1.1.1 Incident Category
Emergency Response.

1.1.2 Site Description
The illegal dumping activities took place in three locations in Stark and Tuscarawas Counties, in Ohio. 

The Bear Run spill site is a private property owned by the American Electric Company (AEP).  An unknown amount of liquid believed to consist of surfactant and possibly pesticides/herbicides was released on the south side of Kieffer Avenue embankment and flowed down gradient ~ 65 feet to the Bear Run. Visible spillage was observed on both the ground surface between the Kieffer Avenue and Bear Run.  It was also observed on the water surface and in pools/seeps along an approximate 20 foot section of the north bank. 

The Beach City Wildlife Area spill is on public land.  An unknown amount of liquid  believed to consist of surfactant and possibly pesticides/herbicides was released at two points along the south side of Soehnlen Road and flowed ~75 feet into the wetland. Distressed vegetation and flow marks were seen at the top of the road's embankment running towards the wetland.  The dumped liquid was clearly evident along an approximate 10 foot area of the wetland's north bank and was observed spreading into the wetland.

The Towpath Road spill site is a private property for agricultural use.  An unknown amount of liquid believed to consist of surfactant and possibly pesticides/herbicides was released from the north side of Towpath Road.  The released liquid scoured an approximate 1 foot wide and 2 foot deep gulley into the side of the road's north embankment.  The liquid settled in an approximate 10 foot by 80 foot area at the base of the roadway embankment.

1.1.2.1 Location
US EPA responded to illegal dumping activity at the following three sites:

• Bear Run is located near 6173 Kieffer Avenue SW, in Canton, Stark County, Ohio. 
• Beach City Wildlife Area near 10449 Soehnlen Road, Beach City, Tuscarawas County, Ohio. 
• Towpath Road Site near 9559 Towpath Road, Bolivar, Tuscarawas County, Ohio

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

The releases of a hazardous liquid is present at the Site.  The liquid has caused a fish kill in the Bear Run and in a portion of the wetland in the Beach City Wildlife area.  Bear Run is a secondary tributary to the Tuscarawas River.  Signs of spillage were noted at all three locations where illegal dumping occurred.  The private property where the release was found off of Towpath Road is employed for agricultural use.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

The Ohio and US EPA are investigating three unlawful spill sites that appear to be similar in nature.  Representatives with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife performed an assessment of Bear Run and downstream waterways to determine the extent and degree of the fish kill.  The fish kill appears to be limited to Bear Run,  The Bolivar Dam, downstream of Bear Run on the Big Sandy Creek has been partially closed to contain any of the unknown liquid from reaching the Tuscarawas River.  Ohio EPA and START have collected water and soil samples from the three spill locations and have submitted them for laboratory analysis. 

On Thursday, April 21, 2016, START was called out to a spill of an unknown, water soluble chemical spill on Bear Run, which is located on Kieffer Avenue SW,  south of Canton, Stark County, Ohio. Bear Run flows southward ~4 miles to the Big Sandy Creek.  The Big Sandy then flows ~2.5 miles west and south to the Bolivar Dam, east of Bolivar, Ohio.  The dam is being repaired at this time but is able to partially close its gates.  From the Bolivar Dam, Big Sandy creek, continues for another mile to it's confluence with the Tuscarawas River, just north of Bolivar, Ohio.   It is unknown how much was spilled, but a fish kill was observed on Bear Run.  START met with US EPA On-scene coordinator (OSC) Stephen Wolfe and Ohio EPA OSC Reggie Brown on the site.   Wildlife officers from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources were also on site assessing the fish kill.  They informed OSCs Wolfe and Brown that they had only observed the fish kill on Bear Run.  They reported no sigh of a fish kill on the Big Sandy creek or the Tuscarawas River. The Ohio EPA had their remedial contractor excavated the contaminated soil in a 10 foot by 80 foot area between Kieffer Avenue and Bear Run.  The remedial contractor was also using a vacuum truck to recover pools and seeps of the unknown liquid on the ground and along the north bank of Bear Run.  The Ohio EPA made a request to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE)  to partially close the outfall gates at Bolivar Dam to prevent the unknown liquid from traveling further downstream to the Tuscarawas River.   The  USACOE informed Ohio EPA that they expected to be able keep the dam partially closed until Saturday (4.23.2016) morning.  In consultation with EPA OSC Brian Kelly, OSC Wolfe directed START to collect water samples and take dissolved oxygen readings in four locations to determine the extent of the release and the water quality above and below the Bolivar Dam.  START personnel were directed to collect daily water samples from these four sample locations until 4.24.2016. The four sample locations are: Bear Run (~100 ft. upstream of confluence with Big Sandy Creek), Big Sandy Creek (~900 ft. downstream of its confluence with Bear Run), downstream of the Bolivar Dam outfall, and on the Tuscarawas River where Ohio Route 212 crosses the river.  START & EPA also collected two samples of the unknown liquid product, which was delivered to TestAmerica laboratory for pesticide and herbicide analysis.

On Friday, April 22, 2016, START returned to the site to collect daily water samples from the four sample locations along Bear Run, Big Sandy Creek and Tuscawarus River.  US EPA lead OSC Jeff Kimble requested that START personnel collect water samples at a second reported release site located at the Beach City Wildlife Area, near Beach City, Ohio.  The Ohio EPA had been notified of this suspected release site on April 18, 2016 by a concerned citizen.  OSC Kimble asked START to coordinate with Ohio EPA OSC Christopher Holmes to sample the released material at this site.  START personnel arrived at the second release site and met with Ohio EPA OSC Holmes and collected written and photographic documentation of the site conditions. START personnel then collected three water samples and water in the spill location and one soil sample from a location where the release appears to have originated along the Soehnlen Road.  OSC Reggie Brown informed START that the State laboratory would not be available to analyze the water and soil samples and that they should be sent to TestAmerica.  Chris Holms also informed START that there may have been witnesses who have a description of a waste oil truck that had been in the area recently.  The Ohio EPA's remedial contractor arrived onsite to vacuum up visible white chemical material from wetland surface.  START left the site to deliver the samples to TestAmerica, in North Canton, Ohio.

On Saturday, April 23, 2016, START returned to the site to collect water samples from the 4 sample locations along Bear Run, Big Sandy Creek and Tuscarawas River.  These samples and the Beach City samples were dropped off to Test America for rush analysis for Pesticides & Herbicides.  The US EPA was notified of a third spill site of what appeared to be similar chemical that was reported by the Bolivar Fire Department on Towpath Road near the mailing address of 9559 Towpath Road, ~ 2 miles E-SE of Bolivar, Ohio.  START was sent to meet with OSC Chris Holmes and collect water and soil samples.  START and OSC Holmes collected one water & two soil split samples at this location.  The fire department said that a city road crew noted the spill at 0944 hours this morning.  It had rained the previous afternoon & evening till ~2200 hours and as a result it is believed the spill occurred in the early morning hours.  START conveyed message to OSC Holmes to ask the OEPS CID to contact US EPA CID officials for assistance.  .  Ohio EPA hired Chemtron to vacuum up the foaming released material.  The Towpath Road samples were to be dropped off to Test America lab on Monday, April 25, 2015.

On Sunday, April 24, 2016, START returned to the Bear Run spill site to collect water samples from the four sample locations along Bear Run, Big Sandy Creek and the Tuscarawas River.  No new signs of fish kill were observed on the waterways.  The Bolivar Dam is still partially closed at the request of the Ohio EPA.  Upon collecting the water samples, START left site for the day.  The water that were collected today were taken to TestAmerica laboratories in North Canton, Ohio when they opened on Monday, April 25, 2016.

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
START will collect additional water samples as requested to support the investigation and identification of released material.

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
Ohio EPA's remedial contractor will monitor sites and recover released liquid as it seeps out along the bank of Bear Run.

The Army Corps of Engineers continues to coordinate with the Ohio EPA on the partial closure of the Bolivar Dam.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps
On April 27, 2016, START will collect a sample of the released material and submit it to TestAmerica laboratories for organo-phosphate pesticides analysis.

TestAmerica will submit laboratory reports for previously collected water & soil samples starting on April 27, 2016.

2.2.2 Issues

The unknown liquid in the water samples has fouled the laboratory analysis equipment resulting in the lab having to rerun samples.

To date Ohio EPA has managed the cleanup, but if the spills increase or become more complex further assistance of US EPA may be requested.

2.5.1 Safety Officer

2.5.2 Liaison Officer
OSC Jeff Kimble is serving this role.

2.5.3 Information Officer

3.1 Unified Command

3.2 Cooperating Agencies

 U.S. ACE

Ohio EPA

Ohio DNR

 Bolivar Fire Dept.

Tuscarawas County Health Department

EPA Region V - 1

Ohio EPA - 2

START (Tetra Tech, Inc.) - 2