Pollution/Situation Report Profile

Riverside Avenue Site
Newark, NJ - EPA Region II
POLREP #9

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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Riverside Avenue Site - Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region II

Subject:

POLREP #9
Riverside Avenue Site
02PC
Newark, NJ
Latitude: 40.7670135 Longitude: -74.1593681

To:

Benjamin Tuxhorn, USCG-AST
Andrew Raddant, Department of Interior
Dave Sweeney, NJDEP
David Isabel, Golub & Isabel
Danielle Torok, City of Newark
Fred Mumford, NJDEP

From:

Eric M. Daly, On-Scene Coordinator

Date:

12/21/2011

Reporting Period:

12/08/11 thru 12/21/11

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Site Number:	02PC	Contract Number:	EP-S2-10-01
D.O. Number:	0038	Action Memo Date:	8/23/2011
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:	10/17/2011
Demob Date:		Completion Date:
CERCLIS ID:	NJSFN0204232	RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:		State Notification:
FPN#:		Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category

Time-Critical CERCLA Removal Action

1.1.2 Site Description

The Riverside Avenue Site is an abandoned industrial facility on the banks of the Passic River. Since the early 1900s the Site had been used for many businesses, including a paint manufacturer, a packaging company, and a chemical warehouse. It consists of two abandoned buildings on approximately two acres. The property is owned by the City of Newark and was acquired in tax foreclosure proceedings.

1.1.2.1 Location

29 Riverside Avenue, Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, between the Passaic River and Mcarter Highway.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

Ten abandoned 12,000-15,000 gallon USTs containing hazardous wastes have been identified on the property. Approximately 100 3,000 -10,000 gallon ASTs have been identified in the buildings, many of which have been sampled for hazardous materials. Two tanks containing an oily wastes have been identified in the basement of one of the buildings. A number of 55-gallon drums and smaller containers have been observed in the buildings.
In addition, there are a number of sumps that may contain hazardous substances.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

The preliminary assessment was completed in 2010. Two basement tanks in one building and the sumps of the other building have been sampled for hazardous waste characterization. See Documents Section for results of the site assessment sampling/analytical.

2. Current Activities

2.1 Operations Section

2.1.1 Narrative

See Profile section.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
The sampling preparation continued for Building #7 Varnish Tanks located on the second and third floors. Tank information is being recorded (Tank ID/material level). Tanks as well as process piping are being cut in order to provide access for sampling and removal. The solid residue varnish will be chipped out of the containers, packaged, temporarily staged in the tank areas and then eventually moved all at once by lowering containers from the second and third floors via telescoping lull forklift. On 12/08/11, a level B entry was conducted in Building #15 (OSC Glenn, Lucarino, and Daly). On November 30, 2011, ERRS removed the cinder block slab from the building and pumped out approximately 32,000 gallons of liquid into two frac tanks (Separate Assessment Task Order from the existing removal task order). On 12/08/11, it was discovered that there are 16 tanks within this structure and the design of each tank is basically the same. Plumbing all leads to the pump house located in a separate attached building. There were no readings above background for the Ludlum 19 (Background was 5-10 microR/hr). The team did not get any out of range readings from two separate Multi-Rae units and one TVA. Once it was deemed safe for breathing, a second entry was made for closer observation of tank structures and determination of material in the tanks. OSC Daly climbed up a stable ladder and inspected each tank top via cat walk. Each tank had a square screen cover that could be removed. All 16 tanks were inspected and all were completely empty. There were no visible signs of contamination in the 2 inches of water remaining in the building floor. Sample results received later confirmed that. There were also no unusual odors identified. It was determined that there are no hazardous materials present and therefore no threat to human life and the environment from what we observed in Building #15. OSC Daly/ERRD RPB/RAB management are working with the Passaic Valley Sewer Commission and NJDEP on how to properly dispose of the liquid recovered in both Building #7 and Building #15. The liquid in both structures is assumed to be mostly flood waters from the Hurricane Irene impact at the site. Initial sampling results are being compared to NJDEP Effluent Standards and appropriate discharge is being determined. DESA visited the site on 12/14/11 to conduct enforcement sampling on the Underground Storage Tanks (UST) and the pigment hoppers located in Building #12.

Off-site disposal of the UST liquid contents via tanker truck commenced on 12/19/11. The pump out of each UST will be conducted in stages: Pump out the liquid contents, remove the tank from the ground, cut the tank to clean out the oily sludge, stage the cleaned UST, remove any visible petroleum product or obviously stained soil from the tank void, fill the void with clean soil, and repeat for the next UST. This procedure is in place in order to limit the exposure of petroleum contaminated water/soil to rain and runoff as well as provide ample surface area for the large equipment to operate.

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

EPA met with representatives from the City of Newark on the site on 11/09/09 to discuss the history of the site and the City's environmental assessment activities for the property to date. EPA will work with the City of Newark to identify PRPs for the site. During the 2/11/2011 recon the OSC discovered paperwork in a former office area bearing the logo of "Ted Frey Industries" and "Abrachem Logistics", both companies are believed to have operated at this location in the past. However, from prior knowledge at another Superfund site, both of these companies went bankrupt and ceased to exist years ago. The OSC has identified three other PRPs and will work with regional ORC to gather additional information regarding these PRPs.

On 12/15/11 OSC Daly attended an Enforcement Team Phone Conference.

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal

2.2 Planning Section