Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Fulton Financial Realty Company (Formerly: Lancaster Metals Science Corporation) in East Petersburg, Pennsylvania
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Land Reuse
- Site Responsibility
Cleanup Status
Groundwater contamination at the facility contains low levels of trichloroethylene (TCE), Vinyl Chloride, and 1,2-Dichloroethylene. Natural attenuation via biodegradation and the utilization of the facility sump system to collect and treat groundwater with activated carbon are the primary mechanisms to remediate groundwater contamination. Annual groundwater monitoring confirms the efficiency of the remediation. Groundwater contamination has remained within the facility property boundaries and the size of the groundwater plume continues to decrease.
On September 2021, EPA issued an Explanation of Significance Differences (ESD) that modifies the Final Remedy for the Facility by reducing the frequency and scope of groundwater monitoring to every five years plus three months at monitoring wells M-4, M-10, and the sump, provided that Fulton continues to operate the pump-and-treat system with a granular activated carbon (GAC) filter at the Facility until EPA provides written approval that the cleanup standards in the Final Remedy have been attained.
The modifications to the frequency and scope of the groundwater monitoring are subject to the following activity and use limitations:
1. The Facility shall not be used for residential purposes unless it is demonstrated to EPA that such use will not pose a threat to human health or the environment, and EPA provides prior written approval for such use. Residential use includes, but is not limited to, any improvement, structure, or dwelling used for living accommodations including single-family residences, apartments or condominiums, hospitals or other medical facilities, schools, childcare centers, senior centers for the elderly, or live-in nursing homes.
2. Groundwater at the Facility shall not be used for any purpose except for EPA-approved monitoring unless EPA provides prior written approval for such use.
3. Treatment of the groundwater by activated carbon in the sump system prior to discharge shall continue, existing monitoring wells shall remain operational, and monitoring at wells M4, M-10, and the sump shall continue every five years plus three months until EPA has provided written approval that cleanup standards in the Final Remedy have been attained.
4. The then-current Facility owner shall conduct an annual well survey in coordination with appropriate representatives of East Petersburg Borough and East Hempfield Township to determine if any new wells are installed within a half-mile radius of the Facility that may impact the groundwater contaminant plume. If the annual groundwater well survey indicates that a well within a half-mile radius may cause the plume to migrate offsite, EPA shall evaluate the groundwater data and, if appropriate, propose a groundwater remedy modification, including re-initiation of groundwater monitoring at wells M-5, M-6, and M-9, to protect human health and the environment.
On December 21, 2022, an environmental covenant was implemented for the facility, and the EPA determined the facility was ready for anticipate use. Cleanup goals have been achieved current and reasonably anticipated future land uses of the facility so there are no unacceptable risks..
Site Description
The Facility is located at 1695 State Street (400 feet north of Route 722) in East Petersburg, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and is approximately 18 acres in size. From the early 1950s to 1977, the Hamilton Watch Company operated a photochemical etching and fuse assembly business at this Facility. From 1977 to 1984, Lancaster Metal Science Corporation (LMS) operated a photochemical etching business. In 1979, Lancaster Industrial Development Authority acquired the property and entered into an Installment Sale Agreement with Fulton Financial Corporation. Fulton Financial Realty Company (Fulton), a wholly owned subsidiary of Fulton Financial Corporation, is the present owner and the sole operator of the Facility. Fulton Financial Realty presently uses the Facility as administrative offices.
Contaminants at this Facility
Primary contaminants in groundwater at the facility are low levels TCE, Vinyl Chloride, and 1,2-Dichloroethylene.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
Restrictions or Controls that Address: | Yes | No |
---|---|---|
Groundwater Use
|
X
|
|
Residential Use
|
X
|
|
Excavation
|
|
X
|
Vapor Intrusion
|
|
X
|
Capped Area(s)
|
|
X
|
Other Engineering Controls
|
X
|
|
Other Restrictions
|
|
X
|
Institutional Controls at the facility include land use and groundwater use restrictions. Land use at the site is limited to non-residential use. Any proposed changes in land use beyond the current designated non-residential use will require the approval of EPA and must meet the required cleanup standards for the specific land use. There is no groundwater use at the property. The property is connected to public water for potable purposes. Currently, the legal instruments that enforce ICs at the facility are the EPA Order and the local ordinances.
Engineering Controls (ECs) encompass a variety of engineered and constructed physical barriers (e.g., soil cap, subsurface venting systems, fences, groundwater pump and treat) to contain and/or prevent exposure to contamination. ECs implemented at the site include groundwater monitoring and remediation of the VOCs plume. Fulton will continue to monitor the groundwater to ensure that the implemented corrective action effectively remediates and controls the groundwater plume. Furthermore, Fulton will continue to submit progress reports every 13 months to EPA that assess the effectiveness of the implemented remedies and to ensure to that the remedies continue to meet the requirements of protection of human health and the environment.
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
The site is being reused.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action activities at this facility have been conducted under the direction of EPA Region 3.