1. Site Location
The Sterling Morton High School Site (subsequently referred to as the “Site”) is on 54th Avenue north of 19th Street and south of West 16th Street in Cicero, Cook County, Illinois. The Site is being developed into a new freshman center for the J. Sterling Morton High School for School District No. 201. Soil piles surround the newly constructed building of previously excavated contaminated soils.
2. Description of Threat
Several piles existed containing heavy metal contamination. The piles are from previous excavations of contaminations at the site. Previous site investigations by LFR and analysis by CCA identified a plume and hotspot contamination across the site. The contamination consisted of heavy metals and SVOCs. United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) performed a site assessment in January 2004. Soil and groundwater sample results identified heavy metal, polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), and volatile organic compounds (VOC) above Illinois Tiered Approach to Corrective Action Objectives (TACO) cleanup objectives. The potential exists for students to come in contact with contamination in soil piles and subsurface.
1. Current situation:
The School District is constructing a new school for proposed occupency in August 2004. U.S. EPA is performing a removal action to address the soil contamination at the site. Removal actions are being conducted by U.S. EPA Emergency and Rapid Response Services (ERRS) contractor. U.S. EPA’s START contractor, Tetra Tech EM, Inc (Tetra Tech) will conduct site documentation, air monitoring, and technical and administrative support.
2. Site activities to date:
On April 20 and 24, 2004 -U.S. EPA and ERRS met at site to performa site walkthrough and collect disposal samples from piles of soil. On April 26, 2004, U.S. EPA, ERRS, and START mobilized to site to begin the removal action.
During the period from April 26 through April 30, site preparation activities were conducted including construction of a site road for truck access, set-up of a site trailer, procurement of disposal, and consolidation of soil from smaller stockpiles into one main stockpile. ERRS began excavation of hot spots identified by CCA based on historical data. Excavation was completed in areas 28, 23, 18, and 17 (identification numbers from CCA investigation and maps). Disposal samples identified the soil as special waste. Disposal arranged with Allied Waste in Streator, Illinois.
During the period from May 3 through May 7 ERRS continued to consolidate soil from smaller stockpiles into one main stockpile and completed excavation of hot spot areas 14, 13, 12, 10, 11, 15, 16, and 1. CCA collected confirmation samples from the walls and base of area 14 excavation on May 3. Sample results indicate that the east wall (beneath the school) contains soil that exceeds TACO cleanup objectives. On May 6, START collected a composite sample of soil piled along trench located in the southern portion of the site. A total of 287 truckloads (approximately 5,039.20 tons) were transported offsite for disposal.
During the period from May 10 through May 13 ERRS continued to consolidate soil from smaller stockpiles into one main stockpile and completed excavation of hot spot areas 3, 4, 6, and 9, and began excavating area 2. CCA collected confirmation samples from the walls and base of excavation areas 3 and 4. Sample results for area 4 were below TACO cleanup objectives. Area 3 results indicate two walls above TACO cleanup objectives. A total of 234 truckloads (approximately 3,922.87 tons) were transported offsite for disposal.
During the period from May 19 to May 22 ERRS continued to consolidate soil from smaller stockpiles into one main stockpile, continued excavating area 2, excavated walls of area 3 that exceeded TACO cleanup objectives, and completed excavation of hot spot areas 27, 19, 20, and 21. A total of 141 truckloads (approximately 2,453.83 tons) were transported offsite for disposal.
During the period from May 24 to May 27 ERRS completed excavation of hot spot areas 2, 7, 8, 22, 24, 25, 26, 29. CCA collected confirmation samples from the walls and base of area 29 on May 25. A total of 184 truckloads (approximately 3,250.02 tons) were transported offsite for disposal.
During the period from June 1 to June 4 a total of 184 truckloads (approximately 3,211.28 tons) were transported offsite for disposal.
Key Issues
Dust monitoring conducted during the removal indicated air particulate levels were below limits recommended for PPE upgrade as stated in the health and safety plan.
School District is responsible for backfilling excavation areas and soil compaction and grading.
COST INFORMATION
Estimated costs as of June 14, 2004:
START $10,436.89
DISPOSITION OF WASTES
1,031 truck loads and approximately 17,877.20 tons of impacted soil have been transported offsite to Envirotech Lanfill in Morris, Illinois, and Newton County Landfill in Brook, Indiana.
