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UNIT ED ST ATt.S ENVIRONM ENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

WASHINGTON , D .C . Z04 6 0

0HtCl0' IOLIO WASTl A"'D IIAI III Gl l. t "' l'lli,ONII

MEMORANDUM W kSTE RESPONSE A. COMPUANa BRA: l .:tt

SUBJECT:

FROM:

TO:

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Authorization to Proceed with Remedial Plannino Activities at Pive Sites in the Commonwealth of Hassachuse~~~~~IO'f_ ~EHoRANour

wi~"''ft'a''ertia-v i?J Director: · Office of Emergency and Remedial Response

Lee H. Thomas, Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste_ and Emergency Response

The purpose of this memorandum. is to request authorization to unde rtake remed i al planni ng a c tivities at five sites located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts . All five si tes are on the proposed National Priorities Lis t . The Commonwea lth of Massachusetts hila requested that the EPA take the lead on the remedial planning activities at the following si':es:

BACKGROUNb

Baird ' McGu ire , Inc. Holbrook, HA Groveland Wells tl and t2, Groveland, MA Hocomoco Pond, Westboro, MA

• Cannon Engineering Corporation, Plymouth, HA • Cannon Engineering Corporation, Bridgewater, HA

A Remedial Action Master Plan (RAMP) has been prepared for each site. The executive summary of each RAMP is attached providing detailed information on the site . The following are brief descriptions of the five sites:

Baird ' McGuire, Holbrook

BaiJ·d and McGuire, Inc., is a chemical mix i ng cqmpany located in the town of Holbrook, Massachusetts. The company began operation in 1912 and produces disinfectants, soap, floor wax, and pesticides .

~~:m~~=~s t~r~1:!~e~h!~e v:!:. a:~. iSi!~~a~~=~, i~~: :!~h u~~~~!d that lagoons located on the property .

About 100,000 gallons of hazardous wastes are stored in · several tanks, a lagoon, and a cesspool. Chlordane was detected in samples of ground water taken by the Massachusetts Department of ·Environmental Quality Engineering ( DEQE) in Feburary 19~2. ·

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The t own, concerned with the proximity o f s urface water pathways to the w:Her supply systems of Bra i n~ree, Randolph, and Holbrook, has asked the U.S . Environmenta l Protection Agency for assistance. These wa t er supply systems serve over 75,000 people .

Region I h~s sent notice letters to the owner/ operator. After a conference with the owner/operator, it was determined that the company would not be able to undertake the necessary work.

Groveland Wells tl and 12, Gr~veland

The Groveland production wells tl and 12 are the main source of potable water for the inhabitants of Groveland, Massachusetts. In 1979, both wells were shut down due to chemical contamination, which was documented by analysis made by the Massachusetts OEOE. The town identified three main sources of contamination and filed enforcement claims against the three companies involved. One settled with the town, by agreeing to conduct a study to determine the extent of their source of contamination. The other two defendants have not completed any settlement with the

_town,

. With the production wells shut down, the to\lln received funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development in 1979 to install a third ..,ell. In addition, the town received water from the adjacent communities of Havei-hill and Georgeto'oln. The purchase of water from the neighboring communities is considered a temporary measure. Engineering studies ·have reconunended aerating· water or using activated carbon in connection with production wells 11 and 12 . These studies will be evaluated with other -options in the feasibility study.

Hocomoco Pond, Westborou9h

The site is on the shore of Hocomoco Pond, in Westboro, Massachusetts. The pond is used for recreation. The site is presently owned by Smith ·valve Corporation, a company that manufactures steel valves . From 1928 until 1946, a tract of land on the south side ot the pond was the site of a wood-treatino optration. Wastes were discharged to an unlined lagoon south of th.t operation and possibly to the pond and to a low-land east of the lagoon. Smith Valve Parkway runs in a northeasterly direction, passing south at the lagoon. In 1916, atom sewers were installed to drain the roadway. During pe~iods of warm \lieather and high water table, a creosote-like material enters the sewer pipes through joints and discharges to the pond •

.._) Cannon Engineering Corporation, (CEC) Plymouth Harbor

The Cannon Engineering Corporation site is located in an industri•l park near Plymouth Harbor in Massachusetts. Th~ half-acre site consists of two above-ground 250,000 gallon tanks

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and one 500,000 gallon tank containing mixed solvents and oily wastes. These tanks are about 20 yards from the shores of the Harbor. Several seams have leaked, resulting in cont amination of soils around the tanks. Ground water contamination has not been determined due to the lack of available wells and numerous other po.tential sources of contamination. Officials of the industri ... l park have compl ained about odors.

Major concerns center around the possible rupture of the tanks resulting in both ground wate~ and surface water contami­nation . In addi t ion, the fire mar shall has certif.ied that the site poses a fire and e xPl os i on hazard . At present , Region I a nd the Offic e of Waste ~rograms Enforcemenr. a r e p r esently invol ved i n nego t iations for the removal of t he above ground t anks wi t h t he site owner.

Cannon Engineer i ng Cor poratio n, (CEC) Br idgewat e r

The Cannon Eng ineer i ng Co rpo:.:ation' s Bridgeport, Massa chusetts, f acility is a t wo-acre site located on First Street. The s ite was used for the s torage: and incineration of wastes. On-s ite structures include four proce ss buildings, an office/ ware house , and a thermal oxidizer . Hazardous wastes are contained in tanks (tOt4l capacity 516,4 00 gallo ns) and approximately 650 ~ru:ns .

':) The owne rs of Cannon Eng i neering have been found guilty of

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illegal storage and disposal of hazardous wastes, and they are currently serving jail sentences. The company has been placed in receivership, but the receiver has not been able to finance the continued operation ·of thtt feeility.

Ground wate r south o f the site is contaminated with benzene, 1, 1,1 trichloroethane, and toluene; howe ver, no drinking wate r wells apparently are be ing co ntaminated at this time . SurfaCe water r e lease s have been observed in a pond t o the south and in a · swamp to the west o f the sit~ . The soils are also h i ghly contaminat e d.

ENFORCEMENT

See Attachmer.t

PROPOSED PROJECT

The RAMP's which have been prepared for each site outline an approach to be taken for the pomprehensive remedial investiga­tions. The RAMP's address the limitations of the existing data and provide an approach to collect the necessary data during a remedial investigation. The detailed site investigations. will follow the recommendations in the RAMP's.

The remedial investigilt i ons and feasi bility studies will be overlapped as much a s poss i ble to reduce the overall schec;!ules at the sites. Onc e t he i nformation is collected dur i ng the remedial i nve s t i gat i on phase, a feas ibility study will be conducted to .

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screen, review, and evaluate remedial alternatives. The feasibility anaJysis of alternatives will consider both cost and non-cost criteria, At the completion of the feasibility study, input from the affected community will be sought on selection of the remedies.

PROJECT COSTS AND SCHEDULES

COST ($K)

ill!. !!.! ~ ~

Baird • McGuire 325 115 440

Groveland Wells 350 150 500

Hocomoco Pond 300 100 400

Cannon Eng ./Plymouth 120 so 170

Cannon Eno ./Br idgewater 300 100 400

The projects are scheduled to be completed within 10 to 15 months of start date •

.J RECOMMENDATION

I recommend the authorization to proceed with funcHno for the above remedial planning activities at the five sites in the Commonwealth of Hassachuae~ts,

I am ava ilable to discuss this reque s t in more detail at your convenience.

APPROVAL

DISAPPROVE. ___________ _

DATE. __ .!.,7f-/J..7 .l..l_.f;j--1.:.)::_ ___ _ rt

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ENFORCEMENT STATUS

The Office of Waste Programs Enforcement has released the sites for Remedial Investig.ation/Feasibili~y Study. The Feasibility Studies will be coordinated with enforcement actions and negotiations with responsible parties will be conducted at the completion of the studies.

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UNI~ED STATES EN VIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENC Y

WASHINGTON , O .C. Z0~60

SUB.JEX:T: Authorization to Proceed with Raoedial Planni1"9 Activities at Five Sites in the Omnonwealth of. Massachusetts -l\Cl'ICtl HEMORI\NIUI

FR:M: Gene Illcero, Director ( .JA.- 0 ~0 Office of waste Prc9rJ,?~lotoement (\oi'H-527)

IOz William N. Hederna.n, Jr., Director Office of Elnergency and Remedial Raspoose (WII-548)

"n'le Action MefooraOO~.n~ fran your office has been rev iewed by rrrt staff.

I oonc:ur _..:.X.:_ _______ _

I ~ not concur

I ooncur with the attached conditions

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camwnts:

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UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

WASHINGTON , O .C . 20460

7 JUL'1983

SUB:JEX:ft Authorii.ation to Proceed with Remedial Plami19 Activities at Five' Sites in the Camionwealth of Massac:bJaetts -

Aerlc:'l HEMlRANtUtdw~..f. ... ~"~· _ FR:Mt Kirk Sniff, ActifiQ Associate Enf6rcement l for Waste

Office of Enforcement Counsel - waste ( 329}

TO: William No Hedenan, Jr o , Director Office of flnergency and llernltclial Response (WH-548)

The Action !ien'orandun fran ycur office has been reviewed l:rj my staff o

I ooncur

I do not concur

I concur with the attached conditions

Date

Carments:

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UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTI.bN AGENCY

. WASHINGTON. O .C. 20460 I

O~"CI 0~ SOLID WAS'Tl AND IMII'IGI"'CY llllS,ONSI

suaJECT: Authorization to Proceed witli Remedial Pl&nnir.o Activities at Five Sites in the O::mD:Jnwealth of Massachusetts -ACriCN H!MORANIXJI .

f1'Cfh Lisa Ko Priectnan, Associate General Olunlel SOlid ~ate and llnergen(:y !loesponse Division (1.-131)

'IO: William No Hedeman, Jr o Director Office of Elne~ncy and Remedial Response (WII-548)

lhe Action Hemorandun fran your office has been reviewd trj ~ staff 0

I c:oocur

I do not concur

I concur with the attached conditions . ----'--------

Date

Cmments:

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