1.1.1    Incident Category

            Inactive Production Facility

The levels of PCE vapors found in buildings at the Site present a significant health threat due to the inhalation hazards. PCE in the soil gas was found as high as 2,300,000 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³) and PCE in the indoor air as high as 550 µg/m³(Table 1).  The elevated levels of PCE present an immediate human health risk and exceed the established indoor air and subslab soil gas screening and removal action levels for PCE (Table 2).

2.0    Current Activities

2.1    Operations

2.1.1    Narrative

The levels of PCE vapors found in buildings at the Site during removal assessment present a significant health threat due to inhalation hazards. Therefore, a time-critical removal action and 12-month emergency exemption action memorandum was signed on May 18, 2015.

              2.1.1.1       Current situation

Vapor mitigation systems were installed in three properties on June 4 and 5, 2015 (Table 3).

              2.1.2    Response activities to date

On May 11, 2015, OSC Susan Fisher met with Mayor David Jones and John Lund, Atlantic City Administrator, to discuss the sample results from the March 2015 sampling.  OSC Fisher discussed the upcoming removal action for the PCE Chestnut Site and scheduled a public availability meeting for June 16, 2015 at the Atlantic City Hall.

No site activities from May 12, 2015 to June 15, 2015.

A public availability meeting was held on June 16, 2015, at the Atlantic City Hall at 6:30.  Representatives at the meeting were:

Susan Fisher, EPA OSC and Project Manager

Ann Jacobs, EPA Risk Assessor

Dan Nicoski, EPA Hydrogeologist

Demetra Sallisbury, EPA Site Attorney

Pamela Houston, EPA Community Engagement Specialist

Erin Harman, Agency for Toxic Substance Disease Registry (ATSDR) 
     Environmental Health Specialist

A presentation was given by Susan Fisher, Ann Jacobs and Pamela Houston.  A copy of the presentation is included in the documents section of this web site.

Additional vapor intrusion sampling is scheduled for this Site the weeks of July 13 and 20, 2015.

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

PRPs have not been identified.

2.1.4    Progress Metrics

Table 1:

Table 2
Removal Action Levels (see action memorandum in document section):

Table 3

                                                     Vapor Mitigation Systems Installed

2.2        Planning
2.2.1        Anticipated activities for next reporting period
2.2.1.1     Planned Response Activities
An Action Memorandum with a 12-month exemption was signed on May 18, 2015.

Under the authority of section 104(a) of CERCLA, 42 U.S.C. § 9604(a), and section 302.4 of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP), 40 C.F.R. § 302.415(b)(2), the removal action proposed will address immediate threats to public health, welfare and the environment posed by the Site through the following actions:

• Conduct additional sampling of subslab soil gas and indoor air.
• Conduct soil and groundwater collection and analysis at locations in the investigation area. Based on the results of these analyses, it may be necessary to address source areas with measures which could include soil removal or treatment, or other activities.
• Install vapor mitigation systems in buildings containing either indoor air or subslab soil gas PCE and/or TCE vapor concentrations exceeding the site-specific removal action levels (RALs) for soil gas contaminants. Site-specific action levels were prepared by the EPA's toxicologists to address direct exposure to potentially harmful PCE and/or TCE vapors. Initially, mitigation systems will be installed in structures exceeding the RALs. Additional systems may be installed depending on sample results.
• Monitor the effectiveness of the vapor mitigation systems by conducting verification indoor and subslab soil gas vapor air sampling following the installation of the systems.

2.2.1.2   Next Steps

Additional vapor intrusion sampling is scheduled for this Site the weeks of July 13 and 20, 2015.

2.2.1.2     Issues  

No issues at this time.

 3.0    Participating Entities

3.1    Unified Command

         Environmental Protection Agency

3.2    Cooperating and Assisting Agencies

City of Atlantic, Iowa

4.0    Personnel On Site and Off Site

Susan Fisher, EPA OSC and Project Manager

Ann Jacobs, EPA Risk Assessor

Dan Nicoski, EPA Hydrogeologist

Demetra Sallisbury, EPA Site Attorney

Pamela Houston, EPA Community Engagement Specialist

5.0    Definition of Terms

µg/m³ -  Micrograms per cubic meter
PRP   -  Potential Responsible Party

ND     -  Non Detect

SS     -   Subslab

IA       -  Indoor Air
PCE   -  Tetrachloroethene
TCE   -  Trichloroethene
APA   -  Abreviated Preliminary Assessment
OSC   -  On Scene Coordinator
ATSDR  -  Agency for Toxic Substance Disease Registry
IDNR  -  Iowa Department of Natural Resources

 6.0    Source of Additional Information

PCE (Tetrachloroethylene):           

•       A man-made chemical that is widely used for dry cleaning clothes.

•       It evaporates easily into the air.

•       a colorless liquid with a mild, chloroform-like odor - has a sharp, sweet odor 

TCE (Trichloroethylene):

•       Used to remove grease from fabricated metal parts and in the production of some textiles.

•       PCE degrades to TCE under certain circumstances.

•       A colorless or blue liquid with a chloroform-like odor - has a sharp, sweet odor

For more information about these chemicals go to: http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation

7.0    Situational Reference Material: