Pollution/Situation Report Profile

Lynchburg Crude Oil Train Derailment
Lynchburg, VA - EPA Region III
POLREP #1

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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Lynchburg Crude Oil Train Derailment - Removal Polrep
Initial Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region III

Subject:

POLREP #1
Lynchburg Crude Oil Train Derailment

Lynchburg, VA
Latitude: 37.4100000 Longitude: -79.1394000

To:

From:

Christine Wagner & Francisco Cruz, OSC

Date:

5/1/2014

Reporting Period:

4/30/14-5/01/14

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Site Number:		Contract Number:
D.O. Number:		Action Memo Date:
Response Authority:	OPA	Response Type:	Emergency
Response Lead:	PRP	Incident Category:	Removal Assessment
NPL Status:	Non NPL	Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date:	4/30/2014	Start Date:	4/30/2104
Demob Date:		Completion Date:
CERCLIS ID:		RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:		State Notification:
FPN#:	Awaiting	Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category

Crude Oil Spill

1.1.2 Site Description

Train derailment in historic district of Lynchburg, VA

1.1.2.1 Location

Rail line in front of 10 9th Street in the City of Lynchbug, VA

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

Oil discharge onto the James River. Potential impact to drinking water intakes in Richmond and Henrico County, VA

2. Current Activities

2.1 Operations Section

2.1.1 Narrative

At approximately 2:00 pm on April 30, 2014, a CSX train derailed along the tracks located in front of the Depot Grill Restaurant located at 10 9th Street in the City of Lynchburg, Virginia. The derailment occurred in the historical district of the City which is heavily populated with workers, residents, and tourists.

Three of the cars derailed along the banks of the James River. The contents of one of the cars ignited, causing a large fire. The fire spread to the bank of the James River, igniting brush and railroad ties. Local officials responded and evacuated the downtown area. The fire was extinguished approximately one hour later. Shortly thereafter, the evacuation was lifted with the exception of two businesses located within several feet of the impacted area.

The City of Lynchburg and VDEM notified downstream water users. Downstream users switched to an alternative water supply

The City of Lynchburg Department of Fire Rescue is the Incident Commander for the Site.

VDEM responded as the lead Agency for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Other Commonwealth agencies on scene include the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and the Virginia Department of Public Safety.

Federal agency response includes TSA, the Federal Railroad Agency, NTSB, and EPA.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

CSX arrived on scene and mobilized contractors for cleanup and also for environmental cleanup.   All cars contain crude oil, suspected to be Bakken crude. There are three blends of the crude involved in the incident. At the time of the polrep, the exact blend which spilled into the James is not known.

CSX also contracted with the Depot Grille Restaurant to be available as a field Command Post.

EPA contacted VDEM and offered assistance. VDEM accepted EPA's offer.

VDEM is coordinating all non-PRP parties at the Site. VDEM activated two regional response teams (Roanoke Valley and Danvill) to assist with spill containment. The hazmat teams deployed boom in the River. CSX has contracted with companies necessary to repair the track, upright the derailed cars, and perform environmental cleanup. The environmental cleanup contractors coordinated with EPA. CSX also contracted three environmental consultant companies to perform air monitoring and sampling of water and soils.

EPA Region 4 offered to provide air monitoring assistance. EPA Region 3 accepted this offer. EPA offered assistance with particulate monitoring because of the health risk of the particulates in the fire. Since the fire is out, no extensive air monitoring is being performed. However, EPA Region 4 has deployed equipment in sensitive population areas including a park, outside of a children's museum and in residential areas. The OSC also activated the START contractor who will be on scene tomorrow to assist EPA.

A representative from EPA Region 3 Water Division coordinated with the Virginia Department of Healh. There are three known drinking water intakes downstream:

                    Water System                            Population
                    City of Richmond                            197,000
                    Henrico County                               289,000
                    James River Correctional Facility        6,900

This information has been very helpful to the responders on Site. VDEM has been in contact with the localities above. All have switched to an alternative water supply.  However, this water supply is suffiicient for 5 days only. VDEM has requested assistance with modeling the release and an estimation on the time of the crude arrival at the drinking water intakes. The OSCs on scene have reached back to the Regional Office and EPA for assistance.

At approximately 9 pm, CSX began removing cars which were not involved in the derailment. At approximately midnight, NTSB began their investigation of the incident. NTSB authorized CSX to upright the cars which did not derail into the James River. CSX is currently extracting each car and uprighting it so that a damage assessment can be performed. If the car is damaged, it will be offloaded onsite using vac trucks and the oil will be transferred to the WEL facility.

VDEM, VDEQ, and EPA met with the lead environmental consultant (Arcadis) and requested samples of the three blends of products. EPA plans to have these samples analyzed.  This analysis will be used to compare environmental concentrations to the source concentrations.

EPA has also offered to assist with sampling of the drinking water intakes. VDEM will coordinate with the local authorities to determine if this sampling is needed in order for the localities to make a determination on the use of the their drinking water. OSC Cruz has reached out to EPA's Fort Meade Laboratory to inquire if these samples can be analyzed by EPA, if necessary.

OSC Cruz contacted the the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as notification to natural resource trustees. EPA personnel on scene are attempting to identify the proper point of contact for notification of historic preservation sites.

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)

CSX has accepted responsibility for the cleanup.

2.2 Planning Section

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

CSX will continue to work to upright cars which are not in the river. Damage assessments are being performed for each car.

VDEM will continue to coordinate Unified Command activities on Site.
VDEQ will continue to monitor environmental sampling and analysis work.

The City of Lynchburg continues to provide Fire and Law Enforcement Support.

EPA will continue to provide air monitoring and sampling support.

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

The situation is still in the emergency phase. Following removal of the derailed cars, the Unified Command members will work with the CSX contractors for assessment and cleanup of the areas affected by the release. The natural resource trustees will also be included in this process.

2.2.2 Issues

1. EPA has been requested to provide predictions on anticipated impact on drinking water intakes
2. The emergency phase will continue until the derailed cars are removed from the Site.
3. NTSB is continuing its investigations. No photos can be released until after investigation is complete.

2.3 Logistics Section

CSX is handling all logistics

2.4 Finance Section