The St. Francis Auto Wreckers Site is an active auto salvage yard located in a populated, mixed residential and commercial area within the city of St. Francis, Wisconsin. The site is located at 4043 South Pennsylvania Avenue and covers approximately 115,000 square feet. The site is surrounded by commercial areas to the east and residential areas to the south and north. To the west of the site is the newly developed Lake Parkway, which runs parallel to the site. A trench/drainage area runs east to west directly north of the St. Francis Auto Wrecker’s office. Lake Michigan is approximately 7,800 feet east of the site.
Auto salvage and recycling operations were conducted at the site for the past 40 years. The operations were primarily confined to the southern half of the site area. Previous records and inspections indicate that the northern portion of the site was once a portion of a landfill for the Town of Lake, Wisconsin, and was purchased by the site owner to expand his business. The area of concern is approximately 230 feet by 200 feet on the northern portion of the property.
WDOT purchased the western portion of the property from the site owners to develop the Lake Parkway. In 1991, WDOT conducted soil sampling in the proposed Lake Parkway right of way. The sampling activities conducted by WDOT had reveled PCB contamination in soils ranging from 4.83 to 474 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg). From July 2001 until September 2006, additional sampling activities were conducted to further delineate the extent of contamination. North Shore Environmental was contracted to remove all contamination and buried drums within the Lake Parkway right of way and adjacent to the Parkway.
In October 2007, the U.S. EPA OSC, EPA Enforcement personnel, and START contractor STN Environmental, JV performed site assessment activities. Sampling activities were conducted in the WDNR test pit areas consisting of two samples, SS-1 and SS-2. A third sample, SS-3 was collected from the drainage/trench area that runs in an east to west direction, north of the St. Francis Auto Wreckers main building.
Sample results showed lead, chromium and PCB contamination above RCRA limits in SS-1 (refer to Site Assessment Report prepared by STN Environmental, dated June 5, 2008). Trace levels of PCB’s (>1 mg/kg) were found in SS-2 and SS-3. Historical WDNR and WDOT sample results also show the presence of TCE above RCRA limits within the areas of the test pits, along with TCLP VOC flashpoint results of <140º, showing some soil may be considered ignitable. Based on these results, it was determined that a Time-Critical Removal Action was necessary, and the action was initiated on October 20, 2008.
