EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Operations at the Dover, NJ household hazardous waste processing facility have increased due to the amount of materials received.  Efforts to field characterize the materials have allowed bulking and packing activities to run more efficiently.  Preparations were made for transport and proper disposal/recycling of materials.  Elsewhere in NJ, orphan containers were recovered from areas along the Passaic River.  Preparations for a public meeting in Paterson were also conducted.

Activities in New York remain to focus on the collection of HHW and orphan containers throughout several counties affected by Hurricane Irene.  Materials were collected from municipality operated staging areas, debris piles, and residential curbsides prior to being transported to EPA processing areas for bulking, packaging, and disposal.

EPA recovery efforts in New York associated with Tropical Storm Lee increased with the deployment of additional resources to Broom and Tioga Counties.  Reconnaissance reports indicate that areas remain under water with thousands of residents displaced.  EPA has commenced the collection of HHW in Binghamton and continued to coordinate efforts with local officials in additional communities throughout the impacted area. 

Emergency Response Task Force

·         The Task Force was not activated.

NEW JERSEY RESPONSE ACTIONS

The REOC addressed complaints from a resident in Kinnelon, NJ regarding road washout and a partial bridge collapse into a river along Kinnelon Avenue.  The REOC also addressed a concern over criminal activities at the SOS facility in Tuxedo, NY.  The caller wanted EPA to conduct a gross negligence investigation on the facility regarding a release of material during Hurricane Irene.

Passaic County

Oil / Hazardous Materials Response and Recovery Actions

• Orphan containers were collected from Woodland Park and Little Falls.
• A home heating oil tank in Wayne was pumped out.
• EPA will be in attendance for a public meeting on 09/13/2011.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal

·         EPA continued to coordinate with DPW on the potential use of a facility in Paterson for staging HHW.

Bergen County

Oil / Hazardous Materials Response and Recovery Actions

·         No response or recovery operations were performed in Bergen County.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal

·         No HHW staging areas have been established by EPA in Bergen County.

Morris County

Oil / Hazardous Materials Response and Recovery Actions

·         Samples were collected of contaminated soils and materials recovered from early operations in Denville.  Results will be utilized for  disposal purposes. 

 Household Hazardous Waste / Bulk Liquid Collection and Disposal

·         Dover - The HHW staging and processing facility continued to receive materials from the tri-county area.  Bulking of materials continued as preparations commenced for disposal.  Hazard characterization of materials also started.

·         Lake Hiawatha – Materials were moved to the Dover HHW staging area.

·         Riverdale – No activities occurred at this bulk waste storage area.

·         Whippany – No activities occurred at this bulk waste storage area.

Below is a summary table for NJ Incident Reports as of 1420 on 9/13/2011.  The table includes their status and materials involved.

NEW YORK RESPONSE ACTIONS

NYSDEC Region 4 Area 

Oil / Hazardous Materials Response and Recovery Actions

·         EPA is coordinating with Schenectady County on HHW.  A request was received to assist in the removal of HHW from ~60 homes located in various communities.

·         Field reports in the area indicated residential concerns of pooled water and mosquitoes, along with dealing with animal carcasses.

·         EPA received a request from Ostego County to remove HHW from the village of Unadilla.

·         Curbside collection of HHW and orphan recovery efforts continued in Gallupville, Esperance, Middleburgh, Schoharie (all in Schoharie County), Arkville (Delaware County), and areas around Prattsville (Greene County).

·         EPA continued to coordinate disposal options of HHW with Greene County Solid Waste officials

Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal

·         Greene County

·         Hunter – Facility was operational.

·         Windham – Facility was operational, rumored to be closing soon. 

·         Catskill – Facility was operational. 

·         Prattsville – Facility was operational.

·         Delaware County

·         Arkville – Facility was operational, however it is projected to close on 9/18/2011.

·         Sidney – Facility was established to handle HHW collected from Sidney and nearby communities.

·         Schoharie County

·         Howes Cave – This central HHW staging area for the NYSDEC Region 4 area was operational and receiving materials.  Preparations have commenced for the transport and disposal of bulk material.

·         Schoharie Debris Pile – Crews continued to segregate and containerize HHW that was received in the yard and located throughout the pile. 

NYSDEC Region 5 Area

Oil / Hazardous Materials Response and Recovery Actions

·         Recovery of orphan containers and HHW continued in Upper Jay, Jay, Keene, Keene Valley, Elizabethtown (Essex County) and Au Sable Forks (Clinton County).

·         EPA is preparing reconnaissance operations of the Ausable River for orphan containers.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal

·         Lewis – Facility was operational.

Below is a summary table for NY Incident Reports as of 1420 on 9/13/2011.  The table includes their status and materials involved.

CUMULATIVE HAZARDOUS WASTE SUMMERY TABLE

Below is a summery table indicating the amount of containers collected through HHW and orphan container recovery efforts in response to Hurricane Irene.  This data was collected at 1420 on 09/13/2011.  Container counts may include numbers not previously reported from past operational periods.

The Region 2 Regional Emergency Operations Center (REOC) continued to manage EPA and contractor resources for support of field operations.  Long-Term Staffing Plans have been generated to fill potential personnel needs in the REOC and in field operations. 

Additional resources have been ordered and deployed to the Binghamton area to assist with initial reconnaissance missions, recovery of oil/hazardous materials, and orphan containers.  Additional assets were requested by the Dover staging area manager for chemical technicians. 

The daily safety message is posted on the regional incident website: http://www.epaosc.org/R2HurricaneIreneResponse.   Additional safety concerns regarding sharps, bee stings, hunting season, and bear encounters were discussed with field crews.    

A Liaison Officer has not yet been assigned however coordination activities are being done at several locations and with multiple Federal and State Agencies.

Pat Seppi is the Public Information Officer and can be reached at 646-369-0068.  The PIO worked on the following:

·         Larisa Romanowski 515-703-0101, CIC for NYSDEC Region 4 met with the OSCs and is contacting OEMs in the area to discuss potential EPA assistance.  A request to visit the Schenectady County on 09/15/2011was received.

·         Natalie Loney, CIC for NYSDEC Region 7 will deploy to Binghamton on 09/15/2011.

·         David Kluesner, 908-420-7261CIC for NJ, generated talking points for a Paterson Council Meeting occurring on the evening of 09/13/2011. 

Unified Command is currently not activated at this level.

EPA is currently coordinating with FEMA, NYS DEC, NYS DOH, NJ DEP, NYSEMO, NJOEM.

WEBSITE:  http://www.epaosc.org/R2HurricaneIreneResponse

If you find that you are having trouble viewing the website, please contact the EPA duty officer at (732) 906-6850

EPA Edison REOC                                                                         732-906-6850

Afterhours Notifications, National Response Center (NRC)             800-424-8802
Regional Incident Commander (RIC) for NY, James Daloia             908-420-4505
Regional Incident Commander (RIC) for NJ, Christopher Jimenez    908-420-4484

FEMA IMAT (Albany), Dwayne Harrington, OSC                          908-420-4492 

Situation Reports are planned for release at 1630 on a daily basis.

Looting and civil unrest in Owego, NY has become a concern.  A heavy police presence has been activated.

All responders are asked to remain vigilant during the anniversary of the September 11^th attacks.

Hotels in the Binghamton area are difficult to come by.  Many people are displaced and several hotels have sustained damage.

Pollution Reports for response activities in New Jersey associated with Tropical Storm Lee can be found at www.epaosc.org/TSLeeNJ

General Weather for the next Operational Period:

·         In NJ operational areas, isolated thunder storms are expected.  Temperatures from 64-81.

·         In NY operational areas, party cloudy conditions are expected with temperatures from 53-70.