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Alder Mill

All POLREP's for this site Alder Mill
Twisp, WA - EPA Region X
POLREP #3 - Decontamination--Week 1
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On-Scene Coordinator - David Rees 11/12/2002
Time-Critical - Removal Action Pollution Report (POLREP) #3
Start Date: 11/7/2002
Pollution Report (POLREP) #3
Site Description
See Initial POLREP

Current Activities
The PRP began transport of the Mill Pond tailings to the East Wenatchee landfill.  Due to the distance (approximately 5 hours round trip), two hauls per truck per day is the maximum possible.  Only one truck with pup trailer (30 cubic yards total) is being used until another truck is made available.

Vacuum truck operations are slow and efficiency poor.  The coarse ore bin materals are heavily cemented (comparable to concrete) and very difficult to break up with hand tools.  Due to this unforseen factor, the PRP requested their contractor to send two additional laborers from Seattle to assist with removal operations.

The Mill Building debris storage location has been changed from the originally proposed location at the lower Mill level near the Mill Pond to the uppermost terrace.  The change is due to the removal operations needing more room than anticipated.


Planned Removal Actions
Continue removal efforts in the Mill facility and the Mill Pond.

Next Steps
Continue to work on truck loading efficiency.  New canopies have been ordered and will need to be installed to reduce the time necessary to seal the truck before leaving the site.

Due to the difficulties in the coarse ore bin, the PRP has proposed temporarily discontinuing coarse ore removal and moving vacuum truck operations to the lower mill levels below the coarse ore bin where the materials are more easily removed.  The PRP is working with their contractors to devise a proposed plan for structural modification of the coarse ore bin and subsequent removal of the coarse ore with an excavator.  The PRP will have a modification to the WP for EPA/E&E engineering review next week.


Key Issues
- Delay of the Demolition Work Plan.
- Determine/calculate As background using MTCA methodologies.
- Continue to draft SQAP for EPA and State review.
- Air monitoring has shown that on-site workers are protected in Level C and no contaminants are leaving the site.
- Course Ore Bin.