U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Samoa Pulp Mill - Removal Polrep
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region IX
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Subject:
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POLREP #13
Pulping Liquor Transfer Resumes, Awaiting $6M Ceiling Increase/12 Month Extension Approval
Samoa Pulp Mill
Samoa, CA
Latitude: 40.8049600 Longitude: -124.1933100
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To:
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Harry Allen, EPA Region 9
Peter Guria, EPA Region 9
Dan Meer, EPA Region 9
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From:
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Steve Calanog, OSC
Chris Weden, OSC
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Date:
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7/19/2014
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Reporting Period:
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6/19/2014 - 7/19/2014
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1. Introduction
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1.1 Background
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Site Number: |
A949 |
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Contract Number: |
EP-S9-12-01 |
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D.O. Number: |
0937 |
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Action Memo Date: |
11/4/2013 |
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Response Authority: |
CERCLA |
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Response Type: |
Emergency |
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Response Lead: |
EPA |
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Incident Category: |
Removal Action |
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NPL Status: |
Non NPL |
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Operable Unit: |
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Mobilization Date: |
9/30/2013 |
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Start Date: |
10/1/2013 |
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Demob Date: |
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Completion Date: |
11/11/2014 |
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CERCLIS ID: |
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RCRIS ID: |
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ERNS No.: |
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State Notification: |
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FPN#: |
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Reimbursable Account #: |
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1.1.1 Incident Category
Emergency Response
1.1.2 Site Description
The Samoa Pulp Mill Site is a 70 acre former industrial pulp manufacturing facility. The pulp mill was constructed in 1963 by Georgia Pacific. In the early 1970's Louisiana Pacific acquired and ran the facility until 1990. From 1990 until 2008 various smaller groups owned and operated the facility. The last operating owner of the facility was the Evergreen Pulp Company which ran the facility until 2008. Evergreen experienced financial difficulties and "walked away" from the mill site without properly closing operations. Sometime in 2009 a venture group called Freshwater Tissue Company purchased the facility site with intent of converting to a tissue mill. This quickly failed to reach fruition and Freshwater began scrapping the facility and consolidating hazardous waste. In August of 2013 Freshwater Tissue Company sold the facility to the Humboldt Bay Harbor District (aka - Port Authority). The facility is currently staffed with 2 part-time Humboldt Bay Harbor District employees.
1.1.2.1 Location
The Samoa Pulp Mill Site is located within Humboldt County in Samoa, CA. The Site is approximately 70 acres of industrial pulp processing operations and is situated on the North Spit of Humboldt Bay. The facility is on the shore line of Humboldt Bay and has an industrial wharf on the Bay. The Pacific Ocean is located within 800 yds to the west of the facility.
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
The primary concern is 11 ASTs containing 3-4 million gallons of highly caustic liquids (pH greater than 13). Five of these ASTs are not designed to store caustic liquids and periodic seismic activity (6.8 earthquake occurred off coast of Humboldt Co. 3/9/2014) has caused grave concern regarding their stability. Additionally, there are a half dozen ASTs containing 2000-3000 gallons of sulfuric acid (pH less than 1), 3,000 tons of corrosive sludges in uncontained areas, approximately 3000 gallons of turpentine, and several thousand containers of various types (i.e., compressed gas cylinders, paints/thinners, mercury containing gauges and equipment).
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
Please refer to previous Polreps
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2. Current Activities
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2.1 Operations Section
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2.1.1 Narrative
During this reporting period, EPA, the USCG Pacific Strike Team, and EPA Contractors (Environmental Quality Management, and Global Diving and Salvage resumed the transport of the pulping liquors to the Kapstone Paper Company in Longview, WA. Also during this reporting period tank removal/dis-assembly resumed, sludge was solidified and sampled for T&D purposes, and scrap steel was prepared for recycle.
2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
6/19-7/19/2014 - Approximately 492K gal of pulping liquors were loaded to tank trucks and delivered to the Kapstone Paper Company in Longview, WA. The brings the total to date to approximately 1.614M gal of pulping liquors re-used.
6/19-7/19/2014 - EPA contractors have been disassembling emptied tanks and the associated piping to these tanks. The sludge solidification pilot study described in Polrep 12 was successful. EPA contractors have since been solidifying the sludges in the disassembled tanks with fly ash from neighboring power plant.
USCG Pacific Strike Team members pumped white pulping liquor from Tank 141 to the temporary storage Frac tanks on 3 occasions: 6/21 (160K gal), 6/28 (80K gal), and 7/14 (135K gal). On 7/17, white pulping liquor from Tank 19 was blended with Tank 140. Approximately 595K gal is presently in Tank 140 awaiting transfer to the pre-load frac tank bank.
7/14/2014 - Results of sludge sample analyses received. Of note, the composite sample of solidified sludge in Tank #8 was pH 11.8. ERRS has issued an RFP for this material but cannot award any contract until additional funding is obligated to this TO.
7/17/2014 - Sims Metal Recycling began shipment of decontaminated scrap steel to their facility on Oakland, CA for recycle.
7/17/2014 - RDML Servidio from Coast Guard District 11 visited the site and seemed impressed by the work that was being accomplished. OSC Weden conveyed EPA's appreciation for USCG Pacific Strike Team's assistance.
2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
On-going
2.1.4 Progress Metrics
| Waste Stream |
Medium |
Quantity |
Manifest # |
Treatment |
Disposal |
Recycled |
| Caustic liquids |
liquids |
2.8m gallons |
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To date - 1.62 million gallons
Kapstone Paper Company, Longview, WA |
| Sulfuric Acid - Re-usable |
liquids |
6k gallons |
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Purchased by Valley Acid, Stratford, CA (11/13) |
| Sulfuric Acid - Waste |
liquids |
4k gallons |
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x |
x |
21st Century Environmental Management of CA, LP |
| Hydrochloric Acid - Waste |
liquids |
2,100 gallons |
011138259 JJK |
x |
x |
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| Corrosive sludges |
semi-solids |
9k tons |
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| Turpentine |
liquids |
3k gallons |
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| Lab Chemicals |
various |
~2k containers |
0000990296DAT |
x |
x |
21st Century Environmental Management of CA, LP |
| "HHW" type |
various |
~2k containers |
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| Hg |
liquids |
Unk at this time |
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| Waste oils |
liquids |
~2k gallons |
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2.2 Planning Section
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2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
OSC Weden, OSC Calanog, and everyone else intimately
involved with this removal action are anxiously awaiting HQ approval of a Request
for an Authorization for Removal Action Beyond the 6 Million Dollar and 12
Month Statutory Limits, and the Ceiling Increase for this Site. Since the 3/28 Press Conference at which
Regional Administrator Jared Blumenfeld and U.S. Representative Jared Huffman
advocated more funding to mitigate the imminent and substantial threats posed
by this Site (Polrep 7), OSCs Weden and Calanog have been diligently preparing
this document. After several iterations,
it was accepted by HQ and on 6/30
it was placed onto the concurrence track.
2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
Delay directing the ERRS ktr. to award needed subcontracts for T&D. Presently, the Humboldt Bay Harbor District is funding the transportation of the pulping liquors. Their contract will be exhausted by mid-August. We estimate ERRS will need to then contract an additional 100 truckloads (~$300K) to complete pulping liquor removal.
Additionally, awarding a subcontract for the T&D of the solidified sludges will be delayed.
2.2.1.2 Next Steps
Keep our fingers crossed.
2.2.2 Issues
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2.3 Logistics Section
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No information available at this time.
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2.4 Finance Section
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No information available at this time.
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2.5 Other Command Staff
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No information available at this time.
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3. Participating Entities
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No information available at this time.
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4. Personnel On Site
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EPA OSC: 1
USCG PST: 5
Environmental Quality Mgmt.: 4
Global Diving and Salvage: 3
Humboldt Bay Harbor District: 1
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5. Definition of Terms
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No information available at this time.
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6. Additional sources of information
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No information available at this time.
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7. Situational Reference Materials
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No information available at this time.
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