U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Barrio Vietnam Drum Storage Site

All POL/SITREP's for this site Barrio Vietnam Drum Storage Site
Guaynabo, PR - EPA Region II
POLREP #1
Initiation of Removal activities.
Printer Friendly  |   PDF
 
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Barrio Vietnam Drum Storage Site - Removal Polrep
Initial Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region II

Subject: POLREP #1
Initiation of Removal activities.
Barrio Vietnam Drum Storage Site
A290
Guaynabo, PR
Latitude: 18.4394520 Longitude: -66.1132810


To: Paul Kahn, ERRD-RPB
Sonia Cosme, EDS Inc.
Ada Bones, Municipality of Guaynabo
Ernesto Santiago, Municipality of Guaynabo

From: Paul Kahn, OSC
Date: 9/29/2011
Reporting Period:

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: A290    Contract Number: EP-S2-10-03
D.O. Number:      Action Memo Date:  
Response Authority: CERCLA    Response Type: Emergency
Response Lead: EPA    Incident Category: Removal Action
NPL Status: Non NPL    Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date: 9/30/2011    Start Date: 10/4/2011
Demob Date:      Completion Date:  
CERCLIS ID:    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:    State Notification:
FPN#:    Reimbursable Account #:


1.1.1 Incident Category

Abandoned drums and other types of chemical containers.

1.1.2 Site Description

The Responsible Party (RP) is an individual, now deceased, who operated an off-spec chemical distribution company, shipping these chemicals to such places as the Dominican Republic.

1.1.2.1 Location

The site is on a large parcel of land in a mixed residential/commercial area of Guaynabo Municipality, about 7 miles south of the City of San Juan.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

The site contains hundreds of 55 gallon drums, chemical totes, bags, and other size containers of chemicals, many of which are not labeled, stored in a dilapidated, partially collapsed warehouse on the grounds of a private residence.  Many of the containers are leaking or have leaked their contents onto the ground.  The chemicals are haphazardly stored, and in some instances piled on top of each other.  There is no site security and there is no one to monitor site conditions.

Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

The site was discovered through a 'tip' to the FBI. Agents responded and discovered the dangerous conditions at the site. The FBI notified the Coast Guard because the site is in Coast Guard jurisdiction. The Coast Guard then referred the site to EPA via a formal Statement of Agreement between Sector San Juan and Region 2 ERRD.

EPA OSCs with the Caribbean Environmental Protection Division (CEPD) performed an assessment of the site on 9/27/2011 and determined that conditions were so dangerous that an emergency removal action was necessary. Verbal authorization for $250,000 in CERCLA funds was obtained from ERRD upper management, an ERRS contractor was selected and tasked to perform the removal action. As of 9/28/2011 plans are underway to mobilize the ERRS contractor and an OSC to the site on 10/4/2011 to initiate stabilization of the chemicals and post security guards.



2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
    2.1.1 Narrative

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

A removal contractor has been selected and funded with a Superfund account.   Plans are in effect to mobilize the contractor by 9/30/2011(site security) and the OSC to the site on 10/4/2011 to initiate an emergency removal action.

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)

The OSC has notified the Region 2 CID office and informed that office of the situation. 

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal
           
           
           



  2.2 Planning Section
   

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

ERRS will mobilize the rest of the personnel to the site on 10/4/2011 to begin stabilizing the drums and other containers.  ERRS will initiate night time security guard services and begin setting up the site command post and support services on 09/30/2011

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

See above.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

See above.

2.2.2 Issues

Current issues are the threat of the unknown chemicals, safely segregating and staging the unknowns, and safeguarding the chemicals until they can be sampled and identified.

  2.3 Logistics Section
    TBD

  2.4 Finance Section
    No information available at this time.

  2.5 Other Command Staff
    2.5.1 Safety Officer
TBD

2.6 Liaison Officer
n/a

2.7 Information Officer


2.7.1 Public Information Officer

TBD

2.7.2 Community Involvement Coordinator

TBD


3. Participating Entities
  3.1 Unified Command
n/a

3.2 Cooperating Agencies
TBD

4. Personnel On Site
  EPA On-Scene Coordinator

Commercial haz-mat clean-up contractor

5. Definition of Terms
  n/a

6. Additional sources of information
  6.1 Internet location of additional information/report
n/a

6.2 Reporting Schedule
TBD

7. Situational Reference Materials
  Refer to Documents Section of the web site.


Click here to view Attached Images