Site is a defunct paper converter which manufactured tissue and toilet paper, and is located within 10 feet of the Battenkill River in upstate rural NY. Owner operates business from office area, but manufacturing ceased 10 years ago.
There is a 10,000 gallon of aged #6 oil deteriorated metal tank that has inadequate secondary containment. The tank is located in a flood plain withing 30 feet of the Battenkill River, a major recreational waterway that is a tributary of the Hudson River. The paper mill has been shut down for 20 years, and in 2007 an OPA removal action was initiated to pump out the contents of the tank. A residual amount of oil was left in the tank. The current property owner cannot have the tank removed with residual oil inside and has asked the EPA to complete the prior OPA removal action. Consequently, the OSC initiated an assessment of the amount of oil versus water in the tank. Region II RST has been tasked with sticking the tank with water tape to determine the amount of oil remaining. Should there be #6 oil in an amount that constitutes a significant threat of a release to a navigable waterway of the United States,.Region II will ask the Coast Guard for OSLTF money to address the threat.
