The former Big Tex Grain Site is located on a 7.5-acre lot in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, at 328 Blue Star Road. The geographic center of the site is located at Latitude 29.405° North Longitude -98.492° West.
The Big Tex Grain Site has historically been associated with industrial activity, including operating a vermiculite exfoliation plant, grain production, and sawdust warehousing. The EPA Region 6 office performed an assessment of the subject property to determine potential impact to human health and the environment based on the transporting of vermiculite from Libby, Montana, to the W. R. Grace vermiculite exfoliation plant in San Antonio, Texas. The property has been listed in the EPA CERCLIS database since 2000.
The site consists of approximately 31 structures including the Big Tex grain elevators and warehouses on the eastern portion of the property. To the north-northwest of the site, there are numerous grain silos that were converted into office spaces. The site is bounded to the south and west by Union Pacific railroad tracks and to the north and east by the San Antonio River. The site is secured by a chain link and barbwire fence extending around the entire perimeter of the facility. Within the facility exposed soil areas are heavily vegetated, but still accessible. The Big Tex Grain Site is scheduled to be developed into a “Mixed Use” facility.
On 04/14/2008 USEPA and START-3 mobilized to the Big Tex Grain Site. START-3 mobilized the USEPA Mobile Command Post from Dallas. START-3 inventoried equipment for the upcoming Activity Based and AHERA sampling operations. The grids designated by USEPA ERT for Activity Based Sampling were marked off and air sampling equipment was calibrated and charged. START-3 set up a mobile weather station to montior weather patterns during sampling operations. Members of the USEPA ERT, OSRTI ,and ORD arrived on site on 04/15/2008. The members of the OSRTI and ORD teams are on site to test an automated Activity Based Sampler.
USEPA and START-3 will commence Activity Based and AHERA closure based sampling on 04/16/2008. Sampling will include raking scenarios, as well as indoor dust sampling to further assess the amphibole asbestos contamination on the Big Tex Grain Site.
USEPA and START-3 will continue Activity Based and AHERA Sampling. That data will be used to assess the potential exposure of amphibole asbestos on the site.
Due to unforseen circumstances, the air sampling pump vendor was unable to ship the needed sampling pumps on 04/15/2008. Those pumps will be shipped to the site on 04/16/08 and assessment operations will commence then.
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