Pollution/Situation Report Profile

Action Resources Tanker Truck HCL Spill
Whitesboro, TX - EPA Region VI
POLREP #1
Initial

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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Action Resources Tanker Truck HCL Spill - Removal Polrep
Initial Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region VI

Subject:

POLREP #1
Initial
Action Resources Tanker Truck HCL Spill

Whitesboro, TX
Latitude: 33.6724900 Longitude: -96.8387750

To:

From:

John Martin, OSC

Date:

5/8/2012

Reporting Period:

0930-1930; 05/07/2012

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Site Number:		Contract Number:
D.O. Number:		Action Memo Date:
Response Authority:	CERCLA	Response Type:	Emergency
Response Lead:	PRP	Incident Category:
NPL Status:	Non NPL	Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date:	5/7/2012	Start Date:
Demob Date:	5/7/2012	Completion Date:
CERCLIS ID:		RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:	1010747	State Notification:
FPN#:		Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category: Emergency Response

1.1.2 Site Description: At approximately 0900 hours on 7 May 2012 Action Resources Inc., the Potentially Responsible Party (PRP), notified the National Response Center (NRC Report No. 1010747) of an incident that occurred at 0810 hours on 7 May 2012. The incident involved a tractor-trailer transporting 16% Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) to a facility located in Valley View, TX. Reportedly, the tractor trailer overturned due to operator/driver error on westbound State Highway 82, approximately 5 miles east of Whitesboro, Grayson County, Texas. The accident resulted in the he release of approximately 4,500 gallons of the HCl onto the road and into the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Right-of-Way (ROW) runoff ditch.

1.1.2.1 Location: Approximately 5 miles east of Whitesboro, Grayson County, Texas

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat: Hydrochloric Acid (HAZMAT)

2. Current Activities

2.1 Operations Section

2.1.1 Narrative: State and local law enforcement, fire crews and county officials responded by closing a stretch of Highway 82, evacuating one residential property and mobilizing environmental cleanup contractors to respond to the incident. State cleanup contractors arrived on-site at approximately 0900 hours on 7 May 2012 to stabilize the released Hydrochloric Acid. At approximately 0945 hours on 7 May 2012 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and their Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) contractors mobilized to the site to coordinate with personnel from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), assess the short term and long term impacts to the surrounding environment, and ensure that all appropriate measures are taken to protect human health and the environment. EPA On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) Martin and START arrived on-site at approximately 1045 hours on 7 May 2012.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date: At 1130 hours, EPA and START conducted a site walk with passive and pump actuated air monitoring equipment for Hydrogen Chloride and Chlorine to assess site conditions. All cleanup activities within the immediate vicinity of the incident location were conducted by cleanup contractors donning Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Level B. During the initial site assessment EPA did not observe any readings above background levels nor observed any current impact to water.

At approximately 1200 hours on 7 May 2012 State cleanup contractors donning PPE Level B commenced applying sodium bicarbonate to the affected areas to neutralize the released HCl. State cleanup contractors completed the neutralization of the released material at approximately 1400 hours and proceeded, donning PPE level C, to wash the neutralized media (Sodium Chloride) into the TxDOT ROW for remediation once the tractor-trailer has been recovered from the ROW. EPA remained on-site during all washing activities to ensure that any remaining HCl untreated on-site did not adversely react with the water being used to wash TX Hwy 82 and ensure that controls were in place and effectively containing run-off. At approximately 1620 hours county cleanup contractors utilizing one vacuum trailer recovered approximately 800 gallons that remained contained inside the overturned trailer, reducing initial estimations that all 4,500 gallons had been released to 3,700 gallons. At 1730 hours county cleanup contractors successfully righted the tractor-trailer onto TX Hwy 82 and transported off-site the vehicle off-site.

At 1800 hours and at the request of the TCEQ, the EPA and START commenced with obtaining information pertaining to pH levels in soil at the incident location to assist with horizontal delineation of affected media (including water from a creek located approximately 600ft WSW from the site) requiring remediation. Utilizing one Hanna pH meter and confirmed with Litmus/pH paper it was determined that field screening showed slightly alkaline surfaces existed within approximately 1 foot from the thoroughfare in the ROW existed, field screening showed that from between 8 and 25 feet from the thoroughfare had retained a pH varying between 1 and 4. pH levels within the creek were observed normal. PRP contractors tasked with the removal of affected soils by means of excavation, will normalize the soil pH levels on-site prior to disposal and coordinate all future activities with TCEQ. At approximately 1910 hours on 7 May 2012 EPA and START demobilized from the site.

2.2 Planning Section

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities: TCEQ will oversee the excavation of impacted roadside soil and vegatation. The excated materials will be further nuetralize, loaded into roll-off boxes and transported offsite for disposal. TXDOT will evaluate the damage to the highway and make the appropriate repairs.

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities: Coordinate remaining PRP initiated cleanup with TCEQ Emergency Response Group.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps: TCEQ will continue to observe field activities.

2.2.2 Issues: NONE.

2.3 Logistics Section

NONE

2.4 Finance Section