1.1.1          Incident Category

CERCLA Incident Category:  Inactive Metal Fabrication/Finishing/Coating Facility

1.1.2 Site Description

1.1.2.1 Location

The Indiana Brass Site is located at 800 W. Clinton Street in Frankfort, Clinton County, Indiana, 46041.  The geographical coordinates for the Site are Latitude 40.2806° North and Longitude 86.5198° West.  The Site is approximately 5 acres in size, and contains the remains of a 85,000 square foot plating shop and foundry.  The Site is located in a residential and industrial area of Frankfort, approximately 0.2 miles west of the downtown area.  Approximately 3400 people live within 1 mile of the Site.  Residences are located approximately 250 feet from the east property boundary, 800 feet from the north property boundary, and 600 feet from the south property boundary.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

The Site is a former foundry and plating shop that caught fire on June 3, 2010.  The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) responded to the fire.  The state On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) observed pits and drums relating to former plating operations.  IDEM referred the Site to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA).

During a Site visit on July 1, 2010 and a Site Assessment on July 7-8, 2010, the U.S. EPA documented numerous drums, plating vaults with unknown liquid contents, uncontained foundry sand, and other debris scattered across the Site. Numerous 55-gallon drums containing burnt and unknown contents were documented inside the building.  The Site was vacant and open to trespassing.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

The Site Assessment included documenting Site conditions; conducting a structural inspection of the building; conducting air monitoring; conducting soil monitoring using an x-ray fluorescence (XRF) detector; and collecting samples from drums, soil, ash, and plating pits.

Preliminary laboratory results indicated that the there are total metals`concentrations above the preliminary remediation goals (PRG) for residential and industrial soil and concentrations of leachable lead (D008) and cadmium (D006) above the Toxicity Characteristic Leachate Procedure (TCLP) regulatory limits.

During the next reporting period, U.S. EPA will conduct emergency removal actions to complete the following tasks:

• Complete the Site-specific Health and Safety Plan, including an Air Monitoring Plan, and a Site Emergency Contingency Plan; 
• Complete the detailed work plan to accomplish the project in the most effective, efficient and safe manner; 
• Perform sampling and analysis to determine extent of contamination in soil; 
• Develop and implement a plan to control, contain, and remove highly concentrated contaminated soil; 
• Properly abandon temporary piezometers that may be acting as a conduit for migration to groundwater; and 
• Assess nearby residential properties for site-related contamination.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

When the Action Memorandum is approved, EPA will continue time-critical removal activities to include:

• Demolishing and/or removing structurally unsound parts of the Site building to allow workers to conduct cleanup operations safely;
• Inventorying and performing hazard characterization on substances contained in vaults and drums;
• Performing multi-media sampling and analysis to determine disposal options; 
• Transporting and disposing off-site any hazardous substances, pollutants and contaminants at a CERCLA-approved disposal facility in accordance with U.S. EPA’s Off-Site Rule (40 CFR § 300.440); and, 
• Taking any other response actions to address any release or threatened release of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant that the EPA OSC determines may pose an imminent and substantial endangerment to the public health or the environment.

2.2.2 Issues
None

The Emergency and Rapid Response Services (ERRS) contractor will provide logistical support.