U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
NE PA TS Lee Flood Oil/Hazmat Recovery - Removal Polrep
Initial Removal Polrep

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region III
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Subject:
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POLREP #1
Initial POLREP
NE PA TS Lee Flood Oil/Hazmat Recovery
03W0XLK
Wilkes Barre, PA
Latitude: 41.2463681 Longitude: -75.8822722
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To:
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From:
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Richard Fetzer, OSC
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Date:
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10/26/2011
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Reporting Period:
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10/11/11 to 10/25/11
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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: |
Stafford Act |
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Response Type: |
Emergency |
Response Lead: |
EPA |
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Incident Category: |
Removal Action |
NPL Status: |
Non NPL |
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Operable Unit: |
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Mobilization Date: |
10/11/2011 |
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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
Stafford Act Response - FEMA has issued a Mission Assignment upon request from PADEP, through PEMA for EPA to collect and dispose of orphaned container debris from Tropical Storm Lee.
1.1.2 Site Description
Flooded areas along the Susquehanna River
1.1.2.1 Location
This site has various locations along the Susquehanna River in Luzerne, Schuylkill, and Wyoming Counties
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
Threat of release of oil and chemicals in containers to the River and the environment. Threat of explosion from unstable propane cylinders. Threata of exposure from the public to oil and chemicals.
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
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2. Current Activities
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2.1 Operations Section
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Response Actions to Date (by county and by day)
Schuylkill County:
10/11/2011
- Observation and recon performed at Pine Grove flood effected area and staging location of house hold hazardous waste.
10/27/2011
- ERRS performed collection of staged containers and waste at Water Treatment Plant, Pine Grove. Staged containers were packed and relocated to Plains Township (Luzerne County) staging location for identification and final staging for disposal.
Luzerne County:
10/11/2011
- Access and staging granted by Property owner of Gulf Gas Station, River Road, Plains Township. Recon performed at location for orphaned containers. Needs for recovery and staging discussed and determined.
10/12/2011
- Parcel maps obtained from Luzerne County for the flood effected properties.
- Property owners contacted to gain verbal access for entry onto properties to locate orphaned containers.
10/13/2011
- EPA Response Trailer staged onsite at Gulf Gas Station to provide work and communication station for recovery efforts.
- Additional property owners contacted regarding access: Rail Road Redevelopment and Pagnotti Coal Company.
- First hospital, in Wilkes Barre, contacted for Health and Safety Plan/Operations.
- ERRS (KEMRON) mobilize to site and prepare for orphaned container collection.
- Access to Township Property granted pending signature authorization.
10/14/2011
- Access to total of 14 properties granted and documentation maintained.
- Recon performed with Plains Township Fire Captain, areas with orphaned containers identified.
- Containment pad for first staging area deployed.
- ERRS deployed stone road at Gulf Gas Station back property for equipment access to orphaned containers.
- Work orders determined and signed for ERRS crew.
- Emergency Room in Health and Safety Plan route driven, ER visited and confirmed with Hospital.
10/15/2011
- Radiation survey of gas station site and surrounding planned work area performed no identified concerns.
- Air monitoring survey identifies no concerns.
- Stone road installation continued at gas station for rear property access.
- Recovery of orphaned containers performed and staged at gas station.
- Home heating oil tanks (275 gallon): 3
- Drums (55-gallon): 15 partial to full, 7 empty
- Propane tanks (>20-gallon): 3
- Propane (20-gallon): 1
- Gas Cans: 1 partial, 1 empty
- Oil Cans (5 gallon): 1 partial, 4 empty/residual
- Paint Can: 1 gallon
- Windshield wiper fluid: 1 gallon
- Antifreeze: 0.75 gallon
- Automotive gas tank: 1
10/17/2011
- EPA and PADEP meeting: action plan and recovery needs determined.
- EPA and PADEP observe Nescopeck Borough and Township to determine action and recovery needs.
- Decision made to collect Household Hazardous Waste from Nescopeck Borough. Necopeck Township only needed basements pumped. That is PADEP's direct responsibility
- ERRS continues recovery at Gulf gas station for orphaned containers.
10/18/2011
- Recon performed within access granted area of River Road, Plains Township.
- Verbal access granted to additional property, identified three 55-gallon drums: two full, one empty. Signature access obtained for property.
- Owner identified for twenty-three 55-gallon drums. Drum owner requests to reclaim lost property.
- Fire Captain for Plains Township contacted regarding household-hazardous-waste. Fire Capt. Will notify riverside community to place HHW curbside for pickup.
- Three (3) recovered home-heating propane tanks collected by propane company.
10/19/2011
- Recovery/collection continued along gas station property.
- Access gained to collect 500 gallon propane tank, observed to be leaking. Tank owner contacted and will recover tank when it is recovered.
- Access obtained for two farm properties, recon locates one 500-gallon oil tank, eight 275-gallon oil tanks, multiple propane tanks, three 55-gallon oil drums and various smaller orphaned containers.
- Access agreement left with local farm business, orphaned containers and at least two 275-gallon observed on property.
10/20/2011
- Vac-truck recovers waste from collection pond, stages collected was in frac-tank. 3000- gallons collected.
- 500-gallon propane tank recovered and collected by propane company.
10/21/2011
- Recovery/collection performed at Plains Twp site farm adjacent to river.
- Recovered containers: Five 55-gallon oil drums, two home-heating propane tanks, five 20-lbs propane tanks.
- Six vac-truck loads recovered from collection pond adjacent to gas station. First 20,000-gallon frac-tank has one load to fill.
- Second frac-tank ordered for delivery for 10/22.
- 109 total containers inventoried.
10/22/2011
- Second 20,000-gallon frac-tank delivered and staged onsite.
- Third staging area inventoried from farm property collection. 20 additional containers.
- Five vac-truck loads collected, second 20,000-gallon frac-tank one load to fill.
10/24/2011
- PRP collects 9 partial to full 55-gallon drums of used oil, 3-gallons windshield fluid, two 30-gallon empty drums, and empty 500-gallon oil tank.
- Orphaned container collection at first farm continued.
10/25/2011
- PRP collects additional fourteen 55-gallon drums, partial to full of used oil.
- Recon performed on additional farmland, smaller containers collected and gathered. Two 275-gallon home-heating oil tanks located.
10/26/2011
- Three 55-gallon drums of household-hazardous-waste collected from Nescopeck Borough. Two of the drums oil-based paint, third drum water/latex-based paint. Six gallons of gasoline collected.
- Collection from additional farm included 8 gallons of gasoline (various sized containers), two home-heating oil tanks, two 55-gallon drums.
Progress Metrics
Waste Stream |
Medium |
Quantity |
Manifest # |
Treatment |
Disposal |
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2.2 Planning Section
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Operations are and have been directed by EPA. Selection of Site locations are coordinated by PADEP. Field operations are a 9.5 hour days on a 6 day work week, weather permitting.
2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
Continued operations are being coordinated by PADEP for continued recovery and collection needs. PADEP is obtaining access for EPA and its contractors. EPA will view locations in West Nanticoke (Luzerne County) and Wyoming County during the week of 10/31.
2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
Recon on the Susquhanna River scheduled for 10/28, to locate orphaned containers and potential hazardous waste requiring collection.
2.2.1.2 Next Steps
PADEP is coordinating recovery collection site locations and arranging with EPA for cleanup response. EPA is beginning to make arrangement for disposal of collected material.
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2.3 Logistics Section
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All logistics are being handled by EPA, PADEP and START. Requests for resources are made to EPA and PADEP. Logistical issues are coordinated and provided by EPA Region 3, START, ERRS contractors.
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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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No information available at this time.
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3. Participating Entities
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Unified Command
Unified Command is currently not activated at this level.
Cooperating Agencies
EPA is currently coordinating with PADEP Northeast Regional Office, County officials, and local government agencies.
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4. Personnel On Site
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Date |
EPA Personnel |
START (Weston) Personnel |
ERRS (Kemron) Personnel |
Total |
10/11/11 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
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10/12/11 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
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10/13/11 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
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10/14/11 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
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10/15/11 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
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10/16/11 |
x |
x |
x |
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10/17/11 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
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10/18/11 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
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10/19/11 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
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10/20/11 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
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10/21/11 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
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10/22/11 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
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10/23/11 |
x |
x |
x |
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10/24/11 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
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10/25/11 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
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5. Definition of Terms
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No information available at this time.
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6. Additional sources of information
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No information available at this time.
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7. Situational Reference Materials
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No information available at this time.
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