EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Dover household hazardous waste processing facility remains active with characterizing, bulking, and packaging of wastes.  Disposal of several waste streams continued as contracts have been generated for the transportation and disposal of wastes remaining. 

Activities in New York responding to Hurricane Irene continue to decrease.  Orphan container identification and collection continued along with management of HHW in all operational areas.  Aerial surveillance activities were conducted of the impact areas in Delaware, Greene, and Schoharie Counties.  Closure of additional HHWs in Delaware County should be seen by the end of the week.

On September 26, 2011 EPA learned that funding for the continuation of operations relating to Tropical Storm Lee would not be increased.  Two HHW pads remain open to the public for container drop-off and processing orphan containers.  Curbside collections of HHW continued for those with urgent needs or are unable to bring materials to an operating HHW pad.  Orphan container reconnaissance and collection continued along various rivers and terrestrial areas.  EPA, with support of the USCG and NYSDEC Rangers, deployed boats and personnel along the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers.

CURRENT ISSUES

·         Response activities in Broome and Tioga Counties have decreased due to funding constraints in the Mission Assignment for TS Lee.

·         Cylinders, tanks, and containers located at the Owego Heat Treat facility in Apalachin, NY are in a stable state.  EPA continues to provide air monitoring support. 

LONG TERM ISSUES

HURRICANE IRENE OPERATIONS (NJ/NY)

NEW JERSEY RESPONSE ACTIONS

EPA is no longer deploying resources for the collection of HHW and orphan containers in New Jersey. 

 Household Hazardous Waste / Bulk Liquid Collection and Disposal

·         Dover – The HHW staging and processing facility continued to characterize, bulk, and package materials.  Shipments of waste continued to disposal facilities.  Dover is no longer accepting incoming material and is scheduled to close on or around October 15, 2011.

·         Whippany – Materials are not being received at this location.  A T&D contractor has been awarded and EPA is awaiting the removal of this bulk liquid tank.

NEW YORK RESPONSE ACTIONS

On 09/27/2011 Air Operations commenced to recon the Schoharie Creek, Delaware River and Bush Kill Floodplains located in Delaware County.

NYSDEC Region 4 Area 

Oil / Hazardous Materials Response and Recovery Actions

·         EPA conducted assessment and recovery operations of orphan containers in Prattsville.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal

·         Greene County

·         Prattsville – Facility was operational.  Material was received from local sources as well as staging areas from outside the county.  Materials are being bulked and packaged.

·         Delaware County

·         Arkville – Although this staging area was closed to the public on 09/18/2011, it will re-open for the week of 09/26/2011.  Materials continued to be packaged, secured, and sent to the Prattsville HHW.  Operations are scheduled to be completed by 09/30/2011.

·         Sidney – Facility was operational and materials are being packaged, secured, and transported to the Prattsville HHW.  Operations are scheduled to be completed by 09/30/2011.

·         Schoharie County

·         Howes Cave – This central HHW staging area for the NYSDEC Region 4 area was operational and receiving materials.  Preparations have commenced for the transport and disposal of bulk material.

·         Schoharie Debris Pile – This is the central staging area for all debris in the Village of Schoharie.  Crews continued to segregate and containerize HHW.  The facility is no longer collecting material and is in the process of moving all materials to the Howes Cave facility for processing and disposal.

NYSDEC Region 5 Area

Oil / Hazardous Materials Response and Recovery Actions

·         EPA continued HHW collection and orphan container recovery in Jay and Upper Jay.

·         Reconnaissance and orphan container collection were conducted on the Au Sable River.  An island in Upper Jay was found to have many orphan containers and crews were formulating plans on how to forge the river to collect materials.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal

·         Lewis – Located in Elizabethtown, the facility was operational and receiving materials from EPA collection crews and local area residents.  Materials are being characterized and bulked.

CUMULATIVE HAZARDOUS WASTE SUMMARY TABLE – HURRICANE IRENE

Below is a summery table indicating the amount of containers collected through HHW and orphan container recovery efforts in response to Hurricane Irene.  This data was collected at 1409 on 09/28/2011.  Container counts may include numbers not previously reported from past operational periods.

The REOC is looking to downsize the support personnel operating in the REOC.  Transition of personnel will continue to provide time off for those that have been working without time off.   

The 09/26/2011 the Assistant Safety Officer conducted a visit at the Oewgo Heat Treat facility in Apalachin, NY.  A review of operations for pumping out flood waters and containing any oily material was completed.  A survey of the hydrogen tank found that safety relief valves were functioning properly.  The ASO also visited the Owego and Endicott HHW pads.

On 09/27/2011 the safety message on boat safety was distributed and posted to the Website.  Boat inspection checklists are being developed and will be implemented during the next operational period.  The NY ASO is conducting safety inspections of the Hurricane Irene HHWs in eastern New York.  Safety staffing was finalized through October. 

Steve Touw has been designated as the Liaison Officer (LNO) for Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee response efforts.  The LNO has been communicating with the FEMA Comptroller on the requests for funding increases to EPA's Hurricane Irene and TS Lee field operations Mission Assignments in NY.  The LNO has provided the comptroller with the projected costs to complete the respective missions, and the comptroller has prepared the requests for immediate processing once FEMA receives its funding for the new fiscal year. 

All Community Involvement Coordinators have returned to normal duty stations in New York and New Jersey.  Should additional assistance be required, CICs will re-deploy to the field.  Pat Seppi, 646-369-0068, is the Public Information Officer designated for the response.

·         Obtained information for an editorial in a Catskill, NY newspaper.

·         Ended the public service announcement for opening times at Greene County HHW sites.

·         Created new fact sheets detailing the closure of the Barlow and Vestal HHW sites.Generated new PSA detailing the continued operating status of Prattsville and Howes Cave HHW sites.

The following table is a reflection of the most current available resources at the time and day of reporting.  It reflects the amount of personnel solely on the day of reporting.  Because the Situation Report details over several days, the following table may not be a representation of every work day.

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

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

Liaison Officer, Steve Touw                                                             908-420-4458

Information Officer, Patricia (Pat) Seppi                                           646-369-0068

Situation Reports will now be generated once a week.

The next Situation Report will be distributed on Thursday October 6, 2011.

SPOT Reports will be distributed upon need. 

The REOC continues to monitor Tropical Storm Ophelia and Tropical Storm Philippe

General Weather for the next Operational Period:

·         Rain and potential thunderstorms are predicted for all operational areas in NY and NJ

·         Dense fog is possible in all areas

·         Temperatures will range from low 50s to high 70s.