U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Lynchburg Crude Oil Train Derailment - Removal Polrep
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region III
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Subject:
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POLREP #3
Lynchburg Crude Oil Train Derailment
Lynchburg, VA
Latitude: 37.4100000 Longitude: -79.1394000
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To:
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From:
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Christine Wagner & Francisco Cruz, OSC
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Date:
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5/4/2014
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Reporting Period:
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5/2/2014-5/4/2014
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1. Introduction
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1.1 Background
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Site Number: |
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Contract Number: |
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D.O. Number: |
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Action Memo Date: |
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Response Authority: |
OPA |
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Response Type: |
Emergency |
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Response Lead: |
PRP |
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Incident Category: |
Removal Assessment |
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NPL Status: |
Non NPL |
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Operable Unit: |
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Mobilization Date: |
4/30/2014 |
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Start Date: |
4/30/2104 |
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Demob Date: |
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Completion Date: |
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CERCLIS ID: |
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RCRIS ID: |
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ERNS No.: |
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State Notification: |
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FPN#: |
E14309 |
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Reimbursable Account #: |
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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. Estimated volume 23,000-30,000 gallons of crude oil. Potential impact to drinking water intakes in Richmond and Henrico County, VA
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2. Current Activities
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2.1 Operations Section
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2.1.1 Narrative
This polrep continues documentation of activities at a CSX derailment site in the City of Lynchburg, VA. The incident involves a partial 16-car derailment of a 105 car crude oil train. The incident occurred on the afternoon of April 30, 2014. No injuries occurred.
The incident remains in the emergency phase, but operations at this time are limited to daylight hours. CSX and Lyncburg Police Department are maintaining 24-hour scene security. For more details regarding the day of the incident, please refer to POLREP #1.
The City of Lynchburg Department of Fire Rescue is the Incident Commander for the Site.
VDEM is on scene and is 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
Operations
CSX Operations Pertaining to Derailment
All derailed cars have been moved to the CSX right-of-way. On Friday 5/2/14, CSX contractors offloaded the two remaining cars that had derailed into the river. These cars were removed from the bank. No additional oil discharge occurred. Booms are set up outside of the derailment zone. Secondary containment boom is set up downstream. The entire train consisted of 105 cars, all transporting crude oil. Cars not involved in the derailment were moved on 4/30/14. All of the derailed cars are now stable on the CSX right-of-way
CSX contractors excavated the contaminated soils around the derailment area and also along the bank where the three cars derailed into the James River. These soils have been covered and are staged for disposal.
CSX held a meeting with onsite personnel to discuss the plan for offloading the 16 derailed cars. CSX has received approval from Norfolk-Southern to use the adjacent rail line for the purposes of offloading. Twenty empty cars will be brought onto scene. CSX contractors will use a closed-loop vapor recovery system while transferring the contents to the empty cars. Lynchburg Fire will be on standby.
The transfer operation was scheduled to begin on Sunday 5/4/14 at noon. However, NTSB halted operations because of the ongoing investigation. NTSB met with Fire officials and VDEM. Local and Commonwealth officials expressed the need to offload as soon as possible to remove the threat from the neighborhood. NTSB officials insisted that an additional day was needed to complete their investigation. Hence, the transfer operation has been postponed until Monday 5/5/14.
CSX personnel worked on rebuilding the track damaged by the derailment.
The CSX environmental contractor performed overflights on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. A sheen was observed on Friday at Dutch Gap, west of Richmond. This sheen had dissipated on Saturday. On Saturday, the overflight crew also observed a sheen in Richmond around a tank farm. Further investigation confirmed that this sheen was not related to the train derailment.
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Environmental Operations
CSX's contractor has been performing daily overflights. On Friday 5/2/14, a sheen was observed at Dutch Gap, west of Richmond. Henrico County officials were notified and monitored the sheen. An additional sheen sighting was reported in Cumberland County. DEQ responded to this call, but did not observe any sheen.
CSX is setting up an online reporting system for sheen sightings. This system will allow Unified Command members to report sheens. The reports will likely come in from various sources including emergency lines, complaint lines and other notifications. Local, Commonwealth, and Federal representative on Unified Command will be able to enter this information and follow up.
EPA received results for Volatile Organic Analysis from the samples collected at the three downstream drinking water intakes. This analysis did not indicate the presence of any fuel compounds. Preliminary data regarding semi-volatile compounds analysis was received on 5/4/14. No fuel compounds were identified.
CSX's contractor collected duplicate samples at these locations. Preliminary results for VOCs, SVOCs, and metals did not indicate the presence of fuel contaminants.
CSX's environmental contractor performed water sampling at four locations.
This information was provided to the Virginia Department of Health.
Air monitoring was scaled back to the Site location area. No elevated readings have been detected in the neighborhood.
Tri-State Bird & Rescue performed an assessment on the River on 5/2/14 and reported no adverse affects to wildlife.
The James River Association was also on Site. They offered to assist with sheen sightings.
CSX's contractor, Arcadis prepared an information sheet on sheen sightings. During this time, large areas of the River are covered with mats of pollen and other spring vegetation. The information sheet will help describe the differences in natural sheen vs. oil sheens.
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2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
CSX has accepted responsibility for the cleanup.. A CSX representative onsite signed EPA's Notice of Federal Interest.
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2.2 Planning Section
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2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
Transfer operations are scheduled to begin Monday 5/5/14 at 9 am.
CSX contractors will continue to maintain boom at the spill Site and downstream of the incident location.
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, Medical, and Law Enforcement Support.
NTSB will continue its investigation.
EPA will continue to provide support as needed.
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. The operational plan has been delayed by one day due to the need to postpone transfer operations. CSX predicts the transfer process will take 2-3 days. All cars have been uprighted and are stable at this time.
2. The Virginia Department of Health has issued a river advisory. This is included in the DOCUMENTS section of this website.
3. EPA, VDEM, and VDEQ have requested samples from the product in the derailed cars. CSX will provide these samples on 5/5/14. A clarification is necessary with regard to Polrep #2. Polrep #2 suggested that the 3 blends of Bakken oil are 3 different products and that each car contains one of these products. This is incorrect. The blends indicate the type of oil which are found in Bakken crude. However, analysis is needed to indicate the composition of the oil in the cars. The SDS alone cannot be used to make this determination.
4. NTSB requires that photos of the damaged cars cannot be released while the investigation is ongoing.
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2.3 Logistics Section
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CSX is handling all logistics for the cleanup and derailment.
The City of Lynchburg is providing fire, medical, and law enforcement support
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2.4 Finance Section
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No information available at this time.
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2.5 Other Command Staff
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No information available at this time.
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3. Participating Entities
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3.1 Unified Command
CSX
City Of Lynchburg
VDEM
VDEQ
NTSB
EPA
3.2 Cooperating Agencies
Virginia Department of Health
Virginia Department of Public Safety
EPA Office of Water
EPA Environmental Science Center Fort Meade
Henrico County
City of Richmond
TSA
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4. Personnel On Site
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City of Lynchburg
Fire & Eemrgency Services
EMS
Law Enforcement
Public Works
CSX
Hepaco
WEL
Arcadis
CTEH
Enviroscience
Cranemasters
VDEQ
VDEM
Virginia Dept of Public Safety
NTSB
EPA
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5. Definition of Terms
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VOA (or VOC) - Volatile Organic Analysis or Volatile Organic Compounds
SVOC - Semi-volatile organic compounds
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6. Additional sources of information
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The Heatlh Department Advisoryhas been added to the website in the "DOCUMENTS" section
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7. Situational Reference Materials
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No information available at this time.
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