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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.
Monday, November 24, 2003
START Dallessandro and Strazisar prepared supplies and sampling equipment, mobilized to the Site, and met with OSC Kelly and EPA CIC Taylor at the Site.
OSC Kelly and START conducted a reconnaissance of the former area of the gas station. OSC Kelly and START determined sample collection locations and placed flags at these points. OSC Kelly met with the property owner and his lawyer at the former location of the gas station. OSC Kelly discussed what sampling would be taking place and agreed to provide property owner with copies of all analytical results.
START collected ten soil samples from the plot of land on which the gas station was located. START photographed the locations and collected GPS data from these points.
OSC Kelly and START met with neighboring property owners and START collected additional GPS data for a Site map.
A representative from the Logan Banner newspaper was on Site taking photographs of sampling activities. The representative interviewed OSC Kelly for a story in the newspaper.
OSC Kelly met with UPS personnel who occupy a building that is located behind the old salvage recycling facility. Both facilities share a common parking lot that has a downward sloping gradient towards Island Creek. UPS personnel reported that the owner of the old salvage recycling facility has been observed discharging water from the sub-basement of the facility through a hose in a window located on the same floor; the discharged water emptied into the edge of the parking lot and subsequently drained into Island Creek. In consideration of the analytical results that confirmed the presence of dioxin in the water in the sub-basement of the old salvage recycling facility, OSC Kelly tasked START to collect sediment samples along the bank of Island Creek.
OSC Kelly and START conducted a reconnaissance of the area located along Island Creek and the bermed area located adjacent to the caged transformer area. OSC Kelly and START determined sample collection locations and placed flags at these points. START collected six sediment samples from locations along Island Creek upstream, along, and downstream from the location of the old salvage recycling facility.
OSC Kelly met with Charleston's Fox 11 news crew and provided an interview. While START collected surface soil samples from the downward sloping bank located adjacent to the power substation, Fox 11 news filmed sampling activities. START collected eight surface soil samples from this area and documented the locations with both photographs and GPS data. Additionally, START collected three surface soil and three subsurface soil samples from three locations in the bermed area.
Tuesday, November 25, 2003
Under the direction of OSC Kelly, START returned to the Site and collected one additional sediment sample from a runoff area located along the perimeter of the parking lot located where the old salvage recycling facility and UPS building is located.
Monday, December 1, 2003
START packaged and shipped the soil and sediment samples to the designated laboratory. The samples were scheduled to be analyzed for a combination of metals, dioxins, and furans.
START prepared sampling equipment and supplies for collection of a water sample from the Logan Public Service District (PSD) Water Plant.
Tuesday, December 2, 2003
START was escorted by a representative of the Logan PSD to the water treatment facility located in Henlawson, WV. START met with the operator of the plant. START requested a water sample from the intake to the plant, prior to treatment. The operator allowed access to the intake water, located just inside the laboratory area of the facility, for START to collect a water sample. START collected the sample, photographed the sample location, and demobilized from the Logan PSD.
START mobilized to areas of the Chauncey Site and collected additional GPS data for a Site map. START demobilized from the Site.
Wednesday, December 3, 2003
START packaged and shipped the water samples to the designated laboratory. The samples were scheduled to be analyzed for volatile and semi-volatile organics, PCBs, pesticides, metals, dioxins, and furans.
Tuesday, December 16, 2003
As a result of the alleged discharge of flood water by the owner of the old salvage recycling facility into Island Creek, OSC Kelly issued a "Cease and Desist to Discharge" to the owner of the facility. OSC Kelly informed the owner that additional sampling was conducted on the bank of Island Creek to determine if the dioxin contained in the flood water had been discharged into the creek.
There are no planned removal actions at this time.
OSC Kelly will continue correspondence with local, state, and federal officials.
As a follow-up to the issuance of the "Cease and Desist to Discharge", OSC Kelly will also continue correspondence with the owner of the old salvage recycling facility, pending analytical results from the sediment samples that were collected along the bank of Island Creek.
OSC Kelly and START expect validated analytical results from the sampling assessment within six to eight weeks. Following receipt of the validated data, START will compile the analytical results a complete a data summary and an extension to the Trip Report for the event. START will also download all GPS data that was collected during the event and prepare a site map which will display all sample locations in the area.
START will prepare to accompany EPA during a public meeting in the town of Chauncey, WV, during which the analytical results from the sampling assessment and an explanation of their meaning will be presented to the public.
OSC Kelly will determine if any future actions will be required at the Site.
The key issues are the possible illegal dumping of hazardous materials and discharge of PCB's.
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