![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Reeves Southeast Galvanizing Corporation
Reeves Southeast Galvanizing Corporation Contact Information Scott M. Martin, Remedial Project Manager Site Repository: Documents:
Site Background The Reeves Southeastern site located in Hillsborough County, Florida encompasses two areas on 28 acres. The site includes the Reeves Southeastern Galvanizing (SEG) facility covering 17 acres and the Reeves Southeastern Wire (SEW) facility covering 11 acres. Beginning in the 1960s, spent caustic, rinse, and acid process wastes generated at SEG and SEW were neutralized and discharged to storage ponds. It is believed that plating wastes were discharged in the same manner. These practices have caused contamination of groundwater and surface water. When Hillsborough County issued a notice of violation to the company in 1974, the company responded by upgrading its existing wastewater treatment facility to an advanced system to neutralize the acid and to remove 90 percent of the heavy metals. Residential neighborhoods, light manufacturing facilities, warehouses, and a refuse-to-energy plant are located in the area surrounding the site. County-owned water supply wells are located about 1 mile upgradient of the site. There are approximately 56,000 people residing within 3 miles of the site. Groundwater is contaminated with heavy metals such as zinc from former process wastes. Prior to EPA’s involvement, soil and surface water were also contaminated with heavy metals, primarily zinc, and sediments contained heavy metals such as zinc and lead. Although subsequent sampling has shown that municipal and private wells are not contaminated, people who come in direct contact with or accidentally ingest contaminated surface water or soils may be at risk. Cleanup Progress OU-1 (Soil and Sediment): Soil and sediment exceeding cleanup goals were excavated from the SEG and SEW facilities during 1996 and 1997. The excavated material was shipped to an approved off-site landfill in April and May 1997 and all excavated areas were backfilled and revegetated. OU-2 (Groundwater): Remedial design of the groundwater remedy was completed in 1999 and modified in 2000 due to migration of the groundwater plume beyond limits originally anticipated. The remedy consists of installation of a groundwater control structure (also referred to as a stormwater-conveyance system) and semi-annual monitoring (July/January) of groundwater for metals (i.e., natural attenuation). The groundwater control structure is to prevent contaminated groundwater from discharging to local surface water via a drainage swale north of the SEG property. After numerous delays regarding access, installation of the groundwater control structure occurred in late 2003/early 2004. The Construction Report for the Stormwater-Conveyance structure was submitted in March 2004. As part of the confirmation and tracking of natural attenuation, the ROD requires that within 2.6 years, the metals in groundwater should be below the selected performance standards (i.e., cleanup standards) or to at least 50% of the “time-zero” levels. If these levels are not met, then a contingency remedy, pump and treat, is available for use. One potential complicating factor in determining if the selected performance standards or the 50% “time-zero” levels are met is a couple of spills which occurred in 1996 and 1997. These spills occurred from ongoing operations at the Site. The operator is Industrial Galvanizers of America, who leases the property from Reeves Southeastern Galvanizing. The 1997 spill was 130 gallons of rinse water from a secondary containment area. The 1996 spill was a release of 1,750 gallons of process acid. Affected soil from the 1996 spill was removed, but the 1997 spill did not result in any removal action. A monitoring well installed in1998 near the release points into the subsurface indicated elevated groundwater levels of contaminants of concerns (e.g., chromium, zinc and lead). The findings from spill investigation, along with the ongoing semi-annual monitoring of site-impacted groundwater, are documented in a document called the Modification One Report. The main outcome of the Modification One Report is providing information from which to determine the effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) of the natural attenuation remedy component. The Modification One Report was submitted in November 2004, and after EPA review, lead to the submission of an Additional Characterization and In-Situ Groundwater Treatment Pilot Test Study Work Plan which was approved by EPA on February 10, 2006. The additional characterization is designed to clarify the conceptual model for the existing contamination (e.g., investigation of the vertical distribution of contaminants). The pilot test is designed to determine whether the injection of reagents directly into the aquifer will be able to sequester the metals. The expectation is that the groundwater remedy will need to be expanded or supplemented with additional cleanup technique(s). Depending on the scope and extent of the changes/additions to the groundwater remedy, either an Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD) to the original ROD will be issued or a ROD Amendment will be pursued. OU-3 (North Wetland and Unnamed Creek): No cleanup actions were envisioned for the wetlands. However, the ROD did call for ongoing monitoring. Monitoring of the wetland began in the summer of 2002 and is currently continuing. Five Year Review: As required by EPA policy, if a remedial action is selected that results in hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants remaining at the site above levels that allow for unlimited use and unrestricted exposure, the lead agency shall review such action no less often than every five years after the initiation of the selected remedial action. Therefore, in September 2006, EPA completed the second Five-Year Review Report for the Site. The following are the main conclusions drawn from the 2006 Five-Year Review Report: For OU1 (Soil/Sediment Removal) For OU2 (Northern Surficial Aquifer Monitoring) For OU3 (Monitoring of North Wetland and Unnamed Creek) The next Five-Year Review is to be completed in September 2011.
|
