CERCLA time critical removal action. 

US EPA provided an alternate water source to residents with impacted groundwater (benzene contamination) by installing deeper residential wells.   The deep wells were designed to be steel cased and cemented into the New Richmond Aquifer to prevent any downward migration of contaminants.  U.S  EPA had initially installed carbon filtration units in a 11 residental wells contaminated with benzene at or near the drinking water standard .  US EPA, IEPA, and the PRPs, are conducting an investigation to determine the source of the contamination.

A mixed rural, residential and industrial area where 14 private residences have levels of benzene above or near the drinking water standard of 5 parts per billion. Bottled water was initially provided to the residents and carbon units were installed on the private wells until an alternate water source could be provided by drilling replacement  wells into the deep aquifer (New Richmond).  One residential well which provided service to 3 rental units and one home has two separate carbon unit intstalled to provide clean drinking water.  These carbon units will be serviced in April o 2015 after which the landlord will be responsible for the carbon change out.
Location
The town is made up of 40  residential homes in Wedron, LaSalle County, Illinois. The town is unincorporated, so there is no local government, water, or sewer department.  All of the homes and industrial locations use private wells and septic systems.  The town borders the Wedron Silica Plant now owned by Fairmont Minerals and Lockheed Martin formerly, which operates a silica mine, drying and screening process, laboratory, and Technisand plant that coats sand with a phenolic resin.  This coated sand is used in Hydraulic Fracturing (fracking) of natural gas and oil wells.  The Wedron and Dayton Grain facility operated along right of Way owned by Illinois Railtracks and Three underground storage tanks have been removed since August of 2012 along the right of way.  An Amoco Oil (British Petroleum) bulk terminal operated along the Illinois RR Right of Way and was located at the north end of WD Grain facility.  The Hoxsey Store and Gas station operated as a gasoline filling station into the late 1970's when the store burned to the ground.  IEPA has been investigating the soil and ground water contamination at the Hoxsey property.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

The chemical constituents that have been identified include: Benzene, Ethylbenzene, toluene, xylenes (BTEX) and other volatile organics have been detected in private wells above the Maximum Concentration Levels (MCL's)

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
The site investigation is being conducted under the Order began on November 2013 at the Wedron Silica and Technisand property, on the Illinois Railway property, and BP (formerly Amoco Bulk Terminal).  The investigations have been completed and final reports are being reviewed by USEPA.  Illinois Railway has not yet submitted the final report and this is due to additional step out sampling that was required on the property.  The stop out sampling will take place on March 3 and 4 , 2015 and the report will be finalized when all the results are received and and meet the data quality objectives.

IEPA has completed their investigation on the Hoxsey property and the final report is pending. 

In November and December of 2013, EPA conducted additional rounds of residential water sampling.  Some of the sampling was done at the request of residents when they became aware of groundwater contamination in the vicinity, and some was done to verify that filters or alternate water supplies were effective at delivering clean water.  Any future requests for private wells sampling will be handled by LaSalle County Health Department and Illlinois EPA who are collecting private well samples and analzing the samples at the IEPA laboraotory. 

In December 2013, EPA oversaw the investigation of additional sub-surface anomalies along the Illinois Railraod right of way.  The investigation consisted of excavating identified anomalies and sampling sub-surface soil at agreed upon locations.  EPA collected split soil samples from some of the intervals sampled by the Illinois Railroad contractors.

In January and February of 2014, EPA oversaw the investigation centered around the former Amoco bulk plant, which is now owned by BP, who led the investigation.  The investigation consisted sampling sub-surface soil at  locations on the former Amoco bulk terminal property.  EPA collected split soil samples from some of the intervals sampled by the BP contractors.

In March and April of 2014, EPA oversaw the installation of four monitoring wells north of the Wedron Silica property, and EPA also sampled these wells.  EPA also sampled IEPA and EPA installed monitoring wells.

In May of 2014, EPA oversaw additional investigation of a location on the Wedron Silica property where AST's had been located.  Previous sampling indicated detectable volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination at the locations, and this part of the investigation centered on further delineation.  EPA collected a split sample during the work.

Also in May of 2014, EPA oversaw the investigation of sub-surface soil and temporary monitoring well sampling at the Technisand property.  

Finally, in May 2014, EPA connected four residences that use the same well to a carbon filtration system.  The water at these residences have detectable benzene levels very near, but not above the EPA MCL.  The carbon filter will clean the water, and EPA will continue to monitor benzene levels before and after the carbon filters.  

On May 9, 2014, BP submitted their Site Investigation Technical Memorandum to EPA.  In summary BP advanced 9 soil borings to depths of 14 to 30 feet below ground surface (bgs) on their property and collected 19 soil samples.  Samples were analyzed for VOCs, semivolatile organic compounds (SVOC), total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), pH, and lead.  None of the samples exceeded the IEPA TACO screening criteria.  BP has submitted a final technical memo sumarizing the results.  U.S. EPA has reviewed the technical memorandum and quality assurance and submitted comments to BP.  All of the comments have been addressed and the techncal memomrandum was re-submitted.  A close out letter is being prepared by US EPA to document that all of the invesitagition required under the Consent Order with BP has been completed.

On May 23, 2014, Illinois Railway submitted a Site Investigation Report to EPA.  In summary, a total of 15 soil borings were advanced to depths of up to 34 feet bgs.  U.S. EPA submited comments to Illinois Railway on the Site Investigation report and requested addtional step out borings in locations where the soil concentrations exceeded IEPA TACO standards.  Below is a summary of the investigation results.  

• A total of 30 soil samples were collected and analyzed for VOCs, SVOCs, lead, and pH.  Several soil samples exceeded IEPA TACO screening criteria for BTEX compounds.  In addition, several non-detect benzene results had high reporting limits above the IEPA TACO screening criteria and these may have exceeded the screening criteria if not for matrix interferences in the samples causing elevated reporting limits.
• A total of 4 groundwater samples were collected from four of the borings.  One groundwater sample exceeded the IEPA TACO screening criteria for benzene and ethylbenzene.  Groundwater samples also exceeded screening criteria for lead, bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, naphthalene, and 2-methylnaphthalene.   Illinois Railway will conduct “step out” soil borings on March 3 and 4, 2015.  Once the data is received a final site investigation report will be submitted to US EPA.

On August 4, 2014, Wedron Silica/Technisand/Lockheed Martin (hereafter referred to as Wedron Silica) submitted their investigation report to EPA and then submitted a revised report on November 25, 2014, based on EPA comments.   Wedron Silica advanced a total of 22 soil borings amongst five areas: the Tech Center, former 4,000-gallon gasoline UST area, former 6,000-gallon gasoline UST area, WGS-GP-10 Area, and Pit 2 Reclamation Area.  Below is a summary of the investigation results. 

•  A total of 68 soil samples were collected and analyzed for VOCs, lead, pH, and Fraction Organic Carbon (FOC).  Soil samples around the 4000-gallon UST area had the highest concentration of VOCs and the most exceedances of IEPA TACO screening criteria.  However, the 4000-gallon UST area is located southwest of the town and based on groundwater flow would likely not have affected residential wells in town.  One soil sample in the WGS‐GP‐10 Area had a benzene result that exceeded IEPA TACO screening criteria.  Also, one soil sample in each the WGS‐GP‐10 Area and the 6000-gallon UST area contained high reporting limits for benzene above the IEPA TACO screening criteria and these may have exceeded the screening criteria if not for matrix interferences in the samples causing elevated reporting limits. 
• A total of 4 groundwater samples were collected from three of the soil borings and analyzed for VOCs.  None of these results exceeded IEPA TACO screening criteria. 
• The further investigations at the UST area on Wedron Silica will be overseen by Illinois EPA who has the authority under the Leaking Underground Tank program.

IEPA is currently working with Wedron Silica on additional investigations to better define the UST areas with contamination.  The IEPA UST Section has assigned a project managers to oversee investigation and remediation.

IEPA is finalizing a data evaluation report for the Hoxsey property and all of the Wedron data.  The report has been drafted and is awaiting funding to finalzie the report. 

LaSalle County plans storm water control and construction this year on Highway 21 in Wedron.

EPA Air Division and Wedron Silica will be conducting air monitoring for particulates at the Wedron Silca Plant in Wedron, Illinois.

 1.2 Response Actions to Date

See previous POLREPs

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
US. EPA has indentified multiple potential responsible parties and has issued Information requests to the complany's

The Agency is overseeing groundwater and soil investigations by BP, Illinois Railway, Technisand, and Wedron Silica Company, Fairmont Minerals, and Lockheed Martin as agreed through Administrative Orders on Consent (AOCs) with the companies. The AOCs are available on the USEPA webpage under Technical Documents. USEPA held a public meeting in Wedron on December 4 2013; April 23, 2014; and August, 2015; to discuss further investigation by the Potentially Responsible parties and to discuss the private well results with the affected residents. 

Results of the investigations will be made available on the web sites and the residents of Wedron will be briefed on the investigation results at the next public meeting which is planned in April 8, 2015.

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

2.2.1.2 Next Steps