U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Freeman School Lead Site - Removal Polrep
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region III
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Subject:
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POLREP #2
Site Evaluation
Freeman School Lead Site
Bramwell, WV
Latitude: 37.3254557 Longitude: -81.3133935
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To:
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From:
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Robert Kelly, OSC
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Date:
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7/7/2011
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Reporting Period:
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Through 07/07/11
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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: |
Time-Critical |
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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: |
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Start Date: |
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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: |
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FPN#: |
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Reimbursable Account #: |
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1.1.1 Incident Category
CERCLA
1.1.2 Site Description
The Site consists of a multi-story brick school building situated on approximately three acres, located immediately adjacent to the Bluestone River. The Site is located in a relatively rural setting with surrounding properties characterized by mixed land use. Bluestone Baptist Church, currently unused, occupies the adjacent property to the northeast. The remaining adjacent property is undeveloped. Undeveloped forested land is located across County Route 20/20 to the northwest. The Bluestone River borders the Site to the southeast.
1.1.2.1 Location
The Site is located on County Route 20/20, approximately 0.4 miles west of Route 52, between Freeman and Bramwell, West Virginia.
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
Possible elevated lead and PCBs in soils, sediment, surface water, and interior building on Site.
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
According to available records, the WVDEP first visited the Site in 1987 in response to a citizen complaint that Pinnacle was disposing of battery acid in the Bluestone River. The WVDEP performed several inspections at the Site in 1987, 1988, and 2000. Although a company representative indicated to State inspectors that the reclaimed lead was shipped off-Site for recycling, a make-shift smelter located east of the building indicated that some type of manufacturing process was performed on-Site. State inspectors collected two samples of waste material located outside the building for lead analysis. Total lead concentrations of 656 and 5,280 mg/kg were found in these samples, with a corresponding Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) lead concentration of 73.7 mg/l found in the latter sample.
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2. Current Activities
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2.1 Operations Section
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2.1.1 Narrative
The OSC and START contractor met on May 2, 2011, with the Town Mayor, Chief of Police, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), and a representative from the Bramwell Foundation, the current property owner, and conducted a Site walkthrough.
The OSC obtained verbal permission to access the property and building from the present owner. The Site is currently vacant, the building deteriorated, and overgrown with vegetation. The smelter was located east (rear) of the building and was constructed from a 55-gallon metal drum, and a inderblock incinerator. Piles of waste material consisting of sand, broken molds, cinders, coke and miscellaneous debris are located on the north and east sides of the building. Lead fragment, some as large as six inches in length and obviously solidified from melted lead were mixed wtih the waste. Finer material (e.g., ash from smelting activities) were not observed on Site. Several discarded battery casings are located east of the building.
The building interior provides some indication of the operation, housekeeping, and waste disposal practices of Pinnacle. Two additional smelters, constructed similarly to the one described above, associated solid waste, a 55-gallon drum with unknown contents, a parts washer, drying racks, discarded battery casings, are located inside the building. One smelter is located in a restroom on the first and another in the restroom on the second floor. The smelter room walls and ceilings are coated with soot.
2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
As directed by the OSC, START procured laboratory services for analysis of the soil, sediment, and surface water samples. Due to time constraints, the OSC directed START to procure a private laboratory for analysis of the paint chip samples.
On June 28, 2011, the OSC and START mobilized to the Site to conduct a sampling assessment. Sample collection began in the Bluestone River, involving collection of surface water and sediment samples from a downstream location, then moving upstream to collect surface water and sediment from locations adjacent to the former school, then collection of "background" surface water and sediment samples from a location approximately 400 feet upstream from the former school. A field blank sample was collected.
Under the direction of the OSC, also on June 28, 2011, START collected seven paint chip samples from the interior walls of the former school. Following collection of the paint chip samples, a heavy rain event occurred and sampling was halted for the day.
On June 29, 2011, the OSC and START mobilized to the Site to complete collection of soil samples. START collected four soil samples from the interior rooms of the school. In addition to these soil samples, START collected ten soil samples from locations between the former school and the Bluestone River. START then collected a background soil sample from an area on the edge of the property that could not have been affected by activities inside the former school.
On June 30, 2011, START packaged and shipped all of the surface water, sediment, and soil samples that were collected during the sampling assessment. These samples were shipped to their designated laboratories for metals and PCBs analyses. Under direction of the OSC, due to the urgency of the data, START procured private laboratory services for analysis of the paint chip samples.
START conducted screening analysis of the samples collected on Site via use of an XRF. The screening results showed elevated levels of lead in the exterior soil samples up to 3,013 ppm, in the interior soil samples up to 1,736 ppm, and in the paint chips up to 4,961 ppm.
On July 6, 2011, START shipped the paint chip samples to a private laboratory for metals analysis.
2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
According to available information, the building was constructed in 1948. It was used by the Mercer County school system until approximately 1977. From about 1985 through approximately 1987, Pinnacle Manufacturing, Inc. (Pinnacle) utilized the Site. Pinnacle apparently used the Site to manufacture industrial equipment components from lead recovered on site from lead-acid batteries. The Bramwell Foundation purchased the Site in 1998 and is the present owner.
2.1.4 Progress Metrics
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Medium |
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Manifest # |
Treatment |
Disposal |
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2.2 Planning Section
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2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
The OSC will determine response activities following receipt of the validated analytical data from the sampling event.
2.2.1.2 Next Steps
Next steps are pending receipt of validated analytical data.
2.2.2 Issues
Possible elevated levels of lead and PCBs in Site soils, sediment, surface water, and/or building interior.
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2.3 Logistics Section
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Not Applicable
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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 served as the safety officer on Site during sampling activities.
2.6 Liaison Officer
Not Applicable
2.7 Information Officer
2.7.1 Public Information Officer
2.7.2 Community Involvement Coordinator
Not Applicable
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3. Participating Entities
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3.1 Unified Command
Not Applicable
3.2 Cooperating Agencies
City Government
State Government
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4. Personnel On Site
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Mayor of Bramwell- 1
Property Owner- 1
EPA- 1
WVDEP- 1
START- 2
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5. Definition of Terms
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EPA Environmental Protection Agency
WVDEP West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
OSC On-Scene Coordinator
POLREP/SITREP Pollution Report/Situation Report
START Site Technical and Response Team
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6. Additional sources of information
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6.1 Internet location of additional information/report
For additional information, please refer to “Documents” on www.epaosc.org/freeman
6.2 Reporting Schedule
A Trip Report will be completed following receipt of the validated analytical data.
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7. Situational Reference Materials
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No information available at this time.
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