The Chevron Cincinnati Facility site, located on State Route 128 just north of the junction of U.S. Route 50 in Hooven, dates back to 1931 when Gulf Oil Co. produced gasoline, jet and diesel fuel, home-heating oil and sulfur. It was acquired by Chevron in 1985 and ceased operation in 1986.
Environmental investigation began in 1985 as a result of fuel seepage into the Great Miami River. Chevron initiated a "corrective action" investigation and cleanup under EPA oversight in 1993 when Chevron signed a legal agreement with the Agency.
Investigations have since revealed a large area of polluted ground water, or plume, of floating hydrocarbons (mostly gasoline). The hydrocarbon released lies beneath the facility at approximately 10 - 25 feet below the surface and extends west beneath the village of Hooven at 35 - 65 feet below ground.
Sixteen wells on the facility property have pumped out and treated more than 1 billion gallons of polluted ground water and recovered 3.5 million gallons of hydrocarbon product since the initial pumps began operating in 1985.
In 2004 , EPA approved a plan for Chevron to complete cleanup of sludges and polluted soils on the ChevronTexaco property and Chevron has been implementing this plan.
In August 2006, after a public comment period and hearing, EPA announced its plan to address polluted ground water.
On February 26, 2008, EPA and Ohio Department of Health conducted a public meeting at Hooven Elementary School. Plans for a 2008 EPA vapor intrusion investigation were discussed.
In March-April 2008, EPA Superfund Division, Ohio EPA, and the Ohio Department of Health will initiate a vapor intrusion investigation in Hooven. The investigation will include groundwater, soil gas, and residential sub-slab sampling.
March 31, 2008 Update: EPA collected sub-slab and indoor air samples at Hooven Elementary School during the week of March 24, 2008 to initiate the vapor intrusion investigation. See images for photos. Note that construction of a baseball field and roof repair at the school during this period will not impact EPA sampling.
April 7, 2008 Update: EPA initiated residential sub-slab sampling. Ohio EPA initiated groundwater well and vapor probe installation utilizing GeoProbe. See images for photos.
April 16, 2008 Update: EPA completed 2008 Quarter #1 residential and commercial sub-slab sampling, groundwater sampling, and vapor probe sampling on April 15, 2008. Completion of baseball field construction at Hooven Elementary School can proceed without impacting EPA sampling. EPA Quarter #2 sampling is scheduled for July-August 2008.
May 13, 2008 Update: EPA 2008 Quarter #1 vapor intrusion sample results are being reviewed. Meetings with residents will be scheduled for the week of June 2, 2008 to discuss the sample results. Quarter #1 results indicate:
• There were chemicals found under both residential homes and the school property. The levels of chemicals detected were all below health-based screening values and would not be expected to cause any health problems.
• Specific chemicals that are not typically found in household items, but are chemicals associated with gasoline plumes were found under 64% of the homes tested by the EPA.
• Four quarters of sampling are recommended when conducting a vapor intrusion investigation as it allows for seasonal differences in the weather and groundwater levels. The finding of these chemicals in the groundwater, soil-gas, and sub-slab, when the water table is high and vapor production would be expected to be low or non-existent, supports the need for additional sampling when the water table is low and vapor production may be higher.
The report of the sample results for Hooven Elementary School is a public record. Citizens interested in obtaining the report through a public records request should contact the Southwest Local School District by phone at 513-367-4139, by mail or in person at 230 S. Elm Street, Harrison, Ohio 45030 or by email to chris.brown@southwestschools.org.
August 4, 2008 Update: EPA is planning 2008 Quarter #2 residential and commercial sub-slab sampling, and vapor probe sampling for the week of August 18, 2008. Property owners will be contacted to arrange for a sampling date/time.
November 6, 2008 Update: U.S. EPA Hooven Quarter #2 Update: Data from the U.S. EPA Hooven Quarter #2 vapor intrusion sample results have been reviewed and meetings with the school officials and the residents were scheduled the week of October 6, 2008 to discuss the sample results.
Hooven Quarter #2 results for residential structures indicate:
· 14 of the 22 residential sub-slab sample locations show a decrease in the chemicals detected compared to the Quarter #1 April, 2008 sampling conducted in the same homes.
· Sub-slab levels of chemicals for 6 of the 22 homes dropped to No Detect (ND) -- with none of the site-related chemicals being sampled for by US EPA being detected in soil-gas under these homes.
· None of the original (April, 2008) 22 homes sampled in Quarter #2 had indoor air levels above the screening values.
· Two additional residential sampling locations were identified and added to the EPA Quarter #2 sampling.
o One of the new homes had an indoor air sample that detected one of the chemicals of concern at a level that slightly exceeded the ATSDR/ODH screening value. Note that this chemical was not detected in the sub-slab sample and that no chemicals were detected in the sub-slab sample above the screening values.
o The other new sampling location home had chemicals in the sub-slab that slightly exceeded the screening value, but the sampling did not detect these chemicals in the indoor air. On the other hand, there were two indoor air samples that found different chemicals that slightly exceeded the ATSDR/ODH screening values but they did not detect these chemicals in the sub-slab. Note that these two additional (new) homes are now part of the US EPA Quarter 3 and 4 sampling.
Hooven Quarter #2 results for Hooven Elementary indicate:
· One of the indoor air samples at the school detected Trimethlybenzene (TMB) that slightly exceeded the lifetime indoor air screening level (1.53 vs 1.2 ppb). A lifetime exposure measures an exposure 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 352 days a year, for 30 years. This length of exposure is certainly not the case for children attending school. It is an ultra conservative scenario to establish protective numbers. But it is also extremely important to note that the indoor air sample was taken in the basement boiler room that has a locked door to the area. In other words, it was taken in an area where the children and staff do not have access or spend any time.
· The second indoor air sample from the school collected in August also detected TMB, but at levels below the long-term screening value.
· The school sampling did not detect any chemicals in the sub-slab exceeding the ATSDR/ODH screening values.
· To view a copy of the results summary for the school, visit http://www.southwestschools.org/ and select the “August, 2008 EPA Test Results” link.
Hooven Quarter #2 results for commercial structures indicate:
· The two commercial structures sampled in the SW Quadrant detected significantly lower levels of chemicals in the sub-slab compared to the April, 2008 sampling.
EPA is planning 2008 Quarter #3 residential and commercial sub-slab sampling, and vapor probe sampling for November, 2008. Property owners will be contacted to arrange for a sampling date/time.
November 13, 2008 Update: Steam pipe repair work is being completed at Hooven Elementary School this week that may require excavation work near the building foundation. This repair work will not impact the EPA Quarter 3 sampling.
January 28, 2009 Update: The meetings to review Quarter #3 sample results with property owners has been postponed due to winter weather. EPA Rafael Gonzalez (#312-886-0269) will be contacting property owners sampled in Quarter #3 to re-schedule the meeting in February, 2009.
February 5, 2009 Update: EPA Quarter #3 vapor intrusion sample results have been finalized and meetings to discuss the sample results with the residents and school officials took place the week of February 2, 2009.
Hooven Quarter #3 results for Hooven residential structures indicate:
• None of the original 22 homes sampled and the two homes that were added to the August 2008 Quarter #2 sampling detected indoor air levels above the screening values.
• None of the original 22 homes sampled and the two homes that were added to the August 2008 Quarter #2 sampling had sub-slab levels above the screening values.
June 22, 2009 Update:
On June 15, 2009, the school district hired Martin Environmental Consultants (M.E.C., LLC) and a subcontractor (Alpha-RAM, Inc.) to excavate, remove and properly dispose an underground storage tank (UST) adjacent to the Hooven Elementary School. M.E.C. had a drawing showing the exact location of the UST, which was installed in 1947. During excavation activities, no UST was discovered. No visible staining or noticeable chemical odors were observed once excavation activities were completed. There are questions remaining when the UST was removed because the school district does not have any records indicating that it paid for a UST located at Hooven Elementary School to be removed and disposed.
U.S. EPA’s Quarter #4 vapor intrusion sampling will be triggered when the groundwater level is at 463’. As of June 12, 2009, the groundwater level was at 464.92’, which is approximately 2 feet above the trigger depth level.
July 21, 2009 Update: Quarter #4 sampling will be scheduled in September 2009 based on groundwater level. Property owners will be contacted by EPA to schedule sampling.
December 18, 2009 Update: Hooven Quarter #4 sampling is complete. This concludes EPA’s four (4) quarter vapor intrusion investigation which gathered groundwater, soil gas, and residential sub-slab data in Hooven, Ohio. Quarter #4 results have been complied and this data has been sent to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). ODH is currently reviewing the data in order to produce their third ATSDR/ODH public Health Consultation document for Hooven. When complete, this document will summarize the four (4) quarters of data and provide public health conclusions and recommendations. We anticipate a joint EPA/ODH meeting with the residents who participated in the sampling and the Southwest Local School District officials sometime in January, 2010. Once we meet with the property owners and school officials to present their individual results, we plan to have a larger community meeting in February of 2010. Information about the date and time of the community meeting will be placed on-line as well as announced through other avenues.
June 27, 2010 Update: A Public Meeting will be held on June 29, 2010 at 5:30 pm at the Hooven Elementary School. EPA will summarize the 4 quarter vapor intrusion investigation and future monitoring plans. ODH will discuss the 2010 public Health Consultation.
