EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Materials continue to be collected in the tri-county area of New Jersey affected by Hurricane Irene.  Household hazardous waste, orphan containers, and oil contaminated materials were moved from local municipalities to the Dover staging area.  Elsewhere in NJ, operations in Mahwah addressing oil in a community pond were completed.   

Curbside collection of HHW continued in various municipalities throughout 5 counties of New York State.  Management of HHW collection stations also continued as residents dropped off household hazardous materials.  Orphan container recovery continued in all operational areas if the State. 

A Mission Assignment has yet to be submitted by FEMA to EPA for response and recovery operations in NY associated with Tropical Storm Lee.  EPA is anticipated the MA in the next operational period.  Responders are being deployed to the Broome County area to conduct preliminary assessments.

Tropical Storm Maria made a move to the north, avoiding direct contact with the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.  However, rains may cause minor disruptions eastern Puerto Rico and Culebra.  Flood watches remain in effect for all islands of the USVI.   

HURRICANE IRENE OPERATIONS (NJ/NY)

Emergency Response Task Force

·         The Task Force was not activated.

NEW JERSEY RESPONSE ACTIONS

Passaic County

Oil / Hazardous Materials Response and Recovery Actions

• HHW and orphan containers were collected on McBride Avenue and the Peckman River in Woodland Park.
• EPA met with residents pumping out their basements along Bergen Boulevard.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal

·         No HHW collection activities were conducted by EPA in Passaic County.

Bergen County

Oil / Hazardous Materials Response and Recovery Actions

·         All sorbent boom was removed from recovery operations in Mahwah near Jersey Avenue, completing the most recent requested mission in the area.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal

·         No HHW staging areas have been established by EPA in Bergen County.

Morris County

Oil / Hazardous Materials Response and Recovery Actions

·         No recovery or response operations were conducted in Morris County. 

 Household Hazardous Waste / Bulk Liquid Collection and Disposal

·         Dover - The HHW staging and processing facility continued to receive materials from the tri-county area.  Preparations continued for personnel to characterize the hazardous materials being brought in.  Bulking of materials continued and . A T&D coordinator visited the site in preparations for disposal activities.

·         Riverdale – No activities occurred at this bulk waste storage area.

·         Whippany – No activities occurred at this bulk waste storage area.

·         Lake Hiawatha – The municipality is collecting and staging HHW.  EPA continued collecting materials and transported them to the Dover HHW staging area.

Below is a summary table for NJ Incident Reports as of 1346 on 9/11/2011.  The table includes their status and materials involved.

NEW YORK RESPONSE ACTIONS

NYSDEC Region 4 Area 

Oil / Hazardous Materials Response and Recovery Actions

·         An inspection of the Amphenol facility in Sidney was completed by EPA following reports that they may have been pumping oil into nearby surface waters.  Approximately 2000 gallons of lubricating oil was released into surface waters.  Facility contractors are currently cleaning surface waters and impacted lands.  Booming strategies are in place and being monitored by NYSDEC.

·         Scouting operations in Sidney commenced for finding a HHW staging area.

·         Curbside collection of HHW continued in Prattsville (Greene County) and Fleishmanns and Arkville (Delaware County).  EPA continued curbside pickup of HHW in Schoharie, Middleburgh, Central Bridge, Livingstonville, and Preston Hollow (all located in Schoharie County).   

·         Orphan container recovery operations continued in Prattsville and Oak Hill (Greene), and Arkville (Delaware).

·         EPA recovered 7-55 gallon drums containing sodium hypochlorite and moriatic acid from the Schoharie Central School.

·         EPA continued to support NYCDEP regarding orphan containers located along the Schoharie Creek.

·         EPA assessed an orphan container located at the Holcim facility in Catskill, NY.  Heavy equipment will be required to remove the 1500 pound propane cylinder.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal

·         Greene County

·         Hunter – Facility was operational.

·         Windham – Facility was operational. 

·         Catskill – Facility was operational. 

·         Prattsville – Facility was operational.

·         Delaware County

·         Fleishmanns – Facility is scheduled to close permanently at 1830 hours on 09/11/2011.

·         Arkville – Facility was operational, however it is projected to close on 9/18/2011.

·         Schoharie County

·         Howes Cave – This central HHW staging area for the NYSDEC Region 4 area was operational and receiving materials.

·         Schoharie Debris Pile – Crews continued to segregate and containerize HHW received into the yard and located throughout the pile. 

NYSDEC Region 5 Area

Oil / Hazardous Materials Response and Recovery Actions

·         No information was available for this operational area.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal

·         Au Sable Forks – No information was available for this area. 

·         Lewis (formerly reported as Elizabethtown) – No information was available for this area.

Below is a summary table for NY Incident Reports as of 1346 on 9/11/2011.  The table includes their status and materials involved.

CUMULATIVE HAZARDOUS WASTE SUMMERY TABLE

Below is a summery table indicating the amount of containers collected through HHW and orphan container recovery efforts.  This data was collected at 1346 on 09/11/2011.  Container counts include numbers not previously reported from 09/09/2011 – 09/10/2011 (see footnote).

EPA continued to staff the Region 2 Regional Emergency Operations Center (REOC).  An Incident Management Team (IMT) continues to work with ERRS Managers, ERRS Field Cost Accountants, and RST support.  All coordination at the regional level, including drinking water, wastewater, RCRA, TSDs, and other issues, are facilitated through the REOC.  All cost tracking is being conducted at the REOC.  The REOC will staff the incident through December 2011 to ensure the coverage of operational activities and maintain appropriate rest periods for all responding personnel.

No new information to report during this operational period.

Site specific HASPs were developed for specific work locations throughout New York and are under review by the SO.  Procedures for handling asbestos containing materials in debris found during household hazardous waste collection are being prepared in coordination with the Operations Section Chief.  Coordination is continuing with the different power companies in NJ and NY to develop procedures to pull electric meters on an emergency basis if required to address electrical safety concerns. 

A Liaison Officer has not yet been assigned however coordination activities are being done at several locations and with multiple Federal and State Agencies.

Pat Seppi is the Public Information Officer and can be reached at 646-369-0068.  The PIO worked on the following:

·         Coordination of deployed Community Involvement Coordinator

·         Paterson, NJ : David Kluesner 908-420-7261

·         Coordinated dissemination of outreach material with the Paterson OSC.

·         Met with the Director of the FEMA DRC and representatives from the Salvation Army to discuss EPAs role in assisting the public.

·         Larisa Romanowski 515-703-0101, CIC for NYSDEC Region 4 has been delayed until 09/13/2011.

Unified Command is currently not activated at this level.

EPA is currently coordinating with FEMA, NYS DEC, NYS DOH, NJ DEP, NYSEMO, NJOEM.

WEBSITE:  http://www.epaosc.org/R2HurricaneIreneResponse

INSTRUCTIONS FOR EPAOSC.NET:

If you do not have a password or have never used the EPAOSC.net website before, you will need to click the login button on the top right of the web page. Once on the login page, you will need to click on REGISTER HERE, provide the information requested and submit. This submits your request to ERT, and they will generate a user ID and password for you to enter the private side of the Website. In less than 10 minutes after registering, you should receive an e-mail from ERT SUPPORT providing the information (login and password). At this point you can then enter the website: www.epaosc.net, click on log in, then enter your information. Once logged in, click on websites, then click on Region 2. The Hurricane Irene website should be one of the first ten websites that pop up, if not, you can scroll down to the find the site. Click on R2 Hurricane Irene. Once on the site, you can navigate to the documents that will be stored there.

If you find that you are having trouble viewing the website, please contact the EPA duty officer at (732) 906-6850

EPA Edison REOC                                                                        732-906-6850

Afterhours Notifications, National Response Center (NRC)             800-424-8802
Regional Incident Commander (RIC) for NY, James Daloia             908-420-4505
Regional Incident Commander (RIC) for NJ, Christopher Jimenez    908-420-4484

FEMA IMAT (Albany), Dwayne Harrington, OSC                          908-420-4492

NJ EOC (Trenton), Ellen Banner, OSC                                           908- 420-4462
NJ FRO (Neptune), Steve Touw, OSC                                           908-420-4458

Situation Reports are planned for release at 1630 on a daily basis.

Pollution Reports for response activities in New Jersey associated with Tropical Storm Lee can be found at www.epaosc.org/TSLeeNJ

General Weather for the next Operational Period:

·         In NJ operational areas, no rain is expected.  Temperatures from 64-81.

·         In NY operational areas, scattered thunderstorms are expected with temperatures from 53-70.