EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Activities in New York continued with additional coordination in the Broome and Tioga County areas on HHW operations.  EPA continues with 4 operational collection areas for HHW and orphan container in those areas.  Reports from DEC in Broome/Tioga indicate that much of the initial river recon operations have been completed with anticipation of moving forward with further EPA recon/recovery efforts along the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers in the coming days.

EPA CICs were active in both the Broome/Tioga area as well as the DEC Region 4 areas of Delaware, Greene, Schoharie, and Schenectady Counties.  CIC activities primarily focused on outreach related to the HHW mission.

Additional HHW missions were organized in the Schenectady County area with collection activities being planned for 9/17 and 9/18 in six municipalities; Pattersonville-Rotterdam Junction, Niskayuna, Delanson, Scotia, Glenville, and Schenectady.  This area contains approximately 350+ impacted homes. 

EPA has currently scheduled the closure of four HHW sites in the Greene and Delaware County areas.  Hunter, Windham, and Catskill in Greene County are all schedule to discontinue waste collection on 9/24/2011.  Arkville in Delaware County is scheduled to discontinue waste collection on 9/18/2011.

Hurricane Irene operations in the New Jersey saw the Paterson Collection Pad become operational and the closing down of the Riverdale bulk storage location.  Paterson crews began collection and staging of HHW and orphan containers at the established collection pad on 2 East Main Street in Paterson.  At the Riverdale facility, one frac tank was relocated to the Dover Staging area with a second tank demobilized.  Dover Staging will now serve as the collection area for any bulk oil wastes recovered during response operations.

CURRENT ISSUES

None to report

LONG TERM ISSUES

None to report

HURRICANE IRENE OPERATIONS (NJ/NY)

Emergency Response Task Force

·         The Task Force was not activated.

NEW JERSEY RESPONSE ACTIONS

Passaic County

Oil / Hazardous Materials Response and Recovery Actions

• No oil or hazardous substance response actions conducted this reporting period.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal

·         Paterson HHW – Collection area at 2 East Main Street was operation although crews continue to work on improvements to this recently established collection area.  HHW was also recovered / collected from the locations in the City of Paterson.

Morris County

Oil / Hazardous Materials Response and Recovery Actions

·         No response or recovery actions taken. 

 Household Hazardous Waste / Bulk Liquid Collection and Disposal

·         Dover - The HHW staging and processing facility continued to receive materials from the tri-county area.  Segregation and categorization of materials continued as materials were bulked and hazcatted.  This facility is ready to ship non-regulated paint waste and has received on 21,000 gallon frac tank from the Riverdale, NJ facility and is prepared to accept bulk waste oils from response operations.

·         Riverdale – One 21,000 gallon frac tank was relocated to the Dover Staging facility with the second frac tank demobilized from this action.  This location will no longer be used for bulk storage and is closed down as of 9/16/2011.

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

Below is a summary table for NJ Incident Reports associated with Irene as of 1430 on 9/16/2011.  The table includes their status and materials involved.

NEW YORK RESPONSE ACTIONS

NYSDEC Region 4 Area 

Oil / Hazardous Materials Response and Recovery Actions

·         Areas throughout Greene County are stabilized with material received at a slower pace.  Several resources are waiting to be delivered that will handle disposal. 

·         Coordination with NYSDEC in regards to orphaned containers and other environmental impacts.

·         Orphan container assessment in Pittstown, Rensselaer, 3 locations identified with planning for recovery.

·         Orphan container assessments were conducted in Esperance, Schoharie County, 1 location identified for recovery.  Homes in this area were heavily impacted with a lot of HHW observed. OSC coordinated with the crews at Howes Cave HHW to recover materials.

·         Water levels in some streams / rivers in the DEC Region 4 area still remain higher than normal.  EPA Crews are waiting for waters to recede in order to conduct further orphan container recon and recovery operations.

·         HHW was picked-up from the Hamlet of Blenheim/North Blenheim and continued curbside pick-ups in Schoharie and Middleburgh, all in Schoharie County

·         HHW assistance was provided to the Village of Unadilla in Otsego County, recovery of HHW that was dropped-off in their village location.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal

·         Greene County

·         Hunter – Facility was operational and is scheduled for closure on 09/24/2011.

·         Windham – Facility was operational and is scheduled for closure on 09/24/2011. 

·         Catskill – Facility was operational and is scheduled for closure on 09/24/2011. 

·         Prattsville – Facility was operational.

·         Delaware County

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

·         Sidney – Facility was operational and is waiting for resources to commence disposal.

·         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 – This is the central staging area for all debris in the Village of Schoharie.  Crews continued to segregate and containerize HHW that was received.

·         Schenectady County

·         OSC coordinated with county officials on a possible location for HHW staging area and planning for curbside collection from six municipalities; Pattersonville-Rotterdam Junction, Niskayuna, Delanson, Scotia, Glenville, and Schenectady.  Total number of homes impacted is approximately 350+.

·         CIC working on flyers and handouts for curbside collection scheduled for 9/17 or 9/18.

NYSDEC Region 5 Area

Oil / Hazardous Materials Response and Recovery Actions

·         EPA conducted orphan container recovery and curbside collections of HHW in Clinton County, Au Sable Chasm, and Lake Champlain.

·         River recon operations on the Au Sable River were carried out in Clinton County from Au Sable Chasm to Lake Champlain.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Disposal

·         Lewis – Facility was operational.

Below is a summary table for NY Incident Reports associated with Irene as of 1440 on 9/16/2011.  The table includes their status and materials involved.

CUMULATIVE HAZARDOUS WASTE SUMMERY TABLE – HURRICANE IRENE

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 1445 on 09/16/2011.  Container counts may include numbers not previously reported from past operational periods.

The Region 2 Regional Emergency Operations Center (REOC) has generated a draft letter to notify municipalities on the closure of HHW collection areas.  The letter identifies the transition plan from an EPA managed HHW collection site back to a local or county run collection site.  The letter is in the review process. 

REOC continues to work on securing DOT Waivers for the transport of HHW and Orphan containers to collection areas related to the TS Lee response efforts.  Requests have been sent.

Steve Touw has been designated as the Liaison Officer (LNO) for Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee response efforts.  The LNO continues to pursue requests for funding increases and performance periods for field operations Mission Assignments in both NJ and NY.

The LNO has informed the FEMA JFO in NJ of residents' concerns about residual oil and staining in yards, and the exclusion of coverage for its removal under both homeowners and FEMA flood insurance policies.  Issues associated with methods of removal and remediation, as well as the potential costs, were presented to FEMA, for consideration in the event the state requests assistance from EPA under our a mission assignment.

·         Patricia (Pat) Seppi, 646-369-0068 Public Information Officer, Edison REOC

·         Larisa Romanowski 515-703-0101, CIC for NYSDEC Region 4

·         Natalie Loney, 718-288-7253 CIC for NYSDEC Region 7 deployed to Binghamton.

·         David Kluesner, 908-420-7261 CIC for NJ.

Schoharie:

·       Household hazardous waste Public Service Announcement provided to radio station WSDE for inclusion in their newscast (091511)

·       Newspaper ad will be printed in the Times Journal (weekly) newspaper next Wednesday (092111)

Greene:

·       Press release language prepared and submitted to Greene County Administrator for the Daily Mail (091511)

·       Ad prepared and submitted to the Daily Mail for publication on Sunday (091511)

·       Updated Public Service Announcement provided to radio station WRIP (091611)

Schoharie, Greene, Delaware:

·       Haz waste drop-off locations flier prepared for distribution to transfer stations and community locations (091511)

Schenectady:

·       Curbside pickup flier prepared and distributed in the Schenectady county area Friday (091611)

Facebook:

·       Information about the drop-off locations in Schoharie, Greene, and Delaware counties scheduled for posting on Catskill region flood relief pages (091611)

Broome/Tioga County

·         Preparing newspaper notice announcing drop-offs and times.

·         Revising fact sheet to reflect new information

·         Preparing PSAs for distribution to radio stationsPlanning to attend meeting in Owego this evening.

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

Liaison Officer, Steve Touw                                                              908-420-4458

Information Officer, Patricia (Pat) Seppi                                           646-369-0068

General Weather for the next Operational Period:

·         In NJ operational areas, weather should be sunny to partly sunny.  Temperatures from High 40s to Low 70s.

·         In NY operational areas, weather should be sunny to partly sunny with temperatures from High 30s to High 60sFreeze warning in effect for Prattsville and Lewis NY areas (DEC R4 and R5 Areas)