U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Former Western Publishing Site - Removal Polrep
Initial Removal Polrep
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region II
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Subject:
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POLREP #1
Initial POLREP for Removal Action
Former Western Publishing Site
A260
Poughkeepsie, NY
Latitude: 41.7239090 Longitude: -73.9293090
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To:
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From:
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Margaret Alferman, On-Scene Coordinator
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Date:
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4/1/2011
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Reporting Period:
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9/29/2010 to 4/1/2011
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1. Introduction
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1.1 Background
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Site Number: |
A260 |
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Contract Number: |
EP-S2-10-03 |
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D.O. Number: |
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Action Memo Date: |
2/28/2011 |
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Response Authority: |
CERCLA |
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Response Type: |
Time-Critical |
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Response Lead: |
EPA |
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Incident Category: |
Removal Action |
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NPL Status: |
Non NPL |
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Operable Unit: |
Site-wide |
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Mobilization Date: |
3/14/2011 |
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Start Date: |
3/14/2011 |
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Demob Date: |
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Completion Date: |
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CERCLIS ID: |
NYC200400588 |
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RCRIS ID: |
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ERNS No.: |
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State Notification: |
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FPN#: |
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Reimbursable Account #: |
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1.1.1 Incident Category
Inactive Production Facility
1.1.2 Site Description
1.1.2.1 Location
The Former Western Publishing Site (Site) is located in the southeast corner of a commercial shopping complex, the Mid Hudson Center shopping plaza, in a mixed commercial and residential area of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York. The parcel on which the Site is located is addressed in its entirety as 3440-3444 North Road (Route 9); the portion of the building which comprises the Site building was formerly addressed as 21 Fulton Street and 95 North Road, but an address for the Site building is no longer maintained. The Site consists of the abandoned southern half of a former industrial building, part of which was razed in 2002, as well as the surrounding land to the east, south and west. The parcel on which the Site is located is identified as Parcel No. 134689-6162-05-005836-0000 and totals 5.81 acres. Historically, the Site building housed auto manufacturing companies from approximately 1910 to the early 1930s, the Western Publishing printing company from 1934 until 1983, and various occupants from 1985 until the late 1990s, including a moving company (for storage space), classrooms, a bus maintenance company, and hospital offices. The Site has been abandoned since the late 1990s or early 2000s. The Site building is constructed of brick with the exception of the west wall, which is composed of sheetrock, exterior siding and interior steel braces. The Site is accessible from Fulton Drive to the south, an active driveway to the east which runs along the rear of the shopping complex, and the shopping center parking lot and drive lanes to the west and northwest. The Site is bordered to the north by the remaining half of the Site building, which is occupied by a Staples office supply store; to the east by railroad tracks, beyond which is a liquefied gas retailer; to the south by Fulton Street, beyond which is an apartment complex that houses college students as well as a commercial/light industrial building; and to the west by an access drive lane for the shopping complex, beyond which is a bank and a commercial building. Marist College is located approximately 400 feet to the west of the Site.
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
The EPA Removal Action Branch (RAB) received a request from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) dated June, 28 2010 to evaluate materials within the Site building for a CERCLA removal action. The request was based on the presence of approximately 70 abandoned drums within the Site building, including approximately sixty (60) 95-gallon overpacked drums, as well as various containers of abandoned materials throughout the building. The contents of the drums and containers are unknown. Two doors to the interior of the Site building – a rolling loading dock door leading directly to the overpack drums and a pedestrian door – were unsecured prior to September 29, 2011, and are now secured with padlocks.
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
EPA conducted Site entries into the building on September 20, 21 and 30, 2010 as part of a removal assessment. Because of the unclear ownership of the Site, these entries were conducted under the authority of a search warrant issued by the Town of Poughkeepsie Justice Court on September 15, 2010. Due to the tightly packed positioning of the drums within the loading dock of the Site building, approximately two thirds of the drum overpacks were inaccessible. Most of the accessible overpack drums contained rusted and/or damaged 55-gallon drums, some of which were leaking liquids, and many of the interior drums were rusted shut. Air monitoring revealed elevated levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) within several of the 55-gallon drums as well as an elevated cyanide level in one of the overpack drums. Hazardous Material Categorizing (HazCat) screening was conducted on a portion of the drums that were accessed during the September 20-21 site entries, and sampling of the drums for laboratory analysis was conducted on September 30, 2010. Results indicated that of the ten drums sampled (including eight overpacked drums), one contains elevated levels of 1,2-dichloroethane, vinyl chloride and cadmium, and another contains a material considered to be a characteristic ignitable waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. In addition, one of the drums was found to contain low levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and almost all of the other drums contain CERCLA-designated hazardous substances.
During the September 30, 2010 Site entry, EPA also collected samples of wood flooring blocks and floor coating which are present in three of the rooms of the Site building (totaling approximately 85 cubic yards). The blocks and floor coating were found to contain elevated levels of semi-volatile organic compounds, including benzo(a)pyrene and dibenzofuran, as well as low levels of PCBs.
In addition, during the Site entries EPA noted the presence of approximately 150-200 linear feet of potential asbestos-containing material (PACM) utilized as pipe wrap insulation and several fluorescent light ballasts which may contain PCBs.
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2. Current Activities
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2.1 Operations Section
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2.1.1 Narrative
An inspection of the Site building by local officials in early 2010 revealed the lack of a functioning sprinkler system at the Site building due to a severed sprinkler pipe in the section of the building adjacent to the Site building. Overpacked drums were observed in the loading dock and large piles of construction and demolition debris and other combustible materials were seen scattered throughout the building. Refuse is routinely dumped in the asphalt area directly outside the Site building, approximately 25 feet from the formerly unsecured pedestrian door. People have been observed scavenging through this debris. Graffiti is present on the exterior of the building, including the areas within 10 feet of the loading dock door. EPA cleared some of the vegetation in front of the formerly unsecured pedestrian door of the Site building during the September 21, 2010 site entry (in order to enter the building multiple times with sampling and monitoring equipment), making the door more accessible to trespassers.
2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
The NYSDEC and the Town of Poughkeepsie provided historical information and pertinent files regarding the Site in August and September 2010. Town of Poughkeepsie officials, with EPA as an assisting agency, were granted a search warrant (due to the unclear ownership) which allowed EPA to perform the site entries in September 2010. Town of Poughkeepsie officials posted notices discouraging entry to the Site on September 2, 2010 and secured both of the unlocked doors at the Site on September 29, 2010 to mitigate the threat of exposure to unknown hazardous substances. Between September 2010 and March 2011, the Town of Poughkeepsie police, code enforcement and fire departments patrolled the Site on a periodic basis to ensure that the doors of the Site building remained secured.
Following receipt of the analytical sampling results from the September 30, 2010 site entry, EPA determined that the Site is eligible for a removal action due to the threat of a release of CERCLA-designated hazardous substances. An Action Memorandum authorizing funding for the removal of the drums and wood flooring blocks from the Site building was signed on February 28, 2011. A Task Order for removal action support services by EPA's Emergency and Rapid Response Service (ERRS) contractors was issued on March 11, 2011. On March 14, 2011, EPA and ERRS conducted a walk-through of the Site building to discuss the scope and sequencing of the planned removal action.
The warrant authorizing Site access expired on March 15, 2011. On March 16, 2011, EPA attended a public Town of Poughkeepsie board meeting to present the Site background and scope of EPA's planned removal activities, and the town board passed a resolution to approve a new warrant for Site access. The Town of Poughkeepsie Justice Court granted a new search warrant to the Town of Poughkeepsie, with EPA as an assisting agency, on March 24, 2011. In addition to Site access, the warrant authorizes EPA to conduct the removal action at the Site.
2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
No potentially responsible parties have been identified at this time.
2.1.4 Progress Metrics
The unsecured doors of the Site building have been locked.
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2.2 Planning Section
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2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
EPA plans to remove the household debris from the loading dock of the Site building in order to gain access to the 95-gallon drum overpacks. Once the debris is moved outside into a roll-off dumpster or staging area, drum sampling activities will begin. An office trailer and restroom facilities will be placed along the Site building. All on-site drums will be collected, stabilized, secured, inventoried, sampled for HazCat purposes, characterized, documented and segregated. Groups of drums will be evaluated by collecting and shipping samples from each group to a certified laboratory for analysis. Waste streams will be prepared. Finally, the drums will be repacked and overpacked as necessary and shipped off-site to proper disposal facilities in accordance with all applicable requirements.
EPA also plans to stockpile and remove the wood flooring blocks and associated coating from the Site building. Household construction and demolition debris and pallets of concrete block will be moved or removed from the Site building as necessary to access to the floor. Vacuuming the floor beneath the block may be necessary following its removal. A large wooden swing door located on the north section of the building, next to the pedestrian door, will be removed and replaced or repaired to accommodate the equipment required to disassemble and stockpile the flooring blocks.
In addition, the pipe wrap and light ballasts within the Site building will be evaluated for the presence of asbestos and PCBs, respectively, and removed if necessary.
During these activities, a Community Air Monitoring Plan will be implemented by EPA's Removal Support Team (RST2) contractors. Air quality will be assessed both within and outside the Site building using field screening instrumentation. A Site-specific Health and Safety Plan will be followed throughout the duration of the removal action.
2.2.1.2 Next Steps
EPA, ERRS and RST2 will mobilize to the Site and begin removal and air monitoring activities in early April 2011.
2.2.2 Issues
Because of the unknown wastes inside the Site building, EPA and Town of Poughkeepsie officials will have to continue to monitor the Site to ensure that it remains secure.
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2.3 Logistics Section
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A logistics section was not activated for this response. No logistical challenges or issues were encountered during this reporting period.
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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
Site health and safety plans are currently being prepared by ERRS and RST2 contractors. No safety challenges or issues were encountered during this reporting period.
2.6 Liaison Officer
A Liaison Officer was not activated for this response.
2.7 Information Officer
2.7.1 Public Information Officer
A Public Information Officer was not activated for this response.
2.7.2 Community Involvement Coordinator
The Community Involvement Coordinator for this Site is Cecilia Echols of EPA Region II. Ms. Echols can be reached by phone at (212) 637-3678 or by email at echols.cecilia@epa.gov.
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3. Participating Entities
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3.1 Unified Command
Unified Command is not relevant to this response.
3.2 Cooperating Agencies
The NYSDEC and the Town of Poughkeepsie are providing support to the EPA as needed.
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4. Personnel On Site
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None.
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5. Definition of Terms
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None.
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6. Additional sources of information
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6.1 Internet location of additional information/report
www.epaosc.org/FormerWesternPublishing
6.2 Reporting Schedule
EPA will complete weekly POLREPs as soon as EPA, ERRS and RST2 mobilize to the Site and begin work.
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7. Situational Reference Materials
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None.
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