Pollution/Situation Report Profile

Riverside Avenue Site
Newark, NJ - EPA Region II
POLREP #14

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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 #14
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:

4/3/2012

Reporting Period:

03/17/12 thru 04/03/12

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
OSC Daly was at Riverside to oversee removal operations during this time period. OSCs Hoppe, Kish, and Lucarino covered several days within the time range. CERCLA funding limitations:Due to limited CERCLA funds available for this fiscal year budget, EPA management has instructed OSC Daly to prioritize activities, dispose of material ready for off-site shipment, and plan to demobilize ERRS/removal resources utilizing the remaining funding available under the existing Action Memo. It is estimated to take seven (7) weeks to complete this work including demobe of equipment and securing waste that will be left in place until funding is made available to complete the removal. Emergency Response:On Saturday, 03/31/12, KEMRON technician visited the site in order to fuel the generator and check on the security guard. The technician left the site around 14:00. At approximately 16:30, the site armed security guard contacted Riverside KEMRON Response Manager to report a trespasser breaking into the gate and opening the valve on one of the staged Frac Tanks (Specifically Frac Tank #4 containing reddish sludge from Building #7 Basement). The security guard discovered the pooling material, was instructed by the RM to avoid contact with the material and close the valve. Fortunately, KEMRON Foreman/operator/technicians were lodging in Newark and able to respond promptly. The crew secured the spill utilizing clean fill to berm/contain the spill and remove aqueous material with absorbents. This was especially important due to the on and off rainfall. No material reached the Passaic River. Once temporarily stabilized, the crew stopped for the night and returned the next day to continue the cleanup. Newark Police and Fire Departments were informed of this incident and representatives visited the site on 04/01/12. EPA management and NJDEP were notified by OSC. At the time of this report, all impacted soil has been removed and staged. Clean fill has been brought in to backfill excavated areas. The collected impacted soil is staged and awaiting disposal. This unexpected expense may change work priorities and prevent certain activities from being accomplished under the current available funding. Frac Tank Aqueous Material-All disposal analytical data has been received for the aqueous material currently stored in Frac Tanks #1-3. These tanks store the aqueous material removed from Building #7 basement (Approximately 60,000 gallons). Frac Tanks #1 and #2 were treated on-site with a carbon filter. However, the analytical data for the treated Frac Tank material still exceeded the NJDEP Surface Water Discharge Standards. Therefore, on-site treatment and discharge of the material into the storm water sewer is not a viable option. The contents of Frac Tanks #1 and #2 are scheduled for disposal starting 04/10/12. Frac Tank #3 contents were removed via tanker starting on 03/22/12 and finished up on 03/29/12. Frac Tank #4 (approximately 20,000 gallons of reddish sludge material from Building #7 basement) analytical results are due back this Thursday, 04/05/12. Disposal date pending. Frac Tank #5 (approximately 4,000 gallons of AST aqueous material from Building #7) is scheduled for disposal starting 04/10/12. Building #12 -Disposal for the contents of the ASTs located in the basement is scheduled to start the second week of April (Same disposal grouping as Frac Tanks). The pigment material located on floors 4 and 5 will be will be relocated to the the roll-off container which contains Building #7 Floor Sweeps, bagged ACM and PPE. Once full this will be scheduled for proper disposal off-site. Building #7 Tanks-The process of the solid residue varnish removal from the tanks on the third floor has continued. The tank contents vary from a “caramel-like” substance to a harden material that requires chipping. All material is being packaged, temporarily staged in the tank areas and then eventually moved all at once by cutting an access hole on a third floor wall, lowering containers from the second and third floors via telescoping lull fork lift and then load transport truck. Building #12 may be used as temporary ground storage depending on transport schedule. As of this report, there are eleven (11) AST that still need to be cleaned and packaged. Disposal of these drums are dependent on funding available. Since this material is containerized and staged inside Building #7, disposal is a lower priority. If funding is not available, these drums will secured as best possible under the circumstances. Building #7 Basement sludge/solid Material-Due to budget restrictions, work in Building #7 Basement has ceased. This area will be secured prior to demobilization. Future work will include safely accessing the basement area by cutting out a portion of the concrete floor, removal of sludge/solid material via mini-excavator/manual shoveling, temporarily staging material in roll-off container, sample/analyze material and finally properly disposing of all material collected. Building #7 Loading Dock-An area located below the loading dock was discovered with piping and a tank. Entry into the area from within Building #7 was covered with a concrete ramp. However, a tunnel from Building #12 was located that leads to this area. This work has ceased due to budget restrictions. The aqueous material will need to be pumped out, the air quality monitored via mulit-rae, and then the tunnel will need to be cleared for access and future assessment. Underground Storage Tanks-UST #1 and #2 were drained and the material removed offside via tanker truck for proper disposal. However, due to the analytical received on the UST contents, the visible liquid material present around and below the UST pits, the visible staining of the soil observed in the two pits as well as a distinct odor emitting from the pits, it was determined that the UST tanks were leaking significantly. Therefore, OSC Daly and ERRD RAB Management decided to postpone removal of the remaining UST until an assessment is conducted to delineate the extent of contamination surrounding the UST Farm footprint. This sampling assessment to determine delineation of contamination surrounding the UST envelope (tank farm area) was initiated by Tetra Tech on 01/25/12 and concluded on 01/27/12. Test pits were excavated around the envelope and samples were taken at depths of 4 feet, 8 feet, and 10 feet. The following parameters were requested for the soil analysis: Dioxin, Metals (TAL), VOC, SVOC, PCB, PEST/HERB. Tetra Tech has received the last of the data for this assessment work and the results are being compared to New Jersey Non-Residential Direct Contact Soil Cleanup Criteria. A summary report was created and this information was passed onto EPA specialist for interpretation. Due to budget restrictions, any work to be performed on the remaining USTs and surrounding soil will be postponed until further removal funds are in place. Aqueous material was removed from UST #1 and #2 pit and the pit was backfilled with soil in order to prevent further rainwater accumulation as well as safety reasons. The concrete barriers were demobed on 03-29-12.

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal

2.2 Planning Section