easier understanding to the public of ongoing activities and progress at the site. The tool is expected to be released in Spring 2012.
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