Emergency Response in New England
Emergency Response Sites
Protecting the Environment: EPA New England Increases Our Preparedness (PDF) (7 pp, 593K, about PDF)
EPA Emergency Response staff are on the front line of responding to environmental emergencies and other time-critical clean ups in New England. This portion of the Web site provides updated information on clean up and response work by EPA staff within the six New England states.
EPA Emergency Response Clean Up Sites in New England
CT
» Danbury, Conn. Anthrax Clean Up
» Mitral Corp. Site, Harwinton, Conn.
EPA is working with the Conn. Dept. of Environmental Protection (CT DEP) and the towns of Harwinton and Burlington to address contaminated soil at the 5-acre Mitral Corp. Site, located in Harwinton. Between the mid-1960's and late- 1980's, the company was engaged in several activities, including metal stamping and tooling, aqueous tumbling, chlorinated solvent vapor degreasing, sanding and degreasing along with other general machining work. Waste materials generated from these processes included spent degreasing solvents, tumbling sludges, waste oil, and scrap metal.
The Site is contaminated with chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs), most notably trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE).
Cleanup Activities
- EPA has completed treatability studies to evaluate how contaminated soils will be treated.
- Asbestos-containing materials, drums, containers, and universal wastes such as batteries, light bulbs, mercury switches, etc. will be removed.
- The factory building will be fully demolished and the demolition debris will be properly disposed of.
- EPA will coordinate with CTDEP to remove residual fuel oil sludges and to dispose of underground storage tanks.
- Above-ground storage tanks located in the area of excavation will be sampled and properly disposed of.
- Soil will be excavated and put through decontamination treatment.
- Water will be treated at the source of the contamination.
- Any areas that may be disturbed/damaged by the removal activities will be stabilized and restored once the removal work is finished.
EPA and CT DEP will attempt to minimize disruption to neighbors and the surrounding community as work proceeds. EPA will also ensure that necessary precautions are in place to protect public health as cleanup work is underway. All contaminated debris removed from the site will be disposed of at properly-licensed facilities. Trucks carrying contaminated debris off-site for disposal will be inspected prior to departure, to ensure that all tie-downs are secure and all soil will undergo a tire inspection and any necessary cleanup to ensure that contaminated soil is not leaving the work area.
Press Release:
9/13 EPA Begins Clean Up Harwinton, Conn.; Public Meeting Scheduled for Wed. Oct. 3 at 7 PM
MA
» Woodbury Coal Tar Site
Background
Salem Gas Light Company operated on the property in the late 1800s. In 1994, a portion of the former facility was gifted to the City of Salem by a family. Contamination was initially discovered at the site while preparing 12 Woodbury Court for construction of a residence. EPA expanded sampling to include the park and nearby residences.
Contaminants of Concern
Contaminants of concern on this Site include polyaromatic hydrocarbons, arsenic and lead.The contaminants of concern at this site are consistent with coal tar, a by-product associated with manufacturing coal gas. Coal gas is a flammable gaseous fuel made from coal. Prior to the development of natural gas supplies and transmission systems during 1940s and 1950s, virtually all fuel and lighting gas used in the United States was manufactured from coal.
What to Expect
EPA and its contractors will be working behind fencing temporarily constructed for the project. The fencing will prevent access to Gonyea Park until the cleanup in complete. EPA will also set up a temporary office trailer to serve as a base for operations.
EPA will be excavating and removing contaminated soil. A process of wetting and covering the soil will prevent dust, and EPA will be monitoring the air quality on and around the site. Work practices will be altered if EPA detects contaminants at one-half the standard set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Residents should continue in their daily activities. Workers will be wearing protective equipment when on Site as required by OSHA. This is meant to protect them from any contaminants they may be handling while working.
There will be a local increase in truck traffic when soil is brought to and from the site. Drivers will be specifically instructed to obey traffic laws. Anyone noting otherwise is encouraged to contact EPA with specific information for corrective action. Idling will be kept to a minimum. The number of hours worked each day may vary, but will not start before 6 am or continue after 6 pm.
EPA Contacts
Richard Haworth (haworth.richard@epa.gov)
On-Scene Coordinator
617-918-1229Kate Renahan (renahan.kate@epa.gov)
Community Involvement Coordinator
617-918-1491Additional Contacts
Salem City Hall
Kathy Winn (KWinn@salem.com), Deputy Director
Department of Planning & Community Development
978-694-3213
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
Andrew Clark (Andrew.Clark@state.ma.us), Environmental Analyst
978-694-3213
» Walton & Lonsbury Removal Site
Background:
The Site at 78 North Avenue in Attleboro, MA houses a 13,500 square foot chromium plating facility formerly operated by Walton & Lonsbury, Inc (W&L). While in operation from 1940-2007, the Site was used to chrome-plate very large and/or long objects such as pistons for large hydraulic equipment or rollers for paper mills. For a time, copper plating operations also took place until the building was remodeled in the 1950s.
A number of chemicals and chemical compounds were used and left as waste in the operations process. From 1940-1970, all wastes generated from the facility discharged into the wetlands located on the southern portion of the property via an underground pipe. After 1970, W&L used a number of different waste disposal techniques that also had environmental consequences on the Site.
Contaminants of Concern:
Contaminants of Concern on this Site include total chromium, hexavalent chromium, lead and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). The chromium compounds resulted from the use of chromic acid to perform chrome plating in the plant. Lead is a contaminant of concern because it was used for a variety of operations in the plant including the making of plumbing pieces for the plating process.
Removal Actions:
Beginning on October 19, 2010, EPA will begin to clean-up this 2.7 acre property and to sample nearby properties to identify soil contamination linked to the Site. Those residential properties and adjacent wetlands identified as impacted will also be cleaned-up. This project will take an estimated 18-36 months.
When W&L abandoned the facility in 2007, they left everything behind. The first step in the clean-up is to empty the facility, and then demolish it. Other removal operations include: Dismantling and removing the eight waste tanks on the property (five of which extend between 4-10 feet into the ground); excavating the foundation and contaminated soils on Site; clearing the wooded, wetland south of the Site; removing and/or treating contaminated soils and restoring all impacted properties
What to Expect:
EPA and its contractors will be working behind 8-foot fencing constructed for the project. This fencing will enclose the parking lot of the Walton & Lonsbury Site, which means this lot will not be available as excess parking for Hayward Park users.
While all work is being done, EPA will be monitoring the air quality on and around the Site. Work will be halted if EPA detects contamination in the air. EPA will also conduct soil sampling on the Site after removal actions to confirm the removal of contaminants.
Residents near the Site, and users of Hayward Park should expect to see an increase of truck traffic in the area. Because adjacent properties to the Site are operational industrial properties, truck traffic is not uncommon in this area.
Work operations will be conducted between 7am-7pm Monday-Saturday. Workers will be wearing protective equipment when on Site; this is meant to protect them from any contaminants they may be handling while working.
Additional Information:
Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry: ToxFAQS is a series of summaries about hazardous substances developed by the ATSDR Division of Toxicology. You can look up chemical substances and compounds alphabetically.
Site Summaries
- Walton & Lonsbury Site Update, November 2011 (PDF) (1 pg, 753K, about PDF)
- Walton & Lonsbury Site Update, June 2011 (PDF) (1 pg, 694K, about PDF)
- Walton & Lonsbury Site Update, March 2011 (PDF) (1 pg, 471K, about PDF)
- Walton & Lonsbury Site Update, January 2011 (PDF) (1 pg, 474K, about PDF)
- Walton & Lonsbury Site Update, October 2010 (PDF) (1 pg, 465K, about PDF)
Contact Info:
Elise Jakabházy (jakabhazy.elise@epa.gov)
On Scene Coordinator
617-918-1228Elsbeth Hearn (hearn.elsbeth@epa.gov)
Alternate On Scene Coordinator
617-918-1265Emily Zimmerman (zimmerman.emily@epa.gov)
Community Involvement Coordinator
617-918-1037Jeffrey Chormann (jeffrey.chormann@state.ma.us)
Mass Department of Environmental Protection
Chief of the Assessment and Reporting Branch
Bureau of Waste Prevention
617-292-5888
» Emergency responders called into action after accidental mercury spill at the Grafton Street Elementary School Building #2, Worcester, MA
On Tuesday, September 21, 2010, an accidental release of mercury occurred at the Grafton Street Elementary School Building #2 in Worcester, MA. During the day, a sixth grade student brought mercury into the school in a pint sized jar and showed his friends and teacher. The jar was opened in the classroom and mercury was released from the jar – triggering a large environmental and public health response. Mercury is a liquid, metallic substance, which gives off vapors. When inhaled, mercury can be harmful to health – especially for young children.
Working closely with officials from the City of Worcester, teams of federal and state environmental and public health responders came on the scene on Wednesday September 22nd. Worcester officials requested that parents bring potentially contaminated belongings to the school for testing using an emergency calling system to reach the parents of more than 240 students who were in the building at the time of the spill. Over 200 students voluntarily gave their belongings for screening and approximately 100 of these children's belongings tested positive for intermediate to high levels of mercury.
One hundred eighty-five (185) children, with their parent's consent, also voluntarily submitted their urine to test for mercury. All of the urine tests results came back clean -- mercury was not detected in any of the samples provided. The outreach effort and response from parents was particularly successful as more than half of the students come from homes where English is not the primary language spoken in the home.
In a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of all families where children's belongings showed elevated mercury readings, nine teams of environmental and public health professionals from federal, state and city departments worked in unison to test homes for mercury. In many cases teams included Spanish-speaking interpreters to help explain the testing process to residents. The results of the screening showed that there was some minor contamination in six homes and more extensive contamination in the home where the mercury originated. All of the homes have been cleaned up. At the same time that belongings and homes were being tested, the school was thoroughly cleaned and tested and was reopened on Tuesday, September 28th.
On Wednesday evening, September 29th Worcester school officials held a meeting for parents to discuss the incident and answer any questions. EPA and the City are using this unfortunate event to highlight the dangers of mercury and will co-sponsor a mercury information and collection day – where old mercury thermometers can be safely swapped free of charge for digital thermometers. The date for this event will be announced shortly.
For information on Mercury visit:
» East Hampton, MA, Zonolite/W.R. Grace Site Removal Action
On September 27, 2010 work to remove asbestos contamination at the Zonolite/W.R. Grace site at 19 Welmeco Way in East Hampton will begin.
From 1963 to 1992, Zonolite / W.R. Grace operated an exfoliation plant at the facility in Easthampton, MA, producing attic insulation and Monokote fireproofing materials. W.R. Grace received vermiculite concentrate, containing amphibole asbestos fibers, from the Zonolite mine in Libby Montana. W.R. Grace shipped the vermiculite concentrate by rail to the Easthampton facility.
The site consists of several properties with asbestos-containing soils including the former W.R. Grace facility and its adjacent properties. W.R. Grace will be removing the asbestos fibers located inside the building and in the surface and subsurface soils. EPA will oversee the work being done in the area.
Work Being Done on Site:
- There will be some brush clearing activities on site in order to get to contaminated soils.
- Removing asbestos contaminated soils, and putting it in one defined location on site.
- Capping defined location, so that asbestos contaminated soils will not surface.
- Cleaning building with HEPA vacuums and wet wiping techniques.
For more information please contact:
John Mckeown (mckeown.john@epa.gov)
US EPA On-Scene-Coordinator
617-918-1793
Emily Zimmerman (zimmerman.emily@epa.gov)
US EPA Community Involvement Coordinator
617-918-1037
» Baldwinville Residential Properties, Baldwinville, Mass.
» Danversport Explosion, Danvers, Mass.
NH
» Mohawk Tannery Site, Nashua, N.H.
Asbestos Levels in the Air Pose No Health Risk at Mohawk Tannery site
EPA and the N.H. Dept. of Environmental Services responded to a fire at the Mohawk Tannery Superfund site which took place over the weekend of Oct. 6-7, 2007. The two environmental agencies investigated the possibility of asbestos contamination resulting from the fire, and concluded that levels of asbestos present do not pose a human health risk.
Analytical results of debris samples taken from properties downwind of the fire confirmed that asbestos was not present. Additionally four air samples were collected, of which only one detected a very low level of asbestos fibers. The levels detected do not pose a health risk and were well below the normal screening levels used by EPA and NH DES to evaluate a potential threat posed by asbestos fiber content in the ambient (open) air.
Questions and concerns about responding to the fire at Mohawk Tannery site may be addressed to:
Pamela Schnepper, Senior Toxicologist, NH DES Environmental Health Program, (603) 271-3994
Tom Niejadik, NH DES, Environmental Health Program, (603) 271-6865
More information about the Mohawk Tannery Superfund site:
Fact Sheet
EPA Web page
VT
» VAG Mine Site, Eden/Lowell, Vermont
Vermont Asbestos Group Mine site with asbestos tailings in the background
Vermont Asbestos Group Mine site with asbestos tailings in the background From the early 1900's to 1993, the Vermont Asbestos Group (VAG) mine site located on Belvidere Mountain in Eden and Lowell, Vermont was an active asbestos mine. During the mine's operation, millions of tons of 2-3% chrysotile asbestos ore was excavated. The ore excavation process generated tons of waste rock and mine tailings.
In 2004, investigations were conducted by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (VT ANR) that revealed ecological impacts due to contaminated runoff from the mine tailings to surface water, stream sediments and the macro invertebrate communities within two distinct watersheds.
EPA became involved in the VAG mine site in July 2007, after VT ANR sent a letter requesting assistance. In August 2007, officials from the EPA and VT ANR visited the site to inspect water diversion trenches previously constructed, areas of the site that were being impacted by precipitation and drainage pathways, and to discuss short term solutions.
In October 2007, EPA mobilized to the VAG mine site to begin a time critical removal action. Actions conducted before winter weather halted work included construction of diversion trenches, berms, and sedimentation basins to keep the contaminated runoff from the tailing piles from reaching the tributaries and brooks.
In June 2008, EPA re-mobilized to the site to continue efforts to keep asbestos laden runoff water from leaving the property. Actions included inspection of features completed the previous fall and reworking a number of areas to be able to accept additional flow and sediment, which was necessary due to extremely heavy precipitation and ensuing runoff. New berms and trenches were constructed around the mine’s original tailings pile. These structures were designed to carry runoff beyond the pile and reconnect to Hutchins Brook, maintaining the hydrologic flow to down-gradient wetlands.
In addition, EPA is performing a preliminary assessment/site inspection (PA/SI) for the site. The purpose of this PA/SI is to evaluate the site for potential listing on the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL), which would make it eligible for Federal funding for a comprehensive cleanup.
Next Steps
EPA has worked closely with the VT Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) throughout the removal action. EPA also has communicated with the current owner of the mine site, the Vermont Asbestos Group, Inc. (VAG), regarding the need to maintain the containment features constructed by EPA to ensure that sedimentation basins and storage areas behind the berms continue to function as designed. VT DEC will work with VAG to ensure that this work is done in a timely and safe manner. EPA's pre-remedial program is assessing this Site for potential listing on the National Priority List.
Links
- VAG Mine Press Release
- Asbestos Fact Sheet
- Status Reports from Time-Critical Removal
- Pollution Report #1 (PDF) (3 pp, 257K, about PDF)
- Pollution Report #2 (PDF) (2 pp, 255K, about PDF)
- Pollution Report #3 (PDF) (2 pp, 256K, about PDF)
- Pollution Report #4 (PDF) (2 pp, 257K, about PDF)
For more information contact:
Gary Lipson (lipson.gary@epa.gov), US EPA
On-Scene Coordinator
US Environmental Protection Agency
5 Post Office Square, Suite 100
Mail code: OSRR02-2
Boston, MA 02109-3912
Phone: 617-918-1274
Toll Free: 1-800-372-7341David Deegan (deegan.dave@epa.gov)
EPA Office of Public Affairs
US Environmental Protection Agency
5 Post Office Square, Suite 100
Mail code: ORA01-1
Boston, MA 02109-3912
Phone: 617-918-1017VAG Mine Site Photos:
» Middlebury, Vermont Train Derailment
EPA's New England emergency response team is coordinating with local, state and federal agencies responding to a train derailment in Middlebury, Vermont where gasoline is leaking onto surrounding soils and a nearby creek.
A train carrying 18 rail cars, 15 of which contained approximately 25,000 gallons of gasoline each, derailed at approximately 2:15 p.m. on Monday, October 22, 2007. Several cars were leaking gasoline. The volume of the release is still undetermined, but is estimated to be between one and two thousand gallons. Gasoline has leaked into Otter Creek, a tributary to Lake Champlain. Boom has been deployed in Otter Creek to contain any leaking gasoline.
Approximately 400-500 people located within a half-mile radius of the spill were evacuated and access roads to the site were closed. As of 5:00 a.m. on Oct 23, the evacuation order was lifted and most roads have been reopened.
EPA Emergency Responders are conducting air monitoring in support of the incident. Results from the air monitoring indicate that the concentration of gasoline in the air is not exceeding safety levels. Also, EPA requested that the U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Strike Team be mobilized to provide air monitoring and health and safety support to the emergency response crews at the scene. Other response agencies at the site include the Vermont Dept. of Environmental Conservation, Federal Railroad Administration and State and local hazmat crews. EPA is also consulting with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) on health issues.
Vermont Railway, owner of the derailed cars, has pumped some of the gasoline out of the rail cars prior to safely re-railing them. It took approximately two hours to re-rail each car. EPA anticipates the operation to be completed by October 25, 2007.
Based on available information, the Vermont Dept. of Health (VDH) and ATSDR have determined there is no immediate health risk for people in the Middlebury area resulting from this gasoline spill. The VDH will continue to monitor for possible health risks in coordination with EPA's emergency response team and various state agencies including Vermont Emergency Management. If residents are concerned that they are experiencing health symptoms related to exposure to gasoline vapor, they should seek medical attention.
More information:
- Reporting Strong Gasoline Odor in Basements: Middlebury Fire Department, (802) 388-4462
- ATSDR health information on exposure to gasoline
- David Deegan (deegan.dave@epa.gov), EPA Office of Public Affairs, (617) 918-1017
- Vermont Dept. of Health, (800) 439-8550 or Middlebury local health office (802) 388-4644