|
1. Introduction
|
|
|
1.1 Background
|
|
|
|
|
Site Number: |
|
|
Contract Number: |
|
|
D.O. Number: |
|
|
Action Memo Date: |
|
|
Response Authority: |
CERCLA |
|
Response Type: |
Emergency |
|
Response Lead: |
EPA |
|
Incident Category: |
Removal Assessment |
|
NPL Status: |
Non NPL |
|
Operable Unit: |
|
|
Mobilization Date: |
9/9/2010 |
|
Start Date: |
9/9/2010 |
|
Demob Date: |
|
|
Completion Date: |
9/17/2010 |
|
CERCLIS ID: |
|
|
RCRIS ID: |
|
|
ERNS No.: |
|
|
State Notification: |
09-08-2010 |
|
FPN#: |
|
|
Reimbursable Account #: |
|
1.1.1 Incident Category
Air sampling event to identify contaminants in a smoke plume.
1.1.2 Site Description
The source of the smoke plume is the landfill (dump) burning on the nearby island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.
1.1.2.1 Location
See 1.1.2 above. The impact of the plume is local residential properties on the east and south east side of St. John, in the Coral Bay vicinity.
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
Inasmuch as EPA has no definitive information on what is deposited in the Tortola landfill, and thus what could be involved in the fire and being emitted, sampling was conducted for a wide range of organic and inorganic contaminants.
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
|
|
2. Current Activities
|
|
|
2.1 Operations Section
|
|
|
|
2.1.1 Narrative
2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
1) On September 15, 2010, EPA and SERAS arrived on St. Thomas and retrieved the sampling equipment staged at the EPA office. EPA met with Jim Casey who mentioned that he received another email from another resident, complaining about the smoke. EPA returned to St. John and observed the plume at the overlook at Coral Bay. The plume did not appear to be more any larger in volume than the week before. It was also blowing in the direction of Totola, not St. John.
2) EPA contacted the residents who had agreed to allow EPA to sample at their houses. From the conversations with the President of the Coral Bay Coucil, the wind was expected to shift overnight in the direction of the houses on the East End.
EPA placed two air samples and datarams at two of the houses. Another pump was placed at the overlook where the plume can be observed in Tortola
3) At approximately 1030 hrs, EPA recieved another call that another resident located at almost the dead end of Coral Bay, had smoke at her residence. EPA and SERAS responded and took a SUMMA cannister sample near this location. Around 0030 hrs,EPA and ERAS checked on the pumps at all the locations (to make sure that the pumps did not fail) and an additional SUMMA cannister sample was taken at the residence located on the east end. EPA did detect a faint smoke odor at this residence.
4) On September 16, 2010, EPA and SERAS returned to all the locations and retrieved the sampling equipment. EPA observed the plume at 0900 hrs and later at approximately 1030 hours. The plume was very faint earlier in the morning and was larger later in the morning (almost as though the fire was being fed when the employees arrived and started working). EPA left the island at 1200 hrs. SERAS stayed behind to ship the samples and equipment back to the States.
5) On September 17, 2010, SERAS completed all sampling activities and were demobilized. The OSC concluded that the British Virgin Islands government was acting responsibly in addressing the source of this release. 2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
n/a 2.1.4 Progress Metrics
| Waste Stream | Medium | Quantity | Manifest # | Treatment | Disposal | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
|
|
2.2 Planning Section
|
|
|
|
2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
Data collected by EPA will be provided to all interested parties.
2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
No further activity is currently planned.
2.2.1.2 Next Steps
No further action by EPA is anticipated at this time. Monitoring equipment may be staged on St. Thomas to facilitate rapid response to future odor incidents.
2.2.2 Issues
None identified.
|
|
|
2.3 Logistics Section
|
|
|
|
n/a
|
|
|
2.4 Finance Section
|
|
|
|
No information available at this time.
|
|
|
2.5 Other Command Staff
|
|
|
|
2.5.1 Safety Officer
The OSC served as the Safety Officer.
2.6 Liaison Officer
EPA's Jim Casey, based in Charlotte Amalie, served as liaison between EPA and outside entities such as DPNR, CEPD, and the press.
2.7 Information Officer
2.7.1 Public Information Officer
n/a
2.7.2 Community Involvement Coordinator
n/a
|
|
3. Participating Entities
|
|
|
3.1 Unified Command
n/a
3.2 Cooperating Agencies
n/a
|
|
4. Personnel On Site
|
|
|
All EPA and contractor personnel have been demobilized
|
|
5. Definition of Terms
|
|
|
n/a
|
|
6. Additional sources of information
|
|
|
6.1 Internet location of additional information/report
See Documents section for historical ERT trip report documenting air sampling activities on St. John in 2008.
6.2 Reporting Schedule
n/a
|
|
7. Situational Reference Materials
|
|
|
n/a
|
