2.1.1 Narrative
2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
2.1.2.a Removal actions were undertaken by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) in 2000 and 2014. For additional information and details please see PolReps 1 through 7.
2.1.2.b. The following removal actions have been undertaken by EPA as part of this ongoing removal action for the current reporting period: September 17 - October 21, 2016.
The primary activities during this period included the following
tasks:
9/17-9/20
ERRS worked on the approximate one mile gravel segment of Bonanza
Mill Rd. which was in serious disrepair. The segment connects the paved road
from Sutherlin to the Mine and is the only access to the site. Photo
documentation of the road prior to the repair work was done. Equipment, trailers, and materials for the
repository repair were also mobilized to the site and set up occurred in
preparation to begin on site.
On 9/19 and 9/20 FOSCs Stanfield and Heister walked the
repository with the ERRS PM (Jason Coury) and two START engineers (Vince Gee
and Tom Campbell) to ensure all parties were on the same page. START also physically laid out and marked the
areas where drainage pipe would be placed on the repository. START also used a Jerome Hg Vapor Analyzer
across the repository to ensure levels were safe for crews to work in Level D
protection. The Jerome results gave the
crew an all clear.
9/21 to 9/26
Work began in earnest on the repository. An ERRS work crew of seven (now nine)
assembled gabion baskets, excavated two roads at the base of the repository in
preparation to place the gabions, began work on excavating the drainage system,
and cleaned out all culverts on site that may have been impacted by sediment
created when the repository cover failed.
START has been placing dust monitors daily and although it has been hot
and dry at the site, the levels have been well below levels of concern as a
result of dust management measured employed by the ERRS crew.
On 9/20 FOSCs Stanfield and Heister spoke with one of the
property residents about evidence that her children have been playing on the
repository fairly regularly. She denied
that her boys were playing in the area.
On 9/21 FOSC Heister was radioed by ERRS that the boys were playing on
the repository. Heister went directly to the repository where he found the two
boys playing with large (4’ to 5’) pointed sticks. Heister got the boys off the repository and
asked them why they were playing on it.
They said no one ever told them that they could not. Heister sent them back to their house and
asked them to stay in their yard. Their
mother was not home at the time.
On 9/23 I spoke with the property owner, who is also a
resident and the boys’ grandfather. I
explained the incident with the boys, but more importantly the evidence that
the children had been playing on the repository on a routine basis. I explained the risks and dangers of this,
especially while construction is on-going.
The property owner assured me that he would speak to the boys and their
mother and make sure they do not leave the yard and stay off the repository in
the future. FOSC Stanfield and Heister
discussed the situation and agreed more in depth discussions with both the
property residents and ODEQ after this repair is concluded.
As of end of work on 9/26, the SE corner of the repository
were reinforced with gabions and backfilled.
An additional twenty, 12’ by 6’ by 4’
gabions have been placed, filled,
and closed at the south base of the repository.
9/27 to 10/5
ERRS crews continued building the gabion buttress during the
time period stopping on Sunday 10/2 for a scheduled day off, resuming work on
Monday 10/3. As of EOB 10/4, 95% of the
buttress was completed. Additionally
crews worked during this time period installing the drainage system on the west
side of the repository. By EOB 10/4, 40%
of the drainage system was installed.
Heavy rain showers began around lunch time on 10/4 making work difficult
for the crew, but they were able to close up all open trenches and button up
the site for a forecast of heavy rain on 10/5.
The rain came in the evening of 10/4 and continued through the early
morning hours, dropping over one inch of rain.
ERRS PM, ERRS Crew Foreman, and OSC Heister went to the site early and
made the determination that the continuing rain made work conditions impossible
for 10/5 and gave the crew the day off.
Fortunately the weather forecast has no rain and warmer tempratures
through 10/11. As a result the crew will
plan to work on Sunday 10/8 to make up for taking 10/5 off. The ERRS project manager also sent three crew
members home on 10/5 because progress made on the site has made decreasing the
crew size possible.
Punctures to Liner
Discovered
On 10/3 eight punctures in the exposed liner were discovered
while crews were sweeping off the exposed liner to prep it for sand and capping.
Six are small (less than a pencil diameter), but two are roughly quarter size.
We scanned all of them with the Jerome Hg detector and did not detect anything
above background with some “non-detects”. Three punctures were on the
upper bare area, with the remaining five located on the longer downhill portion
of the exposed liner where scratches are visible. ERRS and OSC Heister did
a thorough walk of all the exposed liner and are confident that the total
number of punctures is eight.
Northwest Liners will be coming to the site on Friday 10/7
to perform necessary repairs, which are estimated to take one day. Estimated cost of the repairs will be
approximately $4.5 K.
10/6
ERRS installed the top-tier 3x3x12 foot gabion baskets on
the southwestern end of the toe, completing the gabion installation except for
a short gap near the center of the toe of the slope. The gap was left to allow
equipment access to the lower portion of the repository. Gabions would be
installed in the gap at a later date after completing drain lines and slope
restoration activities.
To date dust monitoring results show average concentrations
and maximum concentrations well below particulate action levels.
10/7
Technicians from Northwest Liners (NWL) were on site and
began reparations to the eight punctures previously identified. The NWL crew repaired the LLDPE punctures
with plug welds. Most of the punctures were pencil-diameter or smaller holes;
tears larger than 2 to 3 inches were repaired with patches laid on the LLDPE
and welded in place. All puncture
locations were cleaned prior to repair, and all of the repairs were tested with
a vacuum box to ensure repairs were adequate.
The ERRS crew continued repairing liner cover, covering the
areas after LLDPE repairs were completed.
Because approximately six new punctures were discovered as
the remainder of the liner were swept in preparation for capping, the
contractor remained on site for an additional day of repair.
10/8 – 10/12
Several days of favorable weather allowed crews to made
significant strides in installing the drain line system and cover the exposed
sections of liner with new sand and soil.
As the forecast became clear that the season’s first major storm was due
to arrive Thursday, workdays were extended to maximize daylight hours and
complete the capping of the liner and all work involving heavy equipment on the
repository. The last reaches of the
drain system and the final section of exposed liner was completed in the early
afternoon of 10/12 and the crew was able to put back in place slash material
that served as one of the main erosion control measures. The crew also began securing stockpiles and
putting in place straw bales anticipating severe stormwater.
10/13
Moderate rain allowed crews to remove the access road
constructed at the bottom of the repository and re-contour the area to its desirable
natural grade terminating at the gabion baskets. Because of the accomplishments of the
previous day ERRS was able to arrange for demobilization of the 5-yard dump
truck and the “water buffalo” water tank.
Crews continued to repair trenches and drainage ditches installing erosion
control features as needed and will look for opportunities to demobilize
additional equipment.
OSC Stanfield and one START engineer (Petersen) visited the
two adits and collected GPS coordinates using the Trimble GPS unit. Geographic coordinates are being used to
determine the location of the adits and their respective property owners. We were made aware that the children living
on the Bonanza Mine property were accessing the adits, likely with no adult
supervision. With no restrictions to
adit access the adits pose physical safety hazards to children living on the
property as well as potential trespassers.
10/14 – 10/16
Rainy conditions continued at the project site. In spite of
the wet conditions the ERRS contractor installed the remaining gabion baskets
in the gap located near the center of the gabion wall that had been left to
allow access to the lower repository slope.
Eight additional gabion baskets were installed, and were filled with 6”
- 8” gabion rock. Backfill material was
placed behind the gabions, and blended to the repository slope to provide
positive drainage off the repository. The
repository slopes and other areas of the site disturbed during the removal
action were stabilized by spreading weed-free straw. Because of heavy rain and
wet site conditions, the site was shut down mid-day on Saturday 10/15, and
remained shut down until Monday morning 10/17.
10/17 – 10/19
The contractor crew completed the slope infill behind the
gabion wall. Several truckloads of approximately 2-foot diameter boulders were
brought on site and placed in an evenly spaced row along the top of the
repository. The boulders will help restrict access and protect the repository
cover. The removal contractor placed boulders along the western portion of the
gabion wall. Other activities during
this period included stabilizing soil in disturbed areas of the site, building
a rock-lined ditch from the western end of the gabion wall to the drainage
channel, installing sedimentation basins in ditches and drainage channels,
placing slash material (obtained from neighboring timber harvest areas with
permission of the Lone Rock Timber Company), and cleaning and preparing
equipment for demobilization which is scheduled to begin Friday 10/21. Hydroseeder
subcontractor representatives visited the site; they will return and apply
hydroseed mulch mixture to the repository and other disturbed areas October
21-22.
10/21-10/24
Hydroseeding was conducted from 10/21- 10/24 (Sunday 10/23 no work was done) and ERRS completely demobilized from the site on 10/26.
2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
EPA has initiated a PRP search for this Site.
2.1.4 Progress Metrics* (as of 12/6/14)
|
Waste
Stream
|
Medium
|
Quantity
|
Manifest
#
|
Treatment
|
Disposal
|
|
Mercury, soil waste
|
Soil
and other debris
|
One 55-gallon drum
(150 lbs)
|
007851712FLE
|
Retirement via sulfide treatment
|
Bethlehem
Apparatus Co., Hellentown, PA
|
|
Mercury, wood debris
*No waste was generated or released during the 2016 action
|
Soil,
wood, and other debris
|
Two
55-gallon drums
(1000 lbs)
|
007851711FLE
|
Macro-encapsulation
|
Clean
Harbors Grassy Mountain, Grantsville, UT
|
|
