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Ravenswood PCE - RESTART

All POL/SITREP's for this site Ravenswood PCE - RESTART
Ravenswood, WV - EPA Region III
POLREP #3
Progress
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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Ravenswood PCE - RESTART - Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region III

Subject: POLREP #3
Progress
Ravenswood PCE - RESTART
C368
Ravenswood, WV
Latitude: 38.9516600 Longitude: -81.7616600


To: Francis Burns, US EPA R3
Gerald Heston, US EPA R3
Response Center RRC, EPA
Anthony Iacobone, EPA

From: Michael Towle, On-Scene Coordinator
Date: 4/16/2015
Reporting Period: 4/15/2015 thru 4/16/2015

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: C368    Contract Number:  
D.O. Number:      Action Memo Date: 3/19/2015
Response Authority: CERCLA    Response Type: Time-Critical
Response Lead: EPA    Incident Category: Removal Action
NPL Status: NPL    Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date:      Start Date: 4/2/2015
Demob Date:      Completion Date:  
CERCLIS ID: WVSFN0305428    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:    State Notification:
FPN#:    Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category

This Site is a restart of a Removal Action at an NPL Site after a change in the scope of the Removal Action.

1.1.2 Site Description

The Site includes an area of PCE-contaminated ground water affecting public water supply wells.  After investigation activity by EPA Remedial Program, an area of highly contaminated soil and nearby contamination of indoor air is posing threats not anticipated in the selection of the remedy (ROD) for the Site issued in 2011.  The EPA Removal Program has found the Site conditions to pose a threat warranting time-critical removal actions and has changed the scope, increased the ceiling, and approved exemptions from the statutory limits in order to restart removal actions completed by EPA in 2008. 

1.1.2.1 Location

The Ravenswood PCE Site is an area of contaminated ground water underlying the City of Ravenswood, Jackson County, West Virginia.  The source area which is the subject of the present Removal Action is located near the intersection of Walnut Street and Washington behind buildings once housing a dry cleaning establishment. 

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

The source area of contaminated soil is releasing PCE into the ground water which migrates to a public water supply.  Although EPA is constructing a soil vapor extraction system to address the overall site threats under the Remedial Program (NPL), the magnitude of the contamination was not anticipated to require excavation activities.  Additionally, a nearby intrusion of PCE vapor into a structure posing unacceptable risk to inhabitants was not anticipated.  The Removal Action is limited to address a small area of highly contaminated soil and a nearby intrusion of vapor. 

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

The Site has been the subject of numerous investigatory activities.  In 2012, an area of highly contaminated soil was identified in the subject source area as part of an investigation to support a Remedial Design.  Additionally, an intrusion of PCE-contaminated vapor was identified nearby.  The OSC relied upon a review of information generated by the EPA Remedial Program - specifically the 2012 Pre-Remedial Design Investigation and evaluation by a toxicologist of indoor air information - to complete a Removal Site Evaluation.  The indoor air scenario results in a Hazard Quotient of 6.3.  The Removal Site Evaluation was initiated February 20, 2015 and concluded March 19, 2015 with recommendation for removal action and approval of same.  The Action Memorandum, signed March 19, 2015 contains a summary of analytical information collected at the Site beginning in 1989 and which was relied upon to demonstrate that the area of contaminated soil which is the subject of the Removal Action is likely a significant source of contamination to the wells.  A Removal Action is needed to reduce the migration and mobility of the PCE and enhance the effectiveness of the selected Remedial Action.


2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
    2.1.1 Narrative

See prior POLREPs for information up thru 4/15/15

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

On April 16, 2015, ERRS contractors continued excavation operations.  Operations were initiated along the eastern portion of the work area (alongside the building) using heavy equipment.  The OSC directed that the grade be lowered about 1 foot along the building to a level of about 2 feet as you moved westward.  This strategy intended to have excavations stay above the level of the gas lines.

A storm pipe that coursed through the work area was removed and temporary flexible replacement installed to address rainwater this day. 

A water service line along the building was encountered and broken; repairs were made in coordination with the City of Ravenswood.  The City continued to then assist with identification of the location of mains and service connections to the individual buildings.

Mountaineer Gas Company was onsite to continue assistance with location of gas lines uncovered previously and this day.  The Company found that three individual service lines entered the work area from the north and then trended east through the work area to individual buildings.  Other unknown signals were again marked.  These were later confirmed by EPA to be abandoned gas lines.  

Soils were excavated in the eastern area of the work area to a depth of about 2 feet sloping to a depth of about 1 foot immediately alongside the building.  This depth is just below the level of the gas lines and above the level of sewer lines and water lines and other unknown signals.   Contractor personnel removed soil from the building wall to prepare the surface for future liner installation.

Excavated soils were staged in the southern half of the work area and covered at the end of the work day.

The EPA START contractor is onsite assisting with monitoring.  START is updating the a Site sketch map to show pipelines.

The OSC communicated with property owners and the WVDEP this day regarding Site activities.

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)

The Site is a Fund-Lead NPL Site.  The OSC is unaware of any PRPs.

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal
           
           
           


  2.2 Planning Section
    2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

The OSC will need to coordinate with the Remedial Program regarding the expected work.  The Remedial Program is expecting an excavation of a certain type in order to support the upcoming Remedial Action.  Remedial program contractors are expected on site next week.

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

Excavate shallow soils in the work area and deeper obviously contaminated soils without compromising structures or utilities.  Dispose excavated soils.

Provide for carbon filter units to minimize indoor air issues in advance of more permanent measures.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

2.2.2 Issues

There are a number of utilities in the excavation area.  The source area is also immediately behind several residences.

  2.3 Logistics Section
    No information available at this time.

  2.4 Finance Section
    2.4.1 Narrative

An Action Memorandum was approved March 19, 2015.  The Action restarts a removal action previously started by EPA in 2003 and completed in 2008.  As such, the current action is a restart of a Removal Action at the Site.

The original (2003) Project Ceiling for the Ravenswood PCE Site was $1347,800.  Of this, an estimated $832,363 was spent by 2008.   See POLREP 31 and Final for the Ravenswood PCE Site, dated 9/12/08.  The entire budget was not utilized.

The ceiling for the current action is estimated at $224,650 (ERRS - 202,130; START - 22,520).

   
Estimated Costs *
  Budgeted Total To Date Remaining % Remaining
Extramural Costs
ERRS - Cleanup Contractor $202,130.00 $0.00 $202,130.00 100.00%
TAT/START $22,520.00 $0.00 $22,520.00 100.00%
Intramural Costs
USEPA - Direct $12,000.00 $0.00 $12,000.00 100.00%
 
Total Site Costs $236,650.00 $0.00 $236,650.00 100.00%

* 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
    No information available at this time.

3. Participating Entities
  No information available at this time.

4. Personnel On Site
  No information available at this time.

5. Definition of Terms
  No information available at this time.

6. Additional sources of information
  No information available at this time.

7. Situational Reference Materials
  No information available at this time.

POLREP #3 Last Updated 4/16/2015