Pollution/Situation Report Profile

Caterpillar ATF Release
Summerville, SC - EPA Region IV
POLREP #1
Initial and Final POLREP

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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Caterpillar ATF Release - Removal Polrep
Initial and Final Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region IV

Subject:

POLREP #1
Initial and Final POLREP
Caterpillar ATF Release

Summerville, SC
Latitude: 33.0567250 Longitude: -80.2272560

To:

From:

Matthew Huyser, On Scene Coordinator

Date:

3/23/2010

Reporting Period:

03/22/2010 - 03/23/2010

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Site Number:		Contract Number:
D.O. Number:		Action Memo Date:
Response Authority:	OPA	Response Type:	Emergency
Response Lead:	PRP	Incident Category:	Removal Action
NPL Status:	Non NPL	Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date:	3/22/2010	Start Date:	3/22/2010
Demob Date:	3/23/2010	Completion Date:
CERCLIS ID:		RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:		State Notification:
FPN#:		Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category
OPA authority, emergency, PRP-lead response

1.1.2 Site Description
At 1005hrs on March 22, 2010, Caterpillar Summerville Operations in Summerville, South Carolina, reported a release of automatic transmission fluid (ATF) from a broken pump at the top of an 8000-gal tank. The release began sometime between 0430hrs and 0530hrs when the pump was turned on and was not discovered until after 0600hrs during daylight. Facility employees responded to the release by turning off the pump then trapping oil at drains, outlets, and an unname creek using sorbent boom and oil pads. Response contractor Moran Environmental was brought on site to perform the sleanup. The initial estimate reported a loss of 3500-gal but later calculations placed the loss at 2000-gal with approximately 50% of the product captured by secondary containment. Product that spilled outside of the containment fell onto both soil and pavement, then drained to two inlets which travel approximately 190-feet to a 0.7-acre retention pond. The spill then flowed across surface waters of the pond, then along a 3-foot wide unnamed creek for approximately 950-feet where it was boomed several times (total length traveled = 1300-feet).

1.1.2.1 Location
Caterpillar Summerville Operations
175 McQueen Boulevard
Summerville, Dorchester County, South Carolina

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
Approximately 1000 gallons of automatic transmission fluid released to surface waters of the US that flow to Green Bay Branch and Cypress Swamp in South Carolina via unnamed creeks and tributaries that contain flowing water at the time of the release.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

On March 22, responders from both SCDHEC and EPA visited the site to meet with facility personnel and oversee response operations. SCDHEC and EPA determined that current response activities were satisfactory as were intended strategies for remaining activities. SCDHEC demobilized from the Site on March 22; EPA conducted an SPCC inspection on and demobilized from the Site on March 23.

2. Current Activities

2.1 Operations Section

2.1.1 Narrative

OSC Huyser arrived at the Caterpillar Summerville Operations facility at 1600hrs on March 22 and met with the Facility Manager and the Environmental Health and Safety Supervisor. OSC Huyser conducted a walkthrough of the spill and downstream pathway, observing the response operations and confirming that the spill had been successfully captured prior to flowing through a culvert under McQueen Boulevard.

Approximately 50% of the spill from the pump at the top of the tank was captured by secondary containment around the tank farm, which consists of a 6-foot cinder block wall. Moran Environmental recovered approximately 900-gal of product from secondary containment. The rest of the product spilled onto both soil and pavement outside of the containment area, and then drained through two inlets which travel approximately 190-feet to a 0.7-acre retention pond. The spill flowed across the retention pond then through the outfall where it continued down a 3-foot wide unnamed creek for approximately 950-feet where it was boomed several times by personnel from the Caterpillar facility (total length traveled = 1300-feet).

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

Moran Environmental was responding to the spill and was utilizing several personnel, two tank trucks, a response trailer, three frac tanks, three roll-off boxes, and a back hoe. By 1630hrs on March 22, skimming operations from the retention pond were nearly complete, excavation of contaminated soils from the release point to the drain had been completed, oil recovery was beginning at the secondary containment, and capture/recovery was continuing along the unnamed creek. Washout of the storm drain from the facility to the retention pond was still needed and would be performed by flushing the drain with water or washing the drain with a sewer jet, then capturing the oil at the outfall.

SCDHEC and OSC Huyser both determined that response operations were adequate and performing successfully.

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
A Notice of Federal Interest letter was issued to Caterpillar and an SPCC inspection was conducted on March 23.

2.2 Planning Section

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

Caterpillar has contracted Moran Environmental to perform the cleanup and response actions. Objectives of the response action are provided in 2.2.1.1 with the known status of each objective provided as of 1000hrs on March 23, 2010.

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

Skim and remove product from retention pond; (COMPLETE)
Excavate contaminated soils near tank farm; (COMPLETE)
Recover product from secondary containment; (COMPLETE)
Recover product and contaminated media from unnamed creek; (ONGOING)
Washout storm drain and outfall; (Not Started)
Decontaminate equipment and secondary containment area; and, (Not Started)
Dispose of recovered product, water, sludge, soils, and other media. (ONGOING)

2.2.1.2 Next Steps
Recovery of product and removal of contaminated media from the unnamed creek could be completed by March 24 or March 25. Decontamination of the secondary containment areaa and the equipment/tanks in the tank farm could be competed by March 26 or March 27. Washout of the storm drain and outfall should be conducted when all other product has been recovered, but before any rain event, and should be completed by March 27. Disposal of all generated wastes will likely be accomplished before April 30.

2.2.2 Issues
During discussions of response procedures and tactical operations, the possibility of using degreasers to clean some surfaces was mentioned by Caterpillar personnel. EPA provided verbal guidance that degreasers could not be used to washout the storm drain or other outside surfaces, but that it may be used to clean equipment in the tank farm. Moran Environmental concurred with the instruction and would conduct cleanup activities accordingly.

Recovery of product and removal of contaminated media from the unnamed creek could be completed by March 24 or March 25. Decontamination of the secondary containment areaa and the equipment/tanks in the tank farm could be competed by March 26 or March 27. Washout of the storm drain and outfall should be conducted when all other product has been recovered, but before any rain event, and should be completed by March 27. Disposal of all generated wastes will likely be accomplished before April 30.During discussions of response procedures and tactical operations, the possibility of using degreasers to clean some surfaces was mentioned by Caterpillar personnel. EPA provided

2.3 Logistics Section