Latitude: 37°46’22.47” N

Longitude: 122°14’24.09”W

 
For more information, please refer to Pollution Report number 1

1.1.2.1 Description of Threat

Current Site conditions pose ongoing releases and the threat of future releases of hazardous substances to the Oakland Estuary and surrounding sensitive ecosystem.  The likelihood of direct human exposure, via ingestion and/or inhalation of hazardous substances, and the threat of future releases and migration of those substances, pose an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health or welfare or the environment based on the factors set forth in the NCP, 40 CFR § 300.415(b)(2).

For more Information, please reference Pollution Report number 1.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

In April 2013 EPA, in partnership with CalRecycle and Coast Guard, conducted a removal assessment of four abandoned wrecks.  Based on EPA’s assessment, actual and threatened releases of hazardous substances into the environment pose a risk to human health and the environment at this Site.  Analytical results show that there is a potential for hazardous substances (asbestos, PCBs, lead, and arsenic) to be released into the environment from these abandoned wrecks.  These hazardous substances can potentially kill marine life and enter into the food chain, ultimately being consumed by humans.  Additionally, the potential is great that other hazardous materials are present on these wrecks, namely varnish, paint, and batteries. Releases of these substances into the aquatic environment are subject to dispersion and translocation via tidal action and ecosystem processes and therefore may be lethal to marine life.

For more details, please refer to Pollution Report number 1.
 

Weekly Operations (October 27 – November 2, 2013)

On-site Personnel:  (1) EPA OSCs (1) EQM Representative, (11) Global Representatives

Activities to remove sediments from inside the tug “Respect” continued.   The volume of sediment pumped from the tug “Respect” has been much greater than originally estimated and the capacity of the land based settling system is zero.   Five of the 89 yard tanks are completely full of mud, and two tanks are about 60% full of mud.   A “Super-sucker” vacuum truck was contracted for the day to remove sediments from the settling system to increase capacity.  Ten 7 yard loads were removed from the system and placed in a solidification pit where they can be solidified for eventual transportation and disposal.    Removing the sediments provided additional capacity for new sediments coming off the tug “Respect”.  In anticipation of needing even more capacity, the tank farm was expanded to a total of 15 tanks.  The five full tanks have been disconnected from the treatment system and are now stand alone storage tanks. 

The state diving contractor is assisting in deploying rigging around the partially demolished barge ("Muskrat").   At mid-week the dive crew had completed removing potentially contaminated sediments from the tug “Respect”.   Although the ship still has sediment on it, the sediment will be removed during rigging and parbuckling activities.  Having completed pumping sediments to the land based settling system;  The Dive crew moved to the barge “Muskrat” and began rigging it  Six lift bags were attached to the barge to provide additional 50 tons of lift.  On Saturday the ERRS contractor attempted to remove the barge “Muskrat” from the estuary using two D9 bulldozers and two excavators.  The attempt failed.  The removal of the barge will be revisited after the tug “Captain Al” is raised and stabilized.   The tug “Captain Al is scheduled to be raised on Monday, November 4.  No work was conducted on October 27.

Weekly Operations (November 3 – 9, 2013)

On-site Personnel:  (2) EPA OSCs (3) EQM Representatives, (10) Global Representatives

On Monday, November 4, the tug “Captain Al” was successfully raised and re-floated!    The tug had several leaks and required 24/7 surveillance and pumping.    The tug was relocated to Dutra’s dock where it was tied up and stabilized.  On Friday, November 8 EPA transitioned pumping operations to CalRecycle.  CalRecycle will continue to provide pumping operations until transportation to dry-dock is necessary.  EPA will pay for the resources needed to transport the boat to the dry dock. 

After recovering from the 24-hour operational period to lift the tug “Captain Al”, the dive crew began to evaluate the weight of sediment and gravel inside the barge “Muskrat”.  They also began to inspect an impingement that the barge was hung up on.  This impingement was rumored to have been what sunk the barge to begin with.  The land-based crew began cleaning and dismantling the sediment settling system.  Two tanks were taken off-rent and taken off site.  No work was conducted on November 3 or November 9.   At the end of the week a grand total of 1,270,700 gallons of sea water was discharged back into the estuary after traveling through the land based settling system.

On November 6, 2013, Lt. Meagan Snyder with Sector San Francisco notified EPA  that they had been "authorized by NPFC and SILC to rig, raise, remove oil, and decontaminate the TUG RESPECT".

Weekly Operations (November 10 – 16, 2013)

On-site Personnel:  (2) EPA OSCs (3) EQM Representatives, (9) Global Representatives

After evaluating the inside and outside of the barge “Muskrat”, The dive crew recommended  that  prior to making a second attempt to drag the barge out of the water, the impingement should be removed from inside the barge and the sediment and gravel should be removed from the inside of the barge , as well as from on deck.   The dive crew spent the majority of the week cutting around the impingement and clearing gravel of the deck of the submerged barge.  Initial attempts were made to cut through the impingement but a concrete center made the object impervious.  The impingement was rigged with wire cable and attempts were made to pull it out of the barge and water.  Unfortunately the cable snapped before the impingement could be removed.

On Saturday, November 16, the ERRS contractor transported the tug “Captain Al” from Dutra’s Dock to the Dry dock.  After an unsuccessful attempt to raise the boat out of the water, pumps were placed back on the boat and the state resumed 24-hour stabilization activities.  On November 15, As part of the commitment to the National Historic Preservation Act process, the EPA sponsored the evaluation and documentation of the Cryer boat wharf by a professional archeologist.No work was conducted on November 10. 
  

Weekly Operations (November 18 – 22, 2013)

On-site Personnel:  (2) EPA OSC (2) EQM Representatives, (4) Global Representatives

On November 18, EPA told the State that they were not going to have the resources available to remove the barge “Muskrat” in a timely manner and that alternatives should be evaluated.  All EPA water based activities were wrapped up for the week.  The EPA and Coast guard met with representatives from NPFC and SILC to discuss the rigging, raising, and oil decontamination of the tug “Respect”.  The current plan is for the Coast Guard to use the OSLTF to pay for the above mentioned activities and EPA to pay for the Hazardous Waste assessment/removal, and the transition to the State for eventual scrapping activities.  The State successfully raised the tug “Captain Al” in dry dock.  They will begin scrapping activities over the weekend.

The land based operations continued to  focus on cleaning and dismantling the sediment settling system, as well as the transportation and disposal of segregated hazardous waste.   A super sucker with an operator was contracted and brought on site to remove all the sediments from the settling tanks and place them in a solidification pit where they can be solidified for eventual transportation and disposal.  Three waste streams were transported off-site for disposal this week (refer to section 2.1.4 for specifics).  No work by EPA was conducted on November 17.