Region 2 serving the people of New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

VESTAL WATER SUPPLY WELL 1-1 SUPERFUND SITE

Public MeetingOU-2 Proposed Plan

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

IntroductionsEPA: Cecilia Echols – Community Involvement Coordinator Damian Duda –Remedial Project Manager Salvatore Badalamenti - Section Chief Rob Alvey – Hydrogeologist Terrence Johnson –Project Manager (Environmental

Response Team) Dave Aloysius – EPA Consultant

NYSDEC: Payson Long – Project Manager

NYSDOH: Anthony Perretta – Public Health Specialist

28/29/2016

AgendaI. Welcome and Introduction

II. Superfund Remedial Process

III. Vestal Water Supply Well 1-1 Site History

IV. EPA’s Proposed Plan for OU-2 ROD Amendment

V. EPA’s Preferred OU-2 Remedy

VI. Questions + Answers

VII. Closing

38/29/2016

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

• CERCLA or “Superfund” – An Act passed by Congress in 1980, as amended in 1986, gave EPA the authorization to cleanup abandoned contaminated sites nationwide.

• Under the Superfund program, federal funds are allocated to clean up contamination resulting from toxic or hazardous waste disposal.

48/29/2016

Superfund Remedy Selection Process

National Priorities List (NPL) Listing

Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS)

Proposed Plan

Record of Decision (ROD) or Amendment to ROD

Remedial Design

Remedial Action (Construction)

Operations and Maintenance (O+M) (if necessary)

Long Tern Response Action (if necessary)

58/29/2016

National Priorities List

The National Priorities List (NPL) enables EPA to initiate and oversee the cleanup of these hazardous waste sites.

The Vestal Water Supply Well 1-1 Superfund Site added to the NPL in September 1983 as a result of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in the drinking water Well 1-1.

68/29/2016

Site Description - Vestal Water Supply Well 1-1

Located in the Town of Vestal, Broome County, New York, near the Susquehanna River.

Groundwater flows in a west/northwest direction.

Approximately 28,000 people reside in the Town of Vestal.

The majority of the residents are on public water.

Divided into two portions: Western and Eastern

78/29/2016

Site Description - Vestal Water Supply Well 1-1

Western Portiono The wellfield (Well 1-1/1-1A) and treatment plant.o Fire department training center.o State-owned forest lands.o Recreational field.

Eastern Portiono Stage Road Industrial Park occupies about 5.5 acres.o Areas 1 through 4 are located within the Stage Road

Industrial Park and were originally investigated in OU2 as potential sources of soil contamination to Well 1-1.

o 200 Stage Road includes 60,000 square foot building.

88/29/2016

Vestal 1-1 Water Supply Well Site Location

98/29/2016

Two Operable Units for the Vestal 1-1 Site

For investigative and remediation purposes, EPA divided the Vestal 1-1 site into two Operable Units (OUs) in order to make it easier to investigate each primary contaminated media.

OU-1 for the Groundwater OU-2 for the Soils

108/29/2016

Operable Unit 1 (OU-1) : Groundwater

EPA Record of Decision – 1986

Selected Remedy

o Installation of air stripper on Well 1-1.

o Sample the groundwater for VOC contamination.

o Restoration of Vestal Water District 1.

o Hydraulic containment of the contaminant plume.

o Initiate an RI/FS for soil contamination.

118/29/2016

Operable Unit 2 (OU-2) : Soils

EPA Record of Decision – 1990

Selected Remedy

o In situ soil vapor extraction (SVE) of the VOC-contaminated soils in the Stage Road Industrial Park (Areas 1 – 4).

o Monitoring program to evaluate the progress of the SVE.

o Monitoring program to assess inorganic contaminants in the aquifer.

128/29/2016

Site History to Present

In 1978, Vestal Well 1-1 found to contain high concentrations of chlorinated VOCs.

During 1986-1988, NYSDEC focused its RI/FS work on groundwater contaminated with VOCs.

During this time, VOCs found in the soils at the Stage Road Industrial Park were determined to be the primary source of groundwater contamination.

In 1990, Vestal Water Supply Well 1-1 was shut down and abandoned.

138/29/2016

Site History to Present

Early 1995, new Well 1-1A was installed to provide public water.

Mid-1995, Well 1-1A was removed from the Town’s water supply service, since the Town no longer needed it.

1993, treatment plant constructed to treat VOC-contaminated groundwater from Well 1-1A.

Early 1997, Soil Vapor Extraction (SVE) system installed in Area 2.

In 2000, SVE system completed soil remediation in Area 2.

148/29/2016

Site History to Present

In 2003, SVE system installed in Area 4.

Operated for about two years with continued high VOC levels found in soils.

January 2006, Area 4 SVE system shut down because it was determined to be ineffective.

Early 2010, EPA’s Environmental Response Team began intensive soil investigation of Areas 3 and 4.

VOC contamination found in soils in Areas 3 and 4 and beneath the building.

158/29/2016

Site History to Present

PCB contamination also found in soils in Area 3.

2016, EPA issued its Focused Feasibility Study of selected remedial alternatives.

NYSDEC maintains the groundwater treatment plant.

EPA continues to sample subslab vapors below the Stage Road building every other year to monitor any contamination.

EPA performs five-year reviews to ensure protectiveness of the remedy.

168/29/2016

Focus of EPA Investigation

200 Stage Road

Area zoned commercial/light industrial.

Includes 60,000 square foot building. Formerly used in manufacture of transformers and electronic circuit boards. Currently used for light automotive work.

Area 3 (northeast) and Area 4 (south) are the focus of soils investigation.

Adjacent to and underneath the main building in parking lot areas.

Contaminated soils are primary source of continued groundwater contamination.

178/29/2016

OU-2 Investigation Assessment Site Plan

8/29/2016 18

Results of the Area 3 and 4 Soil Investigation

The primary contaminants of concern (COCs) are VOCs

Trichloroethene or TCE

1,1,1-trichloroethane or TCA

cis-1,2-dichlorothene or DCE

1,2,4-trimethylbenzene (1,2,4-TMB)

1,3,5-TMB

Polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs

EPA took hundreds of soil samples.

Most contamination found to be between five and 20 feet deep.

198/29/2016

Results of the Area 3 and 4 Soil Investigation

High levels of TCA and TCE - primary COCs found in Area 4.

TMB compounds and PCBs - primary COCs found in Area 3.

TMBs found in Area 3 determined to be from a different source than those VOCs found in Area 4, since they were not found in Area 4.

Lower levels of VOCs detected under the building.

The presence of PCBs in soils is believed to be a result of releases from transformer manufacturing.

208/29/2016

Scope of Soil Investigation

218/29/2016

Human Health Risk Assessment - OU 2 EPA uses a four-step process to assess site-related human health risks

for reasonable maximum exposure scenarios:

Hazard Identificationo VOCso Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

Exposure Assessmento Direct contact (touching)o Ingestion (eating/drinking)o Inhalation (breathing)

Toxicity Assessment - evaluation of health effects of chemicals. Risk Characterization - calculation of cancer risks and non-cancer hazards.

Majority of risk is from exposure to PCBs in soils for a future construction worker.

228/29/2016

Remedial Action Objectives and Soil Cleanup Levels

Prevent and minimize exposure to COCs through inhalation, direct contact or ingestion.

Ensure protection of future construction workers from COCs during any excavation.

Ensure the protection of groundwater from continued release of VOCs from contaminated soils.

Soil cleanup levels or preliminary remediation goals are based on NYSDEC Part 375 Soil Cleanup Objectives or SCOs.

238/29/2016

Soil Cleanup Levels

Contaminants of Concern (COCs) Preliminary Remediation Goals (mg/kg)

1,1,1-Trichloroethane (TCA) 0.68

Trichloroethene (TCE) 0.47

cis-1,2-Dichloroethene (DCE) 0.25

1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene (1,2,4-TMB) 3.6

1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene (1,3,5-TMB) 8.4

Total PCBs (0 to 1 foot) 1.0

Total PCBs (greater than 1 foot) 10.0

248/29/2016

Remedial Alternatives for OU-2 Remedy Alternative R1: No Action

Alternative R2: Excavation and Off-Site Disposal

25

Capital Cost $39,223,160

Present Worth Cost $39,223,160

Annual O+M Cost $0

Construction Time ~12 months

Capital Cost $0

Annual O+M $0

Construction Time N/A

8/29/2016

Remedial Alternatives for OU-2 Remedy

Alternative R3: In situ Thermal Treatment (ISTT) andExcavation and Off-site Disposal

26

Capital Cost $14,500,000

Present Worth $14,500,000

Annual O+M $0

Construction Time 11-14 months

8/29/2016

ISTT Methods Electrical resistance heating (ERH) delivers an electrical current

between metal rods called “electrodes” installed underground. The heat generated as movement of the current meets resistance from soil converts groundwater and water in soil into steam, vaporizing contaminants.

Steam enhanced extraction (SEE) injects steam underground by pumping it through wells drilled in the contaminated area. The steam heats the area and mobilizes and evaporates contaminants.

Thermal conduction heating (TCH) uses heaters placed in underground steel pipes. TCH can heat the contaminated area hot enough to destroy some chemicals.

Combination of methods.

8/29/2016 27

Comparative Analysis of Alternatives Threshold Criteria

– Overall Protection of Human Health and the Environment– Compliance with Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate

Requirements (ARARs)

Primary Balancing Criteria– Long-term Effectiveness and Permanence– Reduction of Toxicity, Mobility and Volume– Short-term Effectiveness– Implementability– Cost

Modifying Criteria– State Acceptance– Community Acceptance

288/29/2016

Vestal Well 1-1 Superfund Site - Preferred Remedy

Alternative R3: In situ Thermal Treatment (ISTT) and Excavation and Off-site Disposal

Excavation of and off-site disposal of approximately 730 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated soils.

ISTT of VOC-contaminated soils.

298/29/2016

Vestal Well 1-1 Superfund Site - Preferred Remedy

[Conceptual Approach of ISTT]

Installation of thermal conductive heating (TCH) wells with area-specific treatment temperatures.

Application of steam to subsurface soils to control heating.

Extraction of soil vapor and steam from wells to capture vaporized contaminants.

Treatment of extracted liquid and vapor with granular activated carbon or GAC.

Monitoring of temperature and pressure to track subsurface heating.

8/29/2016 30

Community Relations Administrative Record file available at:

For General Inquiries: Cecilia Echols, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator, at

(212) 637-3678. Community Involvement Hotline at (877) 251-4575.

For additional information:https://www.epa.gov/superfund/vestal-well-1-1

31

Town of Vestal Library320 Vestal ParkwayEast Vestal, New York 13850(607) 754-4243

EPA Superfund Records Center290 Broadway, 18th FloorNew York, NY 10007-1866(212) 637-4308

8/29/2016

Written Comments and Additional Information

Please address written comments no later than Wednesday, September 21, 2016 to:

Damian DudaUS EPA, Region 2

290 Broadway, 20th FloorNew York, New York 10007-1866

duda.damian@epa.gov

This presentation and the Proposed Plan may be found at: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/vestal-well-1-1

328/29/2016