U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Coral Bay Air Sampling II - Removal Polrep
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region II
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Subject:
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POLREP #2
Progress
Coral Bay Air Sampling II
St. John, VI
Latitude: 18.3328000 Longitude: -64.7926000
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To:
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Brad Benggio, NOAA
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From:
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Margaret Chong, OSC
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Date:
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9/14/2010
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Reporting Period:
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Sept 9, 2010 to Sep 14, 2010
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1. Introduction
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1.1 Background
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Site Number: |
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Contract Number: |
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D.O. Number: |
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Action Memo Date: |
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Response Authority: |
CERCLA |
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Response Type: |
Emergency |
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Response Lead: |
EPA |
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Incident Category: |
Removal Assessment |
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NPL Status: |
Non NPL |
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Operable Unit: |
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Mobilization Date: |
9/9/2010 |
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Start Date: |
9/9/2010 |
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Demob Date: |
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Completion Date: |
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CERCLIS ID: |
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RCRIS ID: |
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ERNS No.: |
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State Notification: |
09-08-2010 |
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FPN#: |
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Reimbursable Account #: |
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1.1.1 Incident Category
Air sampling event to identify contaminants in a smoke plume.
1.1.2 Site Description
The source of the smoke plume is the landfill (dump) burning on the nearby island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.
1.1.2.1 Location
See 1.1.2 above. The impact of the plume is local residential properties on the east and south east side of St. John, in the Coral Bay vicinity.
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
Inasmuch as EPA has no definitive information on what is being deposited in the Tortola landfill, and thus what could be involved in the fire and being emitted, sampling will be conducted for a wide range of organic and inorganic contaminants.
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
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2. Current Activities
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2.1 Operations Section
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2.1.1 Narrative
2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
1) On September 9, 2010, EPA arrived on St. Thomas at approximately 1500 hrs and met with Jim Casey, EPA's VI Representative. One of the affected residents (also the President of the Coral Bay Community Council) was contacted and a meeting was set up for 1800 hours.
2) EPA met with the President of the Coral Bay Community Council who escorted EPA to an overlook where the affected area can be seen. EPA was able to take 2 Summa Cannister samples that night. One at a residence above Coral Bay and the second one at Leinster Bay. At Leinster Bay, the plume can be seen blowing towards St. John.
3)On September 10, 2010,EPA drove to the East End Road to an overlook, where Tortola can be clearly observed. The plume at approximately 1000 hrs had lessened significantly and was observed to be blowing towards the mountains of Tortola and not towards St. John. A background sample was set up at this location.
4) On September 10, 2010, EPA explored other areas on the island for potential sampling points. At approximately 2000 hrs, EPA returned to collect the background sample at the overlook. The plume was still clearly seen to be blowing towards Tortola.
5) On September 11, 2010. the President of the Coral Bay Community Council escorted EPA to 3 residences where the owners have agreed to allow EPA to set up air monitoring samples on their porches. With the Leinster Bay Point location and the overlook towards Tortola, bringing the total sampling locations to 5.
EPA again checked the plume in Tortola at the overlook, and the smoke appeared to have diminished significantly.
6) On September 12, 2010, there still appeared to some smoke emanating from Totola, with no shift in the wind towards St. John. EPA also found another sampling location towards the dead end of Rte 10, where there was another overlook. Apparently this was one of the sampling points last year.
On September 12, 2010, EPA left St. John. The SERAS contractors were scheduled to leave on September 13, 2010, in order to FEDEX the samples from St. Thomas The sampling equipment were staged at the EPA office in St. Thomas. EPA left the island with an understanding with the President of the Coral Bay Council, that EPA would return within the next week, if the smoke should re-appear. This was on the theory that the trash burning had ceased for the weekend and the workers had taken the weekend off. On the Monday, when the workers return to work, the trash burning would resume.
7) On September 14, 2010, EPA received 2 reports from the residents that the smoke had returned. EPA is scheduled to return to St. John on September 15, 2010 to conduct air sampling.
2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
n/a
2.1.4 Progress Metrics
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Medium |
Quantity |
Manifest # |
Treatment |
Disposal |
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2.2 Planning Section
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2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
EPA will return to St. John on September 15, 2010 for air sampling activities
2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
See 2,2.1
2.2.1.2 Next Steps
Complete air sampling, demobe team, and send samples to labs for analysis.
2.2.2 Issues
None identified.
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2.3 Logistics Section
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n/a
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2.4 Finance Section
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No information available at this time.
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2.5 Other Command Staff
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2.5.1 Safety Officer
The OSC accompanying the team will act as the Safety Officer.
2.6 Liaison Officer
EPA's Jim Casey, based in Charlotte Amalie, will act as liaison between EPA and outside entities such as DPNR, CEPD, and the press.
2.7 Information Officer
2.7.1 Public Information Officer
n/a
2.7.2 Community Involvement Coordinator
n/a
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3. Participating Entities
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3.1 Unified Command
n/a
3.2 Cooperating Agencies
DPNR will assist as needed.
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4. Personnel On Site
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Personnel deployed are one EPA OSC, and two ERT contractor (SERAS) personnel.
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5. Definition of Terms
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n/a
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6. Additional sources of information
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6.1 Internet location of additional information/report
See Documents section for historical ERT trip report documenting air sampling activities on St. John in 2008.
6.2 Reporting Schedule
n/a
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7. Situational Reference Materials
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n/a
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