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United States
Environmental Protection
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EPA Region .
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Working in Partnership to Protect
Human Health and the Environment
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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^
Contents
FY 2009: Ły tf?e Numbers
Accelerated Cleanup through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act
The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act: On the Ground
Protecting Human Health and the Environment: Superfund Cleanup
Responding Rapidly, Making a Difference: Emergency Cleanups
Proving Our Commitments: Long-Term Cleanups
Driven by the Rule of Law: Superfund Enforcement
Securing the Homeland
10 Protecting and Engaging Communities: Public Affairs and Outreach
11 Leading the Way: Environmental Justice
Enabling New Opportunities for Vulnerable Communities
13 Enhancing Information Access and Transparency
14 Sustaining Scientific Excellence
15 Working with Our Partners: Grants and Contracts Management
16 FY 2009 Awards
17 Looking Ahead: FY 2011
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Welcome
he Region
Imost three
, served the people
and communities of the southeastern
United States. Recognized regionally and
nationally for sustained excellence and
innovation in protecting human health
and the environment, Region 4 Superfund
responds rapidly and comprehensively
to address environmental emergencies
and clean up some of the nation's worst
hazardous waste sites.
1 4ff
l&-:--
Over time, the program's effectiveness has been built on a foundation of authentic community
engagement, scientific and enforcement excellence, fiscal responsibility and a robust
partnership network. Region 4 Superfund serves more than 59 million citizens in one of the
most populous and fastest-growing EPA Regions in the country. Today, Region 4's Superfund
commitment to its mission is stronger than ever.
Our work is about people. Region 4 Superfund works closely and transparently with
communities to ensure their meaningful participation and help communities turn Superfund
sites into community assets. Our program's emphasis on thorough, innovative solutions and its
"enforcement first" policy ensure that our efforts to protect public health and the environment
are comprehensive and cost-effective. Region 4's network of dedicated partners - states,
tribes, local governments, public and private sector organizations, and other federal agencies -
means that shared challenges can be overcome and shared objectives pursued.
This report highlights Region 4's Superfund activities in Fiscal Year (FY) 2009. We hope
that these highlights illustrate how the program is making a difference in people's lives and
benefiting communities across the southeastern United States.
As we look ahead to FY 2010 and beyond, we renew our commitment to protect human health
and the environment through transparent and collaborative actions, reflecting EPA's role as
one of the world's premier environmental science institutions. We welcome opportunities
to strengthen our network of partners. We also seek out the new voices and new ideas that
will help us address new challenges, reaching out to diverse stakeholders and vulnerable
communities in carrying out our mission to protect human health and the environment.
Franklin E. Hill, Director
Superfund Division
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FY 2009: By the Numbers
The Region 4 Superfund program has accomplished a great deal in FY 2009. The program goals and targets achieved
(presented below) only tell part of the story. The remainder of this report provides a look at the program's activities
and community impacts and other outcomes that lie behind these statistics.
Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Performance
Final Assessment Decision
Number of Superfund hazardous waste sites with human exposures under control
Number of Superfund hazardous waste sites with ground water migration under control
Superfund construction completions
Site-wide ready for anticipated use
Enforcement action at 95 percent of Superfund sites prior to Remedial Action Start
Statute-of-limitation (SOL) cases > $200,000 addressed
Responsible Party-lead removal completions with enforcement action
Superfund-lead removal completions
Voluntary removal actions overseen by Region 4
Financial assurance compliance achieved
Measure Goals
Goal Achieved
50 50
95 percent
100 percent
5
28
100 percent
190 percent
8
42
Inspections/exercises conducted at oil storage facilities with Facility Response
Plans (FRPs)
Facilities subject to FRP requirements in compliance
Facilities subject to Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure regulations
in compliance
Core national approach to response assessment score
Emergency response training attendance
Emergency response exercises
40
46
report only
report only
report only
report only
report only
The program met or exceeded all
GPRA performance measure goals
and six of 10 program targets in FY
2009. These targets reflect the start and
completion of major project milestones
across the Superfund remedial.
removal and enforcement pipeline
of activities.
Nationally, Region 4 Superfund was
responsible for 16 percent of all
remedial investigations/feasibility
studies (RI/FSs), 23 percent of all
Records of Decision and 18 percent
of all remedial action starts. Progress
at Federal Facilities was also
impressive, accounting for 26 percent
of all RI/FSs, 18 percent of all Records
of Decision and 29 percent of all
remedial action completions achieved
at Federal Facilities nationwide.
Superfund Program Targets
Goal
Target
RI/FS Starts
Decision Documents
Remedial Design / Remedial Action (RD/
RA) Negotiation Starts
RD/RA Negotiation Completions
Remedial Design Starts
Remedial Design Completions
Remedial Action Starts
Remedial Action Completions
Five-Year Reviews
Deletions
Achieved
14
Region 4 Superfund Site Universe, 2009
217 NPL sites 30 Federal Facility sites
21 Superfund Alternative sites 83 Removal Action sites
52 percent
30 percent
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Accelerated Cleanup through the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act
In February 2009, Congress passed and President Obama signed into law the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. A direct response to the economic
downturn, the Recovery Act's mission is to create new jobs as well as save
existing ones, invest in economic growth, and foster accountability and
transparency in government spending. Many Recovery Act projects are focused
on jump starting the economy; other projects, such as technological advances in
science and health and investments in environmental protection and infrastructure,
are expected to contribute to long-term economic growth. The Recovery Act
allocated $7.22 billion for projects and programs administered by EPA,
including $600 million in new funding to accelerate ongoing cleanup activities or
initiate new construction projects at Superfund sites.
In Region 4, the Superfund program has provided more than $26 million in Recovery Act funding for
seven Superfund sites in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina, helping to sustain employment, expedite
environmental restoration and improve the health of communities. Region 4 has the first Recovery Act-funded
construction completion in the nation (at the Sigmon's Septic Tank Service site).
Additionally, three Department of Energy complexes in Region 4 - the Savannah River Site in Aiken, South
Carolina, the Oak Ridge Reservation in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Paducah,
Kentucky - have received $2.4 billion in Recovery Act funding for cleanup projects. This funding has created
2,388 jobs and represents 40 percent of all Recovery Act funding allocated for Department of Energy complexes
nationwide. The additional funding will significantly accelerate the cleanup of these sites. Region 4 is actively
monitoring progress at these sites to ensure compliance with the Federal Facility agreements.
Site Name
Community
Recovery
Act Funding
Estimate
RA Start
Actual
Recovery
Act On-Site
Construction
Start
Site-Wide
Construction
Completion
Change
in Human
Exposure
Status
Change in
Ground Water
Control Status
United GMH
Metals Inc. Electronics
Brunswick Woolfolk Escambia Tower
Wood Chemical Wood Chemical
Preserving Works Treating
Company
Brunswick, GA Ft. Valley, GA Pensacola, FL Clermont, FL Marianna, FL Roxboro, NC
$8,300,000 $1,800,000 $3,500,000 $3,900,000 $5,400,000 $2,100,000
Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing
10/2009 06/2009 06/2009
10/2009 09/2009 09/2009
02/2010 10/2009 12/2009
Sigmon's
Septic Tank
Statesville, NC
$1,000,000
09/2009
09/2009
09/30/2012 12/30/2012 09/30/2011 09/30/2012 12/30/2011 06/30/2013 09/29/2009
No Change
(HEUC)
GWNCto
GWUC
No Change
(HEUC)
HENCto
HEUC
(09/2009)
No Change
(HEUC)
No Change
GWNC)
No Change
(HEUC)
No Change
(GWUC)
HENCto
HEUC
No Change
(GWNC)
HENCto
HEUC
(10/2009)
GWIDto
GWUC
(10/2009)
No Change Completed
HEUC - Human Exposure Under Control GWUC - Ground Water Under Control GWID - Ground Water Insufficient Data GWNC - Ground Water Not Under Control
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The American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act: On the Ground
Region 4's experienced project team worked closely with the community to
develop an effective, cost-efficient remedy for the Brunswick Wood Preserving
site, a former wood treating facility in Georgia. Through Recovery Act funding,
completion of the remedy will be significantly accelerated, protecting public
health. Recovery Act funding is being applied directly to several site activities,
including capping of containment cells and ground water treatment.
A dedicated community in Georgia has worked for 12 years to restore and reuse
the 31-acre Woolfolk Chemical Works site, the location of a former pesticide
production facility. Region 4 is supporting Fort Valley's efforts through the site's
ongoing cleanup, which has been accelerated by Recovery Act funding. This
funding is being applied to several cleanup priorities, including soil excavation and
treatment, backfilling and grading, and closure and revegetation.
In Marianna, Florida, Region 4 has engaged the community and, through Recovery
Act funding, moved forward with the long-term cleanup of the United Metals Inc.
site, a former battery reclaiming facility. The cleanup of this 180-acre site includes
the excavation and treatment of contaminated soil and sediments, which will
be placed in an on-site containment cell. Excavated areas will be backfilled and
revegetated and monitoring wells installed, ensuring the protection of public health
and the environment.
Region 4 collaborated with local and state authorities to rapidly address ground
water contamination from the GMH Electronics site in North Carolina, where a
manufacturing facility had used volatile organic compounds as part of its parts-
washing operations. To protect the community, EPA immediately distributed
bottled water and filtration systems to homes with contaminated drinking water.
EPA is using Recovery Act funding to extend municipal drinking water to 60
families affected by the contamination.
At the Escambia Wood Treating Company site, a former wood treating facility
in Pensacola, Florida, Recovery Act funds eliminated human exposure to
contaminants, protecting public health, and created local jobs. Seventy acres at the
site will soon be transferred to the county for commercial redevelopment.
At the 15-acre Tower Chemical site in Clermont, Florida, Region 4 has responded
rapidly to protect local drinking water supplies and clean up contamination from a
former pesticide plant. Contaminants have impacted soil, ground water, sediments
and wetlands. Recovery Act funds have accelerated several cleanup activities,
including the excavation and off-site disposal of contaminated soils and drainage
ditch and wetland sediments.
Region 4 worked closely with the community and local and state officials to
address contamination - septic wastes in unlined lagoons - at the Sigmon's Septic
Tank site in North Carolina. Completion of the site's remediation, funded by the
Recovery Act, is addressing community concerns and eliminating human exposure
to contamination.
Brunswick Wood Preserving
Woolfolk Chemical Works
Escambia Wood Treating Company
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Protecting Human
Health and the
Environment:
Superfund Cleanup
The Region 4 Superfund cleanup program plays
a vital role in protecting human health and the
environment in communities across the southeastern
United States.
Emergency Cleanups
Protecting communities sometimes requires a rapid response to an unexpected emergency. Whether there is a
chemical leak at a manufacturing facility, a landfill fire, an uncontrolled oil release or a natural disaster, EPA Region
4 will be there, coordinating closely with local responders and other emergency officials. In FY 2009, Region 4
received over 5,000 spill notifications and provided quick evaluations and responded as needed to these emergencies.
Site Evaluations
EPA Region 4 works with states and tribes to assess and prioritize
hazardous sites for cleanup. Region 4's site evaluations ensure that
releases of hazardous substances are responded to appropriately and
comprehensively. For sites that are complex, contentious or expensive
for states or tribes to address, or that are otherwise most appropriately
addressed as long-term cleanups, Region 4 proposes these sites for
listing on the National Priorities List (NPL). Region 4 led the way
nationally in proposing and listing sites on the NPL in FY 2009.
Long-Term Cleanups
Some cleanups take place at complex, highly contaminated sites like
NPL and Superfund Alternative Approach (SAA) sites. These federal
and private-party sites often require several years to fully study the
problems, develop a permanent remedy and clean up the hazardous
substances. Region 4 works closely with communities and state, tribal
and federal partners to ensure the protection of human health and the
environment at these sites.
The Oil Program
Oil spills present a significant threat to the environment and EPA takes
steps to prevent, prepare for and respond to oil spills that occur in
and around inland waters of the United States. Region 4 monitors and
inspects oil storage facilities, conducts spill preparation drills and other
training, and conducts removals at leaking oil wells to prevent releases.
By working cooperatively with industry and other government
agencies, Region 4 seeks to reduce the number, size and impact of oil
spills into waterways and environmentally sensitive areas. In the event
of an oil spill, Region 4 responds rapidly to address the emergency.
Region 4 and
Superfund Site Reuse
As part of the cleanup program,
Region 4 is committed to helping
communities turn Superfund sites
into valued assets. Their reuse
returns land to productive use and
restores blighted properties, which
in turn can benefit surrounding
communities, providing job
opportunities, sustaining local
economies, and offering recreational
and ecological amenities. Through
Superfund site reuse, problems are
turned into solutions. By the end
of FY 2009, 39 Superfund sites
in Region 4 were determined to be
ready for anticipated use.
Reusing
Superfund Sites
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Responding Rapidly, Making a Difference:
Emergency Cleanups
The Region 4 Superfund cleanup program responds quickly to the release, or threatened release, of hazardous
substances wherever and whenever they occur. The site highlighted below illustrates Region 4 in action, responding
to an environmental emergency in Tennessee.
EPA Responds to the TVA Kingston Fossil
Plant Fly Ash Release in Kingston, Tennessee
In December 2008, an estimated 5.4 million cubic yards
of coal fly ash was released from an impoundment at
the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Kingston power
plant in eastern Tennessee. The initial release of material
created a wave of water and ash that choked the adjacent
Emory River, destroyed several homes, disrupted
electrical power, ruptured a natural gas line, covered
a railway and local roadways, and necessitated the
evacuation of a nearby neighborhood.
Immediately after learning of the release, EPA joined the
Tennessee Valley Authority, the Tennessee Department
of Environment and Conservation, the Roane County
Emergency Management Agency, and the Tennessee
Emergency Management Agency in a coordinated
response. As the site's cleanup proceeds, EPA's overall objectives are to ensure that the cleanup is protective of
human health and the environment, employs sound science, and is completed as quickly and as safely as possible.
EPA has made substantial community outreach efforts in Roane County, Tennessee and Perry County, Alabama to
ensure that affected communities are kept well-informed and fully aware of all activities related to site cleanup.
Outreach efforts have included educational presentations, briefings and public meetings, as well as the development
of a Web site (http://www.epakingstontva.com) dedicated to providing real-time cleanup information. In Roane
County, the location of the coal ash spill, EPA staff assisted the community in the formation of a Community
Advisory Group (CAG), which will ensure continued public participation and involvement. Region 4 staff also
assisted TVA in the development of their Technical Assistance Plan, which will provide a $50,000 grant to the CAG
for technical assistance services.
Did You Know?
In FY 2009, EPA Region 4's Superfund program:
Undertook 234 emergency responses, including 88 responses to hazardous substance
releases and 146 responses to oil spills.
Conducted sampling at 22 vermiculite sites to assess potential asbestos threats.
Provided 90 outreach seminars and conducted 36 training exercises with EPA's emergency
response partners.
Conducted inspections or drills at 52 large oil storage facilities, over 100 inspections of smaller
oil facilities and spill preparation drills at nine oil bulk storage facilities.
Worked with EPA's partners to conduct removals at 99 abandoned, leaking oil wells, the highest
total in Region 4 history.
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Proving Our Commitments: Long-Term Cleanups
Region 4 Superfund is committed to protecting communities and the environment. The program's dedication to
this effort includes a comprehensive process that not only provides short-term relief for emergency needs, but also
determines long-term solutions to attain and maintain human health and environmental restoration. The program's
many successes include the cleanup of a former wood treating facility in Florida.
Community Celebrates the Cleanup of the "Last Shovel" of Soil Stockpile at the Escambia
id Treating Company Site
Region 4 has worked collaboratively with community members and the
local government for years to protect public health at this former wood
treating facility in Pensacola, Florida. In July 2009, the "last shovel" of
the soil stockpile at the site was excavated and permanently interred along
with approximately 500,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil in an on-site
containment cell. EPA had conducted a removal action in 1991 to stabilize the
site, building a soil stockpile that became known in the community as "Mount
Dioxin." The cleanup of the "last shovel" of the soil stockpile was supported
by $2.5 million in Recovery Act funding that accelerated the completion of
the site's cleanup. This funding also created or saved 60 jobs, allowing Region 4 to more efficiently conclude on-site
construction activities.
Other recent milestones celebrated at the site include the successful cleanup of off-property contamination and the
completion of the National Relocation Pilot Project, the third largest residential relocation in EPA history. Completion
of the off-property cleanup and closure of the on-site containment cell addressed community concerns and eliminated
human exposure to contamination for this environmental justice community. With the completion of the site's soil
cleanup, 70 acres of the site will be ready for redevelopment as part of the Palafox Midtown Commerce Park.
Region 4 and Children's Health
Region 4 is dedicated to protecting the health of all of our citizens,
from young children to older adults. Protecting children's health from
environmental pollutants has been a major concern for EPA. Region 4
Superfund is committed to protecting all children from environmental
health threats using strict public health standards, evaluating and
addressing risks, and enhancing public awareness through education
and community-based programs like the Healthy Schools initiative.
Children are especially sensitive to health impacts from exposure
to mercury vapors. Region 4 Superfund has responded to many
residences and schools where mercury spills have occurred, with
the cleanups protecting the health of many children.
Childhood lead poisoning remains a major environmental health
problem in the United States. At Superfund sites with lead
contamination, Region 4 uses a comprehensive, model-based
approach to assess lead exposure risks and determine effective
cleanup strategies to protect children's health.
To evaluate children's potential exposure to environmental
contaminants, Region 4 Superfund uses the Exposure Factors
Handbook to ensure that the latest, most accurate information is
used to guide the assessments and cleanup activities that protect
children's health.
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Driven by the Rule of Law:
Superfund Enforcement
In addition to cleanup and cleanup
oversight, EPA Region 4 Superfund
vigorously pursues enforcement and cost
recovery activities. All of the Region's
activities take place in the context of
EPA's longstanding "enforcement first"
policy for all phases of response actions at
Superfund sites, promoting the "polluter
pays" principle and allowing the Agency
to focus appropriated funds on sites where
responsible parties cannot be identified or
are unable to pay for cleanup activities.
Superfund enforcement and cost recovery
protects human health and the environment
by compelling the parties responsible for
contamination at a site to clean it up or
pay for the cleanup. In turn, resources
returned to the Trust Fund help make
possible cleanup activities in communities across the southeastern United States. While compliance with the nation's
environmental law is the ultimate objective, enforcement is a vital part of encouraging governments, businesses and
other parties to meet their environmental obligations.
Successful Cleanup Enforcement Agreement and Community Engagement at the Landia
Chemical Company Site in Lakeland, Florida
EPA Region 4 successfully negotiated a consent decree with five companies and two individuals for the cleanup
of the Landia Chemical Company Superfund site in 2009. Region 4 also worked collaboratively with community
members and the local government to ensure that community concerns are heard and incorporated throughout the
remedial process. Under the settlement approved by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the
companies have agreed to fund and complete an $8.5 million cleanup at the 5-acre site. Region 4 entered into a
first-of-its-kind Memorandum of Agreement with the Southwest Florida Water Management District to restrict
the issuance of well construction permits in the areas impacted by contaminated ground water from the site. This
Agreement was a significant accomplishment that protects public health while the site's ground water remedy is
being implemented.
Did You Know?
In FY 2009, EPA Region 4's Superfund program:
tť Entered into 29 settlements with responsible parties to conduct $1.04 billion of cleanup on
11 sites and returned $4.2 million to the Trust Fund. These site cleanups will address 5.7
million cubic yards of contaminated soils and 43.5 million cubic yards of water.
Issued approximately $15.5 million in oversight bills.
Conducted enforcement work, including write-offs of uncollectable costs, valued at $1.2 billion.
$4.5 million from Special Accounts was used to perform work at sites.
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Securing the Homeland
EPA plays a vital role in homeland security. For years, EPA has been responding to oil and chemical spills and natural
disasters. EPA's long-standing competencies in these areas - emergency response, hazardous material cleanup, water
quality protection, air quality monitoring and radiation detection - provide the Agency with a base of expertise and
the capabilities necessary to address today's homeland security challenges. These challenges include a significant
environmental component, ensuring that the nation has clean air, clean and safe water supplies, restored lands, and
healthy communities.
EPA Region 4 is the "Lead EPA Region for Homeland Security" for 2009 and 2010. Region 4 has a long history
of collaboration with state and federal agencies to plan and prepare for disasters, enhancing the Region's focus
on homeland security priorities. In FY 2009, for example, Region 4 worked with states, other Regions, EPA
Headquarters and several federal agencies to develop the Joint Planning Implementation Framework for enhanced
preparedness and protection.
Region 4 is also working closely with the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other
federal agencies, including the Department of Health
and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, the Department of Energy and the
Department of Defense to ensure a coordinated,
comprehensive federal response across EPA Regions in
the event of a terrorist attack, natural disaster or other
large-scale emergency.
Looking to the future, Region 4 will be sharing the
Agency's preparedness efforts and expertise with our
local, state, tribal and federal partners and seeking new
opportunities for enhanced communication, inter-
governmental coordination and training, and shared
research with our partnership network. Our overall goal
is to protect the nation and help to sustain resilient,
healthy communities.
FY 2009 Homeland Security
Highlights
Region 4 was responsible for pre-deployment
planning and implementation of Homeland
Security measures at the 2009 Super Bowl
and the Kentucky Derby.
Region 4 developed the inter-Region Liberty
RadX training and the Incident Management
Team training for all EPA Regions.
Region 4 staff members participate regularly
in catastrophic event training exercises.
Recent trainings include the SONS07
earthquake training, Operation Dry Hydrant
and Incident Management Team exercises.
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Protecting and Engaging Communities:
Public Affairs
and Outreach
Region 4 has long recognized that protecting the health
of our communities and the environment is the work
of many hands and minds. Region 4 Superfund cannot
fulfill its mission without authentic community
engagement and public outreach as core components of
the program's activities.
Historically, Region 4 has been at the forefront of EPA's
efforts to reach out to local stakeholders and vulnerable
communities. For example, the program's efforts to work
with environmental justice communities date back almost
three decades. In Spartanburg, South Carolina, a decade
of work by the ReGenesis Revitalization Partnership
has led to community revitalization and laid the groundwork for EPA's national Environmental Justice Collaborative
Problem Solving Model. Region 4 has also coordinated closely with EPA Headquarters and states to support
initiatives that provide communities with technical assistance, trainings and other services.
Over time, Region 4 has created a robust public affairs and outreach program that works closely with the diverse
voices in each community to ensure that they have the resources and knowledge needed to participate early and
meaningfully in the Superfund decision-making process. Region 4 recognizes that the needs of each community are
unique and tailors its approaches to best meet those needs.
Beginning in late 2008, Region 4 further enhanced these services by creating a new office, the Office of Superfund
Public Affairs and Outreach (OSPAO). OSPAO is responsible for developing, implementing and directing all of
Region 4 Superfund's community outreach activities. It is the responsibility of OSPAO to: encourage and enable
community members to get involved; listen carefully to community comments; respond to community concerns; and
keep communities well-informed of ongoing and planned activities.
Looking to the future, Region 4 will continue to work hard to ensure that every Superfund community has
access to the information and resources they need to be able to participate as informed, engaged partners in the
Superfund process.
Community Engagement in Action
Region 4 activities in FY 2009 included:
Providing rapid-response technical assistance services to address community needs at sites like
the TVA Kingston Fossil Plant in Tennessee.
Breaking new ground with the Savannah River Site SuperJTI program, the first job training
program in the nation to be conducted at a Federal Facility.
Working with the South Carolina Environmental Justice Advisory Committee to pioneer new
understandings of environmental justice issues.
Supporting communities like Arlington, Tennessee and Fort Valley, Georgia in their efforts to
reuse Superfund sites as valued community assets.
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Leading the Way: Environmental Justice
Region 4 is a national leader in partnering with environmental justice communities to create
positive change during the cleanup process. For example, at the Escambia Wood Treating Company
site in Pensacola, Florida, EPA worked closely with the community to complete the third largest
residential relocation in EPA history. Region 4's extensive community outreach and engagement in
the successful relocation effort led to a national EPA Notable Achievement Award in Environmental
Justice for Region 4 in 2009. Across its activities, Region 4 Superfund works in close collaboration
with the Region's Environmental Justice Program.
At the Jacksonville Ash and Brown's Dump Superfund sites in Jacksonville, Florida, Region 4 and
the City of Jacksonville have undertaken an ambitious collaborative effort, providing four Technical
Assistance Plan (TAP) program grants to community organizations to help address concerns about
public health and property values for thousands of residents in four low-income, environmental
justice neighborhoods. More than 2,400 residences and businesses are being addressed as part
of the sites' cleanup. Extensive community outreach efforts by EPA and the City of Jacksonville
have led to a series of well-attended public meetings designed to share site information with the
community, foster and maintain community engagement, and provide opportunities for community
feedback throughout the cleanup process.
The South Carolina Environmental
Justice Advisory Committee
Region 4 played a significant role as a technical resourc
and advisor for the South Carolina Environmental Justice
Advisory Committee in 2009. Building on the success of
the ReGenesis Revitalization Partnership, the Committee
is looking at how state agencies can address environmental
justice issues related to economic development and revitalize
Region 4's assistance, the Committee hosted four community listening sessions to gather statewide
stakeholder input on environmental justice issues. More than 150 people attended the listening
sessions. Their feedback will enhance the Committee's findings and recommendations, which will
be delivered to the South Carolina Legislature and Governor in 2010.
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Enabling New Opportunities for Vulnerable
Communities
Contaminated Federal Facilities like Department of Defense (DOD) military bases and Department of Energy (DOE)
nuclear reactor, processing and research centers are complex sites that require coordination with EPA's partners. EPA
partners with many groups to coordinate cleanup and restoration efforts at Federal Facilities, including governmental
and non-governmental groups and local stakeholders that might be affected by contamination or cleanup activities.
The site highlighted below shows Region 4 working with a federal agency, several communities and site contractors
to enable new employment opportunities as part of the cleanup of a large federal facility.
Pioneering Superfund Job Training Initiative at
the Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina
(SRS SuperJTI)
SRS SuperJTI is a job training program that is providing career
development opportunities for residents living near the Savannah
River Site in south-central South Carolina and eastern Georgia.
SRS SuperJTI is the first Superfund job training program in the
nation to be conducted at a Federal Facility. Through a partnership
with DOE, community organizations and site contractors, SRS
SuperJTI provides local job-seekers with new skills and work
experience. Working with the SuperJTI program, Region 4's goal
is to help the community create job opportunities and partnerships
that remain long after the site's cleanup is completed.
From January through May 2009, SRS SuperJTI staff hosted community meetings and candidate orientations to
publicize the training opportunity and attract interested candidates. These meetings were attended by more than
350 people. Following a two-stage screening process, 20 trainees were selected. In summer 2009, the program's
trainees completed the two-part SRS SuperJTI program, which provides life skills and technical training. Following
graduation in July 2009, trainees were placed into positions as production operators and material handlers at
the Savannah River Site. Graduates will be mentored by project partners for one year. Graduates may continue
employment at the site beyond the one-year mentor period or change jobs. Upon completion of the program, trainees
possess the marketable skills needed to become valuable members of the community's workforce. SRS SuperJTI
was recognized by the SRS Citizen's Advisory Board for its success. Based on the program's success, EPA is already
planning the next round of training, working with DOE and community partners.
In January 2009, EPA, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC)
and DOE selected in situ decommissioning for the Savannah River Site's P Reactor Building. The
P Reactor is the first nuclear weapons reactor that will be fully addressed and cleaned up under
Superfund. The remedy was selected after an extensive public involvement effort by EPA, DOE and
SCDHEC, which included three community workshops and multiple briefings with the SRS Citizens
Advisory Board. Recovery Act funding has accelerated the final remedy for the P Reactor; the building
will be sealed and remaining contamination entombed in grout, providing maximum protection
of human health and the environment. Similar remedies are anticipated and controls are in place
for remaining reactors (C, K, L and R) at the site. These decisions are the first of their kind under
Superfund in the nation and represent one of the most important milestones in the final cleanup of the
Savannah River Site.
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Enhancing Information
Access and Transparency
EPA Region 4 maintains a long-standing commitment
to ensure that Superfund program information is highly
transparent and easily accessible to communities and
our local, state, tribal and federal partners. EPA staff
members also rely on access to reliable, comprehensive
information generated during the program's environmental
restoration efforts.
Region 4 has invested substantial resources over the
long term to effectively manage and provide program
information to EPA staff and share this information
with states, communities and other interested parties. To
accomplish this goal in recent years, the Region has focused
on three areas: Web site development, Web conferencing
and document management. In FY 2009, Region 4 made
compelling enhancements to the program's Web site.
FY 2009 Region 4 Superfund Web Site
Enhancements
Region 4 comprehensively updated the Superfund
program's Web site (http://www.epa.gov/region4/waste/sf)
to enable enhanced internal and public access to program
information. In addition to carrying Headline stories
describing the program's current work, the Web site now
hosts a wide range of new content, including videos and
podcasts, as well as Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds
that provide e-mail updates when new content is added to
the Web site. Access to the Region's Site Summary pages
has been enhanced through the addition of a map-based
selection tool that enables users to locate Superfund sites
by clicking on each of the states. The look and feel of the
Region's Site Summary pages have also been streamlined
and updated.
Enhanced Document
Management Services
Region 4's Superfund Document Management
System (SDMS) continues to reduce record
management costs and improve efficiencies
by storing site documents electronically and
streamlining records management. Seventy percent
of the Region's records are available in SDMS.
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Sustaining Scientific Excellence
EPA Region 4 relies on scientific excellence - thorough research, accurate data and innovative approaches - as an
integral part of the Superfund program. The program also benefits from specialized expertise in areas including
hydrogeology, human health, and radiological and ecological risk assessment. Region 4 scientists review reports,
provide site-specific consulting services, and participate in projects, guidance development and publications that
address multiple sites.
Innovative Science in Region 4 in FY 2009
Following the asbestos investigations at the Libby Asbestos Superfund site in Libby, Montana, naturally
occurring asbestos (NOA) has emerged as a national public health issue. Region 4 has the largest number
of Libby "sister sites" in the nation, and the successful investigation of these sites is a priority. Region
4 scientists have assisted with the investigation of these sites and with the identification of other sites in
Region 4 where NOA may be present.
Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) is an EPA-defined remedy alternative that relies on natural
attenuation processes to achieve site-specific remedial objectives within an acceptable period of time.
Region 4 hydrogeologists are providing significant input into the development of new national EPA
guidance for evaluating the progress of natural attenuation in ground water from data collected during site
characterization and long-term monitoring activities.
Region 4 collaborated with the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of West Georgia and the City of
Lawrenceville, Georgia to host a research trip examining fractured bedrock outcrops in the Lawrenceville
area. The trip explored the geological and hydrogeological complexities of igneous and metamorphic rock
aquifers, which can pose significant challenges for cleanups and contaminant and water supply delineation.
The trip was attended by 45 members of EPA's Ground Water Forum.
Region 4 Superfund is leading a technical group addressing the long-term health of the pygmy sculpin, a
bottom-dwelling fish and federally threatened species known to occur only in Coldwater Spring, Alabama.
With the long-term health of the species potentially impacted by trichloroethylene (TCE) contamination
from the nearby Anniston Army Depot, the technical group completed several priority activities in 2009.
Region 4 coordinated a toxicity testing demonstration, led a rewrite of the site's toxicity testing plan and
created an Emergency Response Plan for the species. This work is leading to a cleanup plan that will be
protective for the pygmy sculpin.
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Working with Our Partner
Grants and Contracts
Management
Region 4 has a long history of working with a robust network of
dedicated partners - the affected communities, states, tribes, local
governments, public nonprofits, private sector organizations, and
other federal agencies - to ensure the protection of human health and
the environment.
Region 4 relies on its government, nonprofit and private sector
partners to help fulfill EPA's mission of responding to emergencies
and cleaning up hazardous sites. Through several types of partnering
agreements, including contracts, nonprofit grants, state cooperative
agreements and federal interagency agreements, Region 4 ensures
that all required Superfund cleanup work will be performed.
From initial site assessments to cleanups, from emergency response
planning to technical and construction assistance in emergencies of
national significance, Region 4 works closely with its partners to
protect and restore communities and get the job done.
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In FY 2009, EPA Region 4 Superfund provided more than $98
million in funding for these activities and rapidly obligated more than $26 million in Recovery Act funding to six
Superfund sites, accelerating cleanups, improving the health of communities and providing jobs. Region 4 is also
a national leader and innovator in contract management. For example, Region 4 has increased its efforts to provide
environmental consulting and remediation opportunities to Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses
(SDVOSBs) and small and disadvantaged businesses (SDBs).
Finally, Region 4 has taken a national lead in incorporating the evaluation of environmental sustainability as part of
acquiring services from contractors. The Region is striving to acquire services that are not only cost-effective and
technically superior, but also provided in an environmentally sustainable manner. The end result: greener Superfund
cleanups across the southeastern United States.
Did You Know?
Region 4 worked with the eight
southeastern states in FY 2009 to
develop a standard operating procedure
(SOP) for state and EPA enforcement
roles and responsibilities for sites with
state Superfund contracts.
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FY 2009 Awards
Excellence, Integrity and Experience: EPA Region 4 Staff Awards
In 2009, EPA Region 4 staff received 33 regional and national awards, including eight gold medals, four silver
medals and 17 bronze medals. A Region 4 staff member received the Glenda A. Farmer Award for Exemplary
Technical Support and the Region's ReGenesis Revitalization Collaborative Problem-Solving Team received the
Outstanding Leadership in Collaborative Problem-Solving Award. Region 4 staff also received Notable Achievement
Awards in Emergency Management, Environmental Justice, Federal Facilities Response and Superfund Enforcement.
Celebrating Community Dedication: the Award for Excellence in Site Reuse
Arlington, Tennessee
In June 2009, EPA Region 4 Superfund Division Director Franklin E. Hill
presented the third Award for Excellence in Site Reuse to the Town of Arlington,
Tennessee. "This award recognizes the remarkable local efforts that have helped
transform a cleaned up Superfund site into a community park," Mr. Hill stated at
the award ceremony.
The Arlington Blending and Packaging Superfund site was a former pesticide
formulation and packaging facility. Contamination from pesticide processing
operations was cleaned up in 2004, but the 2.3-acre site remained a blighted, vacant area. EPA worked with the
Town of Arlington to address safety and liability concerns and to determine how site reuses could be designed to be
compatible with the site's remedy.
To address the community's safety concerns, EPA issued a Ready for Reuse Determination indicating that the site's
remedy could support recreational uses. To address liability issues, EPA developed a Comfort Letter describing the
liability protection provisions available to the Town of Arlington, the site's prospective purchaser. And to help the
Town envision future recreational uses for the site, a reuse planning team worked with the community to develop a
reuse plan that included a basketball court, exercise stations, and recreational trails and gardens.
The Town of Arlington was also an active partner. The Town acquired the site and applied for a federal grant to
support the site's redevelopment. Mary Alice Park opened in 2005 and has become a valued community resource.
"This park will bring property values up, be aesthetically pleasing, and most importantly, provide a recreation site for
children and families to enjoy for years to come," Town Superintendent Ed Haley stated at the park's opening. "It's
the best thing we've ever had for our children and grandchildren," said resident Catherine Alberson. "It's changed our
whole neighborhood."
Fort Valley, Georgia
In July 2009, Region 4 presented the fourth Award for Excellence in Site Reuse
to the community of Fort Valley, Georgia. The award recognizes the community's
dedicated 12-year effort to restore and reuse the Woolfolk Chemical Corporation
Superfund site, a 31-acre former pesticide manufacturing and packaging facility
located adjacent to the city's downtown district.
Award certificates were presented to more than 60 community representatives,
who together formed the Woolfolk Alliance, a diverse community organization
that has worked tirelessly to ensure the area's revitalization. "This award is a
great day for [Fort Valley]," said Mayor John Stumbo. "It is a tribute to all of
the people - both local citizens and agency staff- who have made this site's remediation work." Nearly 100 people,
including representatives from the Georgia General Assembly, Peach County and the City of Fort Valley, EPA
Region 4, and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division attended the ceremony.
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Looking Ahead: FY 2010
In FY 2009, the Region 4 Superfund program renewed its core commitment to protect the health
of our communities and the environment.
Looking ahead, we recognize that this year's activities make a strong foundation for
FY 2010 - providing timely, efficient responses at new and existing sites, ensuring transparency
and collaboration across program activities, working with diverse constituencies and partners -
in order for us to fulfill this commitment once again.
FY 2010 Priorities
EPA Region 4 will continue to conduct the
most thorough research, rely on the most accurate data and pursue the most innovative approaches to ensure
that Region 4 remains a national leader in environmental protection.
EPA Region 4 will ensure that all Recovery
Act funds allocated for Superfund cleanups are used efficiently and productively, accelerating cleanups,
improving the health of our communities and benefiting local economies.
EPA Region 4 will emphasize transparency and opportunities for
collaboration in enhanced community involvement activities at Superfund sites and tailor communication
approaches to reach out to vulnerable communities that may have limited access to information resources and
other tools.
^^^^ ^^^^ffl ^^^^^H EPA Region 4 will
continue to emphasize technical assistance services for communities, including Community Advisory
Groups (CAGs), the Technical Assistance Plan (TAP) program and the Technical Assistance Services for
Communities (TASC) program, and provide a second round of the Superfund Job Training Initiative in 2010.
EPA Region 4 enforcement priorities will require enhancements in the
management of RD/RA negotiation schedules, monitoring responsible parties' compliance with settlement
agreements for work, including financial assurance requirements, and continuing to ensure thorough searches
for sites' potentially responsible parties.
EPA Region 4 will incorporate green remediation techniques
and technologies to maximize the net environmental benefits of Superfund cleanups. By incorporating the
use of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, EPA is maintaining the effectiveness of
remediation methods while reducing greenhouse gas emissions from conventional power sources, such as
coal-fired power plants. EPA is working with private and public partners at sites across the country to foster
the use of best management practices for green remediation.
As the "Lead EPA Region for Homeland Security" in 2009 and 2010, EPA
Region 4 will continue to focus on ensuring enhanced emergency response, prevention and preparedness
capabilities through coordinated planning with our network of local, state, tribal and federal partners.
EPA Region 4 will work with our partners to identify opportunities
to achieve shared goals and support other levels of protection, enhancing the protection of human health and
the environment and supporting community revitalization and sustainability.
EPA Region 4 will maintain open, proactive communication with interested
parties and use tools like the Prospective Purchaser Inquiry Service to continue to ensure that future land use
considerations inform site cleanup and enforcement activities as part of EPA's Land Revitalization Initiative.
EPA remains committed to restoring the nation's contaminated lands and enabling America's communities to
safely return these properties to beneficial uses.
By addressing these priorities, we seek to once again serve communities across the southeastern United States.
Building on the excellence, integrity and experience of our staff and the strengths of our federal, state, community
and private sector partners, EPA Region 4's Superfund program will be working hard to protect human health and the
environment in 2010.
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