Pollution/Situation Report Profile

Prosser Pomace Pits
Prosser, WA - EPA Region X
POLREP #3

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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Prosser Pomace Pits - Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region X

Subject:

POLREP #3
Prosser Pomace Pits
10KL
Prosser, WA
Latitude: 46.2666469 Longitude: -119.6302986

To:

From:

Kathy Parker, OSC

Date:

11/9/2011

Reporting Period:

10/22/2011 - 11/9/2011

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Site Number:	10KL	Contract Number:
D.O. Number:		Action Memo Date:	4/27/2011
Response Authority:	CERCLA	Response Type:	Time-Critical
Response Lead:	EPA	Incident Category:	Removal Action
NPL Status:	Non NPL	Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date:	10/17/2011	Start Date:	4/18/2011
Demob Date:		Completion Date:
CERCLIS ID:	WAN001002932	RCRIS ID:	none
ERNS No.:	none	State Notification:	4/15/2011
FPN#:		Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category
Removal Action

1.1.2 Site Description
Two pits and a large disposal area of fruit pomace and diatomaceous earth waste on agricultural land currently being farmed for concord grapes.

1.1.2.1 Location
36108 North District Line Road, Prosser, WA 99350, Benton County

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
Heat produced by the decomposing piles in excess of 1000 degrees F. Unrestricted access has led to several people walking into the piles and being severely burned.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
Heat readings in several areas were measured to be in excess of 1000F, accompanied by smoldering humous material. Removal Evaluation results for SVOC, pesticides, herbicides and metals show exceedances of RSLs only for arsenic and vanadium. No MTCA exceedances. Background levels for arsenic and vanadium were higher than the concentrations in the waste samples.

2. Current Activities

2.1 Operations Section

2.1.1 Narrative

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

Saturday 10/22/2011 - 6 ERRS, OSC Parker. 7am safety meeting. Continued excavating Pit #2. Hauled and spread waste material on-site. Two PRP experts on-site to observe excavating and collect soil samples and temperature measurements.

Sunday 10/23/2011 - 6 ERRS, OSC Parker. 7am safety meeting. Continued excavating Pit #2. Hauled and spread waste material on site. Finished excavating Pit #2 at 12:30. Finished moving material out of Pit #2 with dozer at 13:30. Moved to Pit #1 and continued that excavation. 8590 cubic yards of waste moved to-date. Two PRP experts on-site between 7am and 1120am to observe excavating. This is the last night of on-site security. 1445 planning meeting to discuss budget and demob schedule. Action memo amenmndet #3 sent to EPA for concurrence and approval.

Monday 10/24/2011 - 6 ERRS, OSC Parker. 7am safety meeting. Two PRP experts on-site to observe excavation. Continued excavating Pit #1. Finding a lot of tires in bottom of pit. Reporter from Prosser newspaper on-site to interview OSC Parker and Cameron Fox. OSC Rodin arrived in late afternoon.

Tuesday 10/25/2011 - 6 ERRS, OSC Rodin. 7am safety meeting. Continued excavating Pit #1. Still finding a lot of tires in the bottom of Pit#1.

Wednesday 10/26/2011 - 6 ERRS, OSC Parker. 7am safety meeting. Continued excavating Pit #1. Still finding a lot of tires in the bottom of Pit#1. Finished Pit #1 excavation around noon. Moved all 2250 tires to the “loading area” north of the pits. OSC Parker collected a sample of D.E. near Area 1 and Pit #2 for asbestos analysis. Finished ripping 19 acres where waste was applied. Started deconning equipment.

Thursday 10/27/2011 deconned and demobbed equipment and personnel.

Tuesday 11/1/2011 OSC Parker transferred custody of sample to Ecology and Environment to transport to lab for asbestos analysis. Results received same day that the waste material was free of asbestos.

Thursday 11/3/2011 Land owner sent waste material analysis results to OSC Parker indicating material in Pit #2 is high in pH (9.4), potassium (1930 ppm), phosphorus (847 ppm), boron (4.0 ppm) and soluble salts (5.1 mmho/cm) and low in nitrate (4.4 ppm). News article on site appeared in Yakima Herald-Republic titled “Family sued after second serious injury from buried grape waste”.

Friday 11/4/2011 KIRO television news announcement injury from grape waste on site.

Tuesday 11/8/2011 Action Memo Amendment #3 signed by Division Director authorizing the removal action ceiling increase from $149,000 to $219,000 (which includes $5,656 spent on fire breaks and fencing in April 2011). The ERRS Task Order increase of $62,000 to $208,000 was approved by the contracting officer.

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

2.1.4 Progress Metrics
All waste material will be land-applied on-site.

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal

D001

2.2 Planning Section

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

2.2.2 Issues

More waste material is present than expected. Also, more Diatomaceous Earth is present in the waste than expected. Applying the excess to the current site footprint may make the land unusable for the landowner’s intended purpose (planting grapes). EPA will investigate the cost of off-site disposal of the excess waste material vs adding organic amendment to the site soil to off-set a higher application rate of the inorganic component of the waste material.

A large quantity of non-hazardous solid waste (household garbage such as toys and beds and indsutrial waste such as tires and machine parts) has been found mixed into the waste in both pits. ERRS crew is separating out the solid waste at each stage of handling. Tires, large rocks, and moderately hazardous household waste (herbicide containers) will be left on-site for proper disposal by the land-owner. Other debris will be removed with site trash.

2.3 Logistics Section