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1. Introduction
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1.1 Background
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Site Number: |
A3XW |
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Contract Number: |
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D.O. Number: |
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Action Memo Date: |
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Response Authority: |
CERCLA |
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Response Type: |
Time-Critical |
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Response Lead: |
EPA |
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Incident Category: |
Removal Action |
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NPL Status: |
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Operable Unit: |
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Mobilization Date: |
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Start Date: |
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Demob Date: |
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Completion Date: |
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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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1.1.2 Site Description
The Transportation Drive PCB site is located in a commercial area of Hazleton, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The majority of the site is currently owned by Walp Trucking Incorporated, who operates a trucking dispatch and service center. An unused portion of the site is also owned by Consolidated Lands, Incorporated. Prior to 1983 the site was reportedly the location of a facility that scraped electrical equipment including transformers and large capacitors.
EPA’s TSCA program referred the site to EPA’s Removal Program in April 2014 reporting that the property owner excavated a drainage ditch and uncovered several PCB large capacitors. The OSC conducted a site visit on May 14, 2014. Two large capacitors and large quantities of scrap from electrical equipment was observed along the perimeter of the site. EPA conducted a site assessment on June 24, 2014 and collected soil and sediment samples in and around areas where electrical equipment related scrap material was observed. Of the 24 soil and sediment samples collected, 18 samples contained PCB concentrations that exceed the Toxic Substances and Control Act (TSCA) action level of 50 mg/kg and 22 samples contained concentrations that exceed the TSCA high occupancy clean up standard of 1 mg/kg . The maximum concentrations of PCBs detected in a soil sample was 210,000 mg/kg.
The OSC determined that a Removal Action is necessary to mitigate the threat to human health and the environment posed by the site. However, additional assessment is needed to better determine extent of contamination. The OSC issued Special Bulletin A and Polrep 1 for the site on November 14, 2014 to take actions to secure the site until assessment work is complete.
Please see Polrep 01 and Special Bulletin A for additional background information.
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2. Current Activities
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2.1 Operations Section
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2.1.1 Current Activities
EPA and EPA's START contractor conducted site assessment activities at the site on December 8, 2014. The purpose of this sampling event was to expand on previous sampling conducted at the site to better determine extent of contamination, particularly in the northwest corner of the site surrounding the area where capacitors and other electric equipment related waste is located. A total of 20 surface soil samples and 6 subsurface samples were collected. Four of the samples collected exceeded the TSCA cleanup level for high occupancy areas of 1 mg/kg.
EPA's ERRS contractor was on site from January 20 - 23, 2015. ERRS installed approximately 828 linear feet of 8 foot tall temporary chain link fencing around PCB contaminated areas of the site. No Trespassing signs were secured to the fence. Orange rope and no trespassing signs were installed along the back portion of the site that borders the railroad.
ERRS picked up a large capacitor that was on the ground and placed it inside a steel 55-gallon drum. The drum was labeled with a PCB label and was placed behind security fence. The only other visible capacitor would have required significant soil/debris removal to retrieve. This will be accomplished during a future action.
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2.2 Planning Section
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2.2.1 Next Steps
The site assessment conducted in June 2014 showed that areas of the site that contain visible electrical equipment related waste are generally highly contaminated with PCBs. Analytical results for samples collected in December 2014 indicate that PCB concentrations are generally less than the TSCA cleanup level of 1 mg/kg in soils located in the surrounding wooded areas. The extent of PCB contamination is fairly well delineated in the northeastern portion of the site where PCB capacitors were originally discovered. However, additional sampling will be required to better delineate contaminated areas in the central and southern areas of the site. Additional sampling will be conducted at the site in April 2015.
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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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No information available at this time.
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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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