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Site Number: |
C53X |
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Contract Number: |
EP-S4-16-03 |
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D.O. Number: |
0001 |
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Action Memo Date: |
4/20/2016 |
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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: |
Non NPL |
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Operable Unit: |
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Mobilization Date: |
9/6/2016 |
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Start Date: |
9/6/2016 |
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Demob Date: |
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Completion Date: |
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CERCLIS ID: |
ILN000505575 |
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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
Time Critical Removal Action
1.1.2 Site Description
The Site occupies nine adjacent parcels covering approximately 30 acres, bounded by East Marietta Street to the north, North Jasper Street to the west, and Norfolk Southern rail lines to the south and east. A residential neighborhood is located immediately north of the facility.
Phase I Assessment - July 2014
A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (Phase 1) of the Site was completed in July 2014. The Phase 1 was funded by an U.S. EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant for hazardous substances previously awarded to the City of Decatur, IL.
Based on the findings of the Phase 1, the City of Decatur requested further evaluation of the Site by Illinois EPA.
On July 15, 2014, at the request of the City of Decatur,
Illinois EPA’s Office of Site Evaluation collected samples from suspected
areas of contamination at the Intermet Site. The State identified the following
from its sampling effort: Multiple 55-gallon drums stored in the Waste
Storage Building; a Photo Ionization Detector showed an elevated reading in
one of the drums but the sample collected from that drum was flagged by the laboratory
as insufficient volume to analyze; Several broken bags of green powder were found in Waste Storage Building and although X-Ray Fluorescence
detected levels of Chromium in excess of 20,000 ppm, a sample collected for
Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure metals did not detect anything above
hazardous levels; An area located within one of the builds contained stock-piled Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB)
capacitors and two drums labeled “Hazardous Waste” contained broken capacitors
and analysis of residual material in one of the drums detected Arochlor 1242 at
2,800,000 parts per billion; One large building is covered with metal panels
coated with Galbestos which contains asbestos and PCBs; One additional sample was collected from one of the
numerous rubble piles outside one of the building and tested positive for
asbestos.
Based on Illinois EPA’s July 15 2014 sampling event,
Illinois EPA referred this Site to Region 5 Superfund Program in August 2014,
based primarily on the threat of a release from asbestos containing material
(ACM).
On October 14, 2014 a removal Site visit conduct by U.S. EPA
found 9 suspected ACM debris piles on site. In addition, the
chrome powder identified during Illinois EPA’s sampling event was observed, as
well as the PCB-containing capacitors and drums. It was noted that the drums containing the
broken PCB-containing capacitors were deteriorating to the point of threatening to
immediately release. However, U.S. EPA was unable to obtain access to the Site for anything other than the removal Site visit at that time.
1.1.2.1 Location
The Site is located on 9 separate land parcels
in Decatur, Macon County, Illinois. The Site’s geographical
coordinates are 39° 50’ 56.7” north latitude and 88° 56’ 20.4” west longitude.
The Site occupies nine adjacent parcels
covering approximately 30 acres, bounded by East Marietta Street to the north,
North Jasper Street to the west, and Norfolk Southern rail lines to the south
and east. A residential neighborhood is
located immediately north of the Site, and some of the homes in that
neighborhood are within 100 feet of the Site.
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
During the Site visit, EPA found significant volumes
of suspected asbestos in nine debris piles. These piles are unsecured and exposed to the
environment. Asbestos is a hazardous
substance under 40 C.F.R. § 302.4 of the National Contingency Plan (NCP). The Site was not adequately secured, and graffiti
on buildings and signs at the Site indicated trespassers have accessed the Site.
Samples
of friable materials collected by Illinois EPA from two of the nine suspected
ACM debris piles showed one pile contained up to 10 to 20 percent chrysotile
asbestos.
EPA confirmed the presence of a threat of release of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants at the Site as defined by Section 101(14) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), including the presence of PCBs, ACM in waste piles exposed to the environment, and various chemical containers. Additionally, potentially elevated levels of metals (chrome dioxide powder) were identified in waste piles that are open to the environment. Several of the Site buildings are in poor condition; roofs are collapsed in several buildings; almost all windows are missing, broken or boarded, and there is evidence of break-in and vandalism.
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
Based on the analytical results provided by Illinois EPA and Site conditions observed by the U.S. EPA during the Site visit, the Site meets the criteria for a removal action pursuant to 40 CFR 300.415(b)(2) and poses an imminent and substantial threat to the public health or welfare of the United States or the environment.
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