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 #5
Continuation of the Removal Action
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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10/22/2011
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Reporting Period:
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through 10/22/11
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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: |
8/23/2011 |
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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: |
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Mobilization Date: |
9/6/2011 |
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Start Date: |
9/7/2011 |
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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 120 to the northwest. The Bluestone River borders the Site to the southeast.
1.1.2.1 Location
The Site is located on County Route 120, approximately 0.4 miles west of Route 52, between Freeman and Bramwell, West Virginia.
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
Elevated levels of lead in site soils and the 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.
OSC Kelly conducted a windshield assessment at the Site on May 2, 2011, and determined that a sampling assessment should be conducted at the Site. During the sampling assessment that was conducted on June 28-29, 2011, a total of five surface water samples, five sediment samples, and 15 surface soil samples were collected from the Site. All of the samples collected were analyzed for TAL metals, mercury, and PCBs. Lead was detected at concentrations up to 2.6 ug/L in the surface water samples, up to 68.8 mg/kg in the sediment samples, and up to 116,000 mg/kg in the surface soil samples.
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2. Current Activities
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2.1 Operations Section
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2.1.1 Narrative
An action memo for a Removal Action at the site was approved on August 23, 2011. ERRS mobilized to the site on September 6, 2011 to begin the Removal Action.
2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
During the weeks of October 3 and 10, 2011, ERRS completed consolidation of lead-contaminated debris in the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st floors of the building. ERRS placed these materials in plastic bags and staged them for subsequent disposal. ERRS continued to remove falling plaster and broken windows that presented a safety hazard to personnel. During all building contaminated debris removal activities, START conducted air monitoring activities for particulates. Particulate levels reached 2.2 mg/m3 during work activities in the building on one occasion; this was due to the small size of the room that ERRS were conducting removal activities in. ERRS and START continued to work in the building areas with Level C respiratory protection.
During removal activities in the basement level of the building, ERRS confirmed two locations where asbestos-containing materials were present: the exterior of the lead-contaminated furnace, and hanging along the piping at the ceiling level. ERRS began to make arrangements for safe and proper disposal of these materials. The ERRS crew was directed not to attempt to move or disturb these materials until proper disposal materials were obtained.
ERRS utilized a skid-steer with a brush hog attachment to clear the area of the property that extends from the northwestern edge of the command post area to Bramwell's Fire Hall. START utilized a grid system to select 95 locations and screened the soils with an XRF instrument for lead contamination. The lead concentrations in the area ranged from <4.5 ppm to 191.5 ppm. Only two of the screening locations contained an estimated concentration of lead greater than 100 ppm; these two locations were adjacent to the road and motor vehicles could account for the slightly higher concentrations of lead.
Under the direction of the OSC, all personnel demobilized from the Site for a break on October 22, 2011. Personnel are scheduled to return to the Site on November 2, 2011, to continue the Removal Action.
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 |
Quantity |
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
ERRS will continue to conduct activities as set forth in the Action Memo.
2.2.1.2 Next Steps
ERRS will continue to remove contaminated debris from the building.
START will continue to conduct XRF screening of Site soils, where appropriate, to determine an extent of contamination.
2.2.2 Issues
Elevated levels of lead in Site soils and interior building debris.
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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 is is the overall Safety Officer for the Site.
The ERRS RM is serving as the Safety Officer for WRS personnel.
The START PM is serving as the Safety Officer for TechLaw personnel.
2.6 Liaison Officer
EPA Jessica Greathouse
2.7 Information Officer
2.7.1 Public Information Officer
Not Applicable
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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EPA- 1
START- 1-2
ERRS - 8
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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 Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team
ERRS Emergency Rapid Response Services
SAO Site Administrative Officer
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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
Polreps will be generated on a weekly basis throughout the duration of the Removal Action.
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7. Situational Reference Materials
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No information available at this time.
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