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Ashtabula Iron and Metal Site

All POL/SITREP's for this site Ashtabula Iron and Metal Site
Ashtabula, OH - EPA Region V
POLREP #4
Progress
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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Ashtabula Iron and Metal Site - Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region V

Subject: POLREP #4
Progress
Ashtabula Iron and Metal Site
C5R2
Ashtabula, OH
Latitude: 41.8739139 Longitude: -80.7985901


To: Mark Johnson, ATSDR
Valencia Darby, Department of Interior
Todd Goeks, NOAA
Marguerite Matera, NOAA
Scott Nally, OEPA
Wayne Babcock, U.S. Department of Interior
Robert Burr, U.S. Department of Interior
Sam Borries, U.S. EPA
Yolanda Bouchee-Cureton, U.S. EPA
Mindy Clements, U.S. EPA
Mark Durno, U.S. EPA
Jason El-Zein, U.S. EPA
Sherry Fielding, U.S. EPA
Charlie Gebien, U.S. EPA
John Glover, U.S. EPA
Thomas Marks, U.S. EPA
Mike Ribordy, U.S. EPA
Carol Ropski, U.S. EPA
Frank Zingales, Ohio EPA
Annette Trowbridge, U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Ron Pristera, Ashtabula Fire Department
HQ EOC, U.S. EPA

From: Elizabeth Nightingale, OSC
Date: 3/3/2014
Reporting Period: 2/24/14-2/28/14

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: C5R2    Contract Number:  
D.O. Number:      Action Memo Date: 9/25/2013
Response Authority: CERCLA    Response Type: Time-Critical
Response Lead: EPA    Incident Category: Removal Action
NPL Status: Non NPL    Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date: 12/2/2013    Start Date: 12/3/2013
Demob Date:      Completion Date:  
CERCLIS ID: OHN000510892    RCRIS ID: OHR000042911
ERNS No.:    State Notification: Yes
FPN#:    Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category
Time critical removal action.

1.1.2 Site Description
Please see initial POLREP.

1.1.2.1 Location
The site is located at 1015 West 30th Street, Ashtabula, Ashtabula County, Ohio. The location coordinates are latitude 41.874396 ° and longitude - 80.798477 °.  The site is bounded by mixed industrial and residential neighborhoods in all directions.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
Please see initial POLREP.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
Please see initial POLREP.

2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
    2.1.1 Narrative

Hazardous substances and materials had been previously documented (or were discovered upon arrival for the removal) in and around the following locations on site:

- Main Office Building
- Maintenance Building
- Former Railroad Roundhouse
- Wooden Outbuilding
- Aluminium Outbuilding
- Wooden Office Building / Lab Area

Additionally, numerous containers were located outside throughout the site. Several torn bags labeled asbestos were identified in one central waste pile. The radium source, and one extensive pile of metal shavings with a history of spontaneous combustion will also be addressed through this action. 


2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

Week's Activities Overview

Over the week beginning February 24th, 2014 the following activities were completed:

- Crew remobilized to site
- Continued to arrange for disposal of staged wastes
- Completed overpacking of small containers for disposal
- Initiated shipping of metal shavings piles offsite for proper disposal
- Generated and submitted sample of soil from below metal shavings piles for laboratory analysis
- Decommissioned cylinders found on site
- Conducted radiation survey of building on southern property (ODH lead)

All known hazardous substance containers have been collected from thoughout the site and secured within the maintenance building (except the radium, which is secured in a lead container within the railroad roundhouse, and one drum outside the maintenance building). All containers have been packaged for disposal pending receipt of sample analysis results. Several non-containerized waste streams that are located outside still need to be addressed (see below). 

While removing the piles of metal shavings from the property we discovered an area of soil that appears to be heavily stained with waste oil beneath the shavings piles with a strong odor. We sampled this soil and sent the sample to the lab for analysis. 

Ohio Department of Health (ODH) completed a radiation survey of the utility building on the Southern property based on elevated readings that we got during the site assessment.  ODH determined that a naturally occurring radioactive material was present in some of the bricks used in the building, but not at levels of concern.

Update by geographic area:

Below is an update on the status of action for each of the focus areas on site. A map with building names and locations is available in the documents section of the website.

Uncleared buildings:
- Maintenance Building - Not cleared. This building is being used as the chemical/container staging area. Disposal is scheduled for the week of 3/3/14.
- Former Railroad Roundhouse - Partially Cleared. Containers have been removed from building, secured and staged at staging area. Radium source remains in building (secured in lead container) - EPA Health Physicist is handling disposal of this source. Disposal scheduled for 3/3/14.

Fully Cleared Buildings (all containers of hazardous substances have been removed from these buildings): 
- Main Office Building 
- Wooden Outbuilding 
- Aluminium Outbuilding 
- Wooden Office Building / Lab Area 
- Utility Building on southern property

Outside Areas: 
- Bags labeled asbestos - not yet addressed. Removal scheduled for the week of 3/3/14.
- Metal shavings pile complex -majority shipped off site for proper disposal on 2/27/14 and 2/28/14. Remainder will be shipped next week.
- Soil below former metal shavings pile - sampled; results pending
- Small containers and drums outside throughout site - collected, staged and prepared for disposal. Disposal scheduled for the week of 3/3/14.
- Rolloff with hazardous constituents - emptied into shippable rolloffs. Disposal scheduled for the week of 3/3/14.
- Large ground transformer - removed by First Energy
- Pole mounted transformers - removed by First Energy

Air Monitoring and Sampling:
Air monitoring began on 12/2/13, and will be conducted every day work is ongoing on site. During the week of  2/24/13, no exceedances of any site action levels were detected. 


2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
General notice and 104(e) letters were issued to multiple potentially responsible parties in September 2013. Investigation is ongoing.


2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal
Pole Mounted Transformers  Liquid - within pole mounted transformers  6  x
Recyclables  Solid  2 large boxes  x
Large Ground Transformer  Liquid  1  x
Metal Shavings Solid 319002 x
Metal Shavings Solid 319003 x
Metal Shavings Solid 319004 x
Metal Shavings Solid 319005 x
Metal Shavings Solid 319006 x
Metal Shavings Solid 319007 x
Metal Shavings Solid 319008 x
Metal Shavings Solid 319009 x
Metal Shavings Solid 319010 x
Metal Shavings Solid 319011 x
Metal Shavings Solid 319012 x
Metal Shavings Solid 319013 x


  2.2 Planning Section
    2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

Planned removal activities on-site included:

 

a)      Developing and implementing a site-specific Health and Safety Plan, including an Air Monitoring Plan, and a site Emergency Contingency Plan;
 

b)      Developing and implementing a Site Work Plan that includes a Site Security Plan;

 

c)      Securing, characterizing, and sampling known and suspected hazardous substances, contained or uncontained, at the site;

 

d)     Consolidating and packaging hazardous substances, pollutants and contaminants for transportation and off-site disposal;

 

e)      Decontaminating contaminated structures as necessary;

 

f)       Transporting and disposing of all characterized or identified hazardous substances, pollutants, wastes, or contaminants that pose a substantial threat of release (except NORM) at a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act/CERCLA-approved disposal facility in accordance with  EPA’s Off-site Rule (40 C.F.R. § 300.440), as applicable;

 

g)      Removing and reusing or disposing of NORM in accordance with CERCLA and with all applicable state regulations; and

 

h)      Taking any other response actions to address any release or threatened release of a hazardous substance, pollutant and contaminant that the U.S. EPA OSC determines may pose an imminent and substantial endangerment to the public health or the environment.   

 

Additional planned site activities, if needed, included security, perimeter air monitoring, and decontamination on the site, as needed to complete the removal action. 


2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
Please see above.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps
Over the next week, we will work to dispose of staged waste, asbestos piles, rolloffs, and non-hazardous waste. We anticipate that disposal of these wastes will be completed the week of March 3, 2014.

EPA’s Health Physicist anticipates returning to the site the week of 3/3/14 to collect and properly dispose of the radium source from the roundhouse.

We will also receive soil sampling results back for the soil below the metal shavings piles. Next steps for that area will be evaluated upon review of results.  

Keys to the buildings and the gate have been left with the Ashtabula Fire Chief, and OEPA in case of emergency.  


2.2.2 Issues
None.

  2.3 Logistics Section
    ERRS is managing logistics.

  2.4 Finance Section
    2.4.1 Narrative
ERRS costs are estimated through February 27, 2014. START costs are estimated through February 28, 2014.

   
Estimated Costs *
  Budgeted Total To Date Remaining % Remaining
Extramural Costs
ERRS - Cleanup Contractor $450,000.00 $140,041.00 $309,959.00 68.88%
TAT/START $25,000.00 $23,370.00 $1,630.00 6.52%
Intramural Costs
 
Total Site Costs $475,000.00 $163,411.00 $311,589.00 65.60%

* The above accounting of expenditures is an estimate based on figures known to the OSC at the time this report was written. The OSC does not necessarily receive specific figures on final payments made to any contractor(s). Other financial data which the OSC must rely upon may not be entirely up-to-date. The cost accounting provided in this report does not necessarily represent an exact monetary figure which the government may include in any claim for cost recovery.


  2.5 Other Command Staff
    2.5.1 Safety Officer
OSC is serving in this role.

2.5.2 Liaison Officer
OSC is serving in this role.

2.5.3 Information Officer
OSC is serving in this role.

3. Participating Entities
  3.1 Unified Command
n/a

3.2 Cooperating Agencies
OEPA
ODH
Ashtabula Fire Department
First Energy

4. Personnel On Site
  2/25/14
EPA: 0
ERRS: 5
START: 1

2/26/14
EPA: 1
ERRS: 5
START: 1
Ashtabula Fire Department:1 

2/27/14
EPA: 1
ERRS: 5
START: 1
OEPA: 1
Ashtabula Fire Department:1 

2/28/14
EPA: 1
ERRS: 5
START: 1
ODH: 3

5. Definition of Terms
 
ATSDR   Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
 BZ  Breathing Zone
CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
CERCLIS   Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System
DNR   Department of Natural Resources
EPA   Environmental Protection Agency
ERNS   Emergency Response Notification System
ERRS   Emergency and Rapid Response Service
NG/M^3  nanograms per cubic meter
NCP   National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan
NOAA   National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
NPL   National Priorities List
NRC   National Response Center
OEPA  Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
ODH  Ohio Department of Health
OSC   On Scene Coordinator
PPE  Personal Protective Equipment
PPM  Parts per million
RCRIS   Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Information System
RP   Responsible Party
RRT   Regional Response Team
START   Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team
US FWS   United States Fish and Wildlife Service
USCG   United States Coast Guard


6. Additional sources of information
  6.1 Internet location of additional information/report
epaosc.org/aim


6.2 Reporting Schedule
POLREPs will be issued weekly during weeks when onsite activities occur.

7. Situational Reference Materials
  n/a

POLREP #4 Last Updated 3/3/2014