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The Site has not been defined as a specific delineated area, but is considered to include the
Town of Chauncey. The Site's major locations of interest include the following areas: the
unnamed hollow containing Miller's Branch of Island Creek; Chaffin Hollow; Chauncey’s
residences; the old mining salvage recycling facility and surrounding grounds; Omar
Elementary School, including the playground area, and the UPS facility; and Island Creek.
Portions of the Site have been identified by local residents as the locations for illegal
dumping of hazardous materials and the possibility of dumping of transformer oil.
OSC Kelly and START conducted an initial windshield assessment on January 22nd, 2003. OSC Kelly met with a local resident at the Omar Elementary School and were escorted to the entrance to Chaffin Hollow. OSC Kelly and START spoke to additional residents in the area and received information from them about suspected dumping that occurred in a gas well located in the hollow during November, 1987. The residents informed OSC Kelly that men in hazardous material clothing were observed at the well and they were reported to have dumped materials into the well. The residents stated that people have witnessed this occurrence and that they have been threatened by the workers at the well. OSC Kelly requested directions to the well from the residents. However, due to the weather conditions, OSC Kelly and START were unable to conduct a thorough investigation of the area in order to locate the well and determine sample collection locations. The area was covered with thick snow and ice and an accurate assessment of the soils and waterways could not be conducted. OSC Kelly determined that a more thorough windshield assessment would be conducted in the spring, as soon as weather conditions permitted.
Through contact with WVDEP Office of Oil and Gas, START obtained a topographic map from WVDEP that depicted the location of all of the wells in the vicinity of Chaffin Hollow. It was suspected that the well in question was gas well 790, according to WVDEP records.
Under the direction of OSC Kelly, START mobilized to the Logan County Courthouse on March 4th, 2003, and conducted a deed search for the property that the suspected well was located on. Due to the presence of more than one well in the area, START obtained tax maps and deed information for the surface owners of the land surrounding Chauncey and Chaffin Hollow.
Through contact with WVDEP Division of Waste Management, OSC Kelly set up a meeting with WVDEP Farley on Tuesday, March 18th, 2003. WVDEP Farley, who had been investigating the area surrounding the transformers and Chaffin Hollow, had pertinent background information, including analytical data, and knowledge of the location of the possible waste sources in Chaffin Hollow.
OSC Kelly contacted WVDEP Office of Oil and Gas and requested that an inspector meet with him at the entrance to Chaffin Hollow in order to verify the assigned number of the well that the speculated “dumping” had occurred in. WVDEP agreed to dispatch an inspector to the Site on Tuesday, March 18th, 2003, to meet with OSC Kelly.
OSC Kelly and START mobilized to the Omar Elementary School located in Chauncey, WV. OSC Kelly met with the principal of the school and informed him of EPA’s intentions to conduct sampling on the school property, including collection of drinking water samples from the school. OSC Kelly requested that the principal sign a waiver in order for the EPA and START to gain access to the sampling locations. The principal informed OSC Kelly that the school board would have to sign the waiver, and provided a contact name for OSC Kelly.
OSC Kelly and START assessed the soils surrounding the school and determined sample locations.
OSC Kelly and START met with WVDEP Farley and assessed the soils surrounding the building and power plant facility located adjacent to the school. WVDEP Farley showed OSC Kelly and START a pit located adjacent to the building and fenceline of the power plant in which dumping of transformer oils were reported. The pit was approximately 7x20' in size. There was evidence of dark soils in the pit and leachate on the exterior of the pit wall. OSC Kelly determined that samples would be collected from this area.
OSC Kelly, WVDEP Farley, and START met with the operations manager at the UPS facility located in the parking lot adjacent to the school and power plant. OSC Kelly and WVDEP Farley requested permission to collect drinking water samples from the facility. The manager stated that it should be no problem for access and that UPS had legal requirements to obtain a signature from EPA for liability purposes. OSC Kelly informed the manager that it was estimated that sampling would occur sometime in April, 2003. The manager stated that UPS would have a legal documentation prepared by then and that the access waiver would be signed and available upon EPA’s return.
WVDEP Farley escorted OSC Kelly and START to the location of an additional contamination source, which was reported to be a dumping location for PCB-contaminated oil. The property owner whose residence is located downgradient from the dump area, also along the drainage ditch from the location, reported the dumping and was concerned due to the presence of a hand-dug well on his property. OSC Kelly determined that soil and water samples would be collected at this location.
To assist with the upcoming sampling assessment, WVDEP Farley provided copies of all his notes and analytical data from his investigation of the Site to OSC Kelly.
OSC Kelly, WVDEP Farley, and START met with two WVDEP Office of Oil and Gas inspectors at the entrance to the jeep trail that leads up to the well that is under investigation. WVDEP inspectors informed OSC Kelly that the well is not plugged and has a slight discharge of gas, detectable with an LEL meter. The well number was verified as 790. START reviewed the topographic map and the surface owner for the property was also verified. OSC Kelly was informed that a four-wheel drive vehicle was required to get to the well location. OSC Kelly tasked START to add the collection of soil samples surrounding the well location to the sampling assessment.
WVDEP Farley informed OSC Kelly and START that there were mine pop-outs and impoundments located along Miller’s Branch, a waterway that flows through Chauncey, and suggested that samples should be collected from these locations. WVDEP Farley escorted OSC Kelly and START to these locations. Two pop-outs were discovered and assessed, numbers 19 and 20. The impoundment ponds, whose waters runoff into Miller’s Branch, were also assessed. A cabin utilized for recreational purposes was located across from the impoundment ponds. WVDEP Farley suspected that the cabin utilized well water and that the drinking water there should be sampled. OSC Kelly tasked START to collect water and sediment samples from the ponds, pop-outs, and stream, along with drinking water samples from the cabin and various residents in the area.
OSC Kelly met with the local resident whom he had met with during the initial windshield assessment that was conducted in January, 2003, and informed her that the EPA plans to return in April, 2003, and conduct a sampling assessment.
During their demobilization from Chaffin Hollow, OSC Kelly and START passed the building located adjacent to the elementary school and observed that there were two males working in the facility. OSC Kelly introduced himself, and learned that one of the men working was the property owner. OSC Kelly requested that he and START conduct a reconnaissance of the building and explained that numerous locations in the town were under investigation and that the building was one of them. The property owner agreed and escorted OSC Kelly and START into the building. The owner informed OSC Kelly who he had purchased the property from, and that he only owned the property that the building was directly sitting on and the adjacent parking lot; he did not own the land that where the pit was located. The owner stated that he had used the building for salvage of mining equipment and it was now used for storage. He also stated that there were never any transformers in the building during his ownership of the property. START requested permission to photograph the interior of the building and the owner agreed. The owner escorted OSC Kelly and START throughout all floors of the facility. OSC Kelly inquired about the location of the stack that used to be in the building, and the owner pointed out its location. During observation of the sub-basement of the building, the owner stated that it was always flooded with water because its depth was below the water level. There was no visible evidence of contamination in the building. However, OSC Kelly requested permission to collect a water sample from the sub-basement and the owner agreed to the request. OSC Kelly informed the owner that EPA would return in April, 2003, to conduct the sampling event.
There are no planned removal action at this time.
OSC Kelly will continue correspondence with federal and state officials.
START will complete a sampling plan for the Site, which will include collection of water, sediment, and soil samples. The samples will be analyzed for VOA’s, SVOA’s, PCB/Pesticides, and TAL Metals.
Following review and approval of the Sampling Plan by OSC Kelly, START will procure a laboratory for analyzation of the samples collected during the assessment.
EPA and START will return to the Site in April, 2003, to conduct a sampling assessment at the Site.
The issues are the possible illegal dumping of hazardous materials and release of PCB's.
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