v°/EPA
fee o 2
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Public Affairs
Region 5
230 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois 60604
Illinois Indiana
Michigan Minnesota
Ohio Wisconsin
Superfund Fact Sheet
Hunts Disposal Landfill Site
Caledonia, Wisconsin
October 1988
EPA Region S Records Ctr.
243523
LONG-TERM INVESTIGATION
PLANNED
T.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) will begin a two-part
study this fall of contamination
problems associated with the Hunts
Disposal Landfill site in Caledonia,
Wisconsin, The first part of the study,
the Remedial Investigation (El), will
characterize the nature and extent of
contamination at and near the site and
determine the potential effects that
contamination may have on human
health and the environment. The second
part of the study, the Feasibility Study
(FS), will evaluate alternatives for
protecting human health and the
environment from problems that are
itified during the HI.
This fact sheet provides background
information on the Hunts Disposal
Landfill site and explains how the
Rl/FS will be conducted. Additionally,
this fact sheet is part of an on -going
effort to fully inform the public of
current and future EPA activities.
Terms first appearing in bold are
defined in a glossary on page 5.
SITE BACKGROUND
The Hunts Disposal Landfill is located
on County Line Road in the town of
Caledonia, Wisconsin. The inactive site
is approximately 35 acres and is part of
a larger 79-acre parcel. The site is
bounded on the north by County Line
Road, on the west by a Chicago and
Northwestern railroad right-of-way, on
Continued on page 3
FIGURE 1
SITE DETAIL MAP
HUNTS DISPOSAL LANDFILL
CALEDONIA, WISCONSIN
-------
TABLE I
REMEDIAL INVESTIGATION (Rl) ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR THE HUNTS DISPOSAL SITE
OBJECTIVES:
Determine whether contamination from the site can affect the residential water supplies in the area.
Determine the direction of {round water movement in the vicinity of the site. ;
Determine the level of risk to public health and environment posed by the site. £
Gather adequate data to evaluate remedial alternatives during the FS.
TASK:
Boundary Survey
Topographic Survey
Source Characterization
Geophysical Investigation
Soil Investigation
Residential WeO
Water Investigation
Surface Water/
Sediments Sampling
Hydrogeologk
Investigation
DESCRIPTION:
A survey will be conducted to determine ownership of the area
under investigation.
A detailed map and a topographic map will be prepared to
show all water bodies, buildings, roads, utilities, paved areas,
easements, existing well locations, right-of-ways, property
limits and other features.
Efforts will be made to install monitoring weDs within the
landfill and sample liquids from those wells.
The landfill site will be surveyed to determine the limits of the
landfill perimeter.
Soil samples will be collected from selected areas at or near the
site for contaminants that could move or already have moved
from the landfill.
Residential wells near the site will be sampled and analyzed
to provide information on the potential health risks to the
community.
Surface water samples will be collected from the Root River
and the pond north of the site and from other surface water
features near the site.
Monitoring wells will be installed at the site to determine the
rate and direction of ground water movement and to determine
the quality of ground water adjacent to the site.
REMEDIAL INVESTIGATION
AND FEASIBILITY STUDY
A remedial investigation (RI) is an
intensive study of a Superfund site that
determines the exact nature of any
threat that may be posed to human
health and the environment and the
extent of any contamination that is
present at and near the site. The RI
report will describe the type, extent and
amount of on-site and off-site
contamination. More specifically, the
RI process will consist of an
investigation of the ground water,
surface water/sediments, soil and air.
Soil samples will be collected as well.
The groundwater investigation will
include the installation of monitoring
wells to determine water quality. Based
on this information, a risk or
endangerment assessment will be made.
This assessment will further examine the
contaminants potential impact on
human health and environment.
The Feasibility Study (FS) is the step in
the Superfund process where
environmental engineers and other
technical staff evaluate alternatives for
cleaning up the site based on RI
information. Criteria used in evaluating
these alternatives include cost
effectiveness and public acceptance.
An FS report will be prepared which
will provide a detailed analysis of each
alternative. Interested individuals and .
groups will have an opportunity to
comment on the recommended
alternative. U.S. EPA will review public
comments and select a final remedy
for the site. Major tasks to be
performed during the Rl/FS are
outlined in Table 1.
-------
Continued front page 1
the southwest by the Root River and on
the east by farmland. The immediate
area surrounding the site is rural and
sparsely populated, however, there are
several residences located in the
immediate vicinity of the sire and within
the jurisdictional boundaries of
Caledonia. All of these residences rely
on private wells for their water supply.
A subdivision of approximately 1,000
people is located 1-1.5 miles west of the
landfill site across the Root River,
These residents obtain their water
supply from a private sanitation district.
The city of Oak Creek's corporate
boundary is less than Vi mile north of
the site. Residents in Oak Creek rely on
municipal wells that draw water from
bedrock at depths of approximately
1,800 feet.
,_.ğe landfill site has been owned and
operated by several people, (It should
be noted that the following narrative on
ownership and operation does not
represent an official determination as to
the facts; such determination will be
made by an official fact finder). Files of
the Racine County Board of
Adjustments indicate that the site was
first utilized for waste disposal activities
in 1959, upon issuance of a permit to
Harold Itzenhuiser. The site was
purchased by Clayton Hunt from Mr.
Itzenhuiser in 1962. Mr. Hunt operated
the landfill until 1971.
iring the late 1960s and early 1970s,
residents indicated that they had seen
cars driving to the site and depositing
garbage into the ditch near the railroad
tracks. Residents also complained that
the site was not being properly covered.
In 1964, four 10,000-gallon tanks
containing residual arsenic acid sludge
were buried at the site. According to
Continued on page 4
F/N) Madison
HUNTS DISPOSAL LANDFILL SITE
Wisconsin
Illinois
Rockford
FIGURE 2
SITE LOCATION MAP
HUNTS DISPOSAL LANDFILL
CALEDONIA, WISCONSIN
MAILING LIST
If you wish to be placed on the Hunts Disposal Name:
Landfill Superfund site mailing list, please complete
this form, detach and mail to: Address: _
Susan Pastor
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency City:
Region 5
Office of Public Affairs Zip Code:
230 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois 60604 Affiliation:
State:
Phone: ( )
i
-------
Continued from page 3
county flies, these tanks were cleaned
before they were buried. In 1971, the
landfill site was purchased by Elmer J.
Lauer and Joseph A. Magestro, Sr.
Operational responsibility was assumed
by the Caledonia Corporation shortly
after this purchase. During 1973 and
1974, the site was operated by United
Waste Systems, Inc. Several operational
problems such as leachate seepage, lack
of proper cover and windblown paper
were reported at the site by Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources
(WDNR) in early 1974. The Hunts
Disposal site was closed to further
acceptance of refuse in 1974. An
inspection conducted by WDNR in
September 1975 noted deficiencies in
final cover and top soil depths, severe
gully erosion on some slopes and
absence of vegetative cover over
portions of the landfill.
In 1975, the site was purchased by the
Boundary Corporation. Racine County
purchased the site from the Boundary
Corporation in 1976 with the intent of
developing the site as a part of the Root
River Parkway System, a regional park
concept. Proper abandonment of the
site had not taken place when Racine
County purchased the site. However, an
attempt was made by Waste
Management and Racine County in
1982 to properly abandon the site. In
1984, as part of a site inspection, a
U.S. EPA Contractor collected several
soil samples. Results of these on-site
soil samples indicated the presence of
1,1 -dichlorethane and 1., 1,1 -
trichloroethane. The Hunts Disposal
Landfill site was placed on the U.S.
EPA National Priorities List on July 21,
1987. This designation means that the
site is eligible for federal remediation
monies under the Superfund Program.
U.S. ERA'S
SUPERFUND PROCESS
Identification
Assessment
NPL Placement
RI/FS
Final Remedy
In 1980, Congress enacted the
Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability
Act (CERCLA, more commonly known
as "Superfund"). This act authorizes
U.S. EPA to investigate and respond to
releases of hazardous substances that
may endanger the public health, welfare
and the environment. The 1980 law set
up a fund of $1.6 billion to pay for the
investigation and clean up of sites where
parties responsible for the problems are
unable or unwilling to clean up the
sites. In October 1986, Congress
reauthorized the law under the
Superfund Amendments and
Reauthorization Act (SARA), and
increased the size of the fund from $1.6
billion to $8.5 billion.
After a site is initially discovered, it is
inspected. It is then scored using a
system that takes into account potential
contamination problems to the
surrounding community through three
primary routes: air, surface water and
ground water. If a site poses a serious
enough threat to a community, it is
placed on the National Priorities Listing
(NPL), a roster of the nation's most
serious waste sites. Every site on the
NPL qualifies for the Superfund
program.
Next, U.S. EPA develops a Work Plan
and conducts a Remedial Investigation
(RI). The RI assesses the type of
contaminants present, identifies the
degree of contamination, and
characterizes potential risks to the
community and environment. Following
the RI, U.S. EPA conducts a Feasibility
Study (FS) which examines the feasibility
of various remedial alternatives and
recommends a preferred remedy for the^"
site. Upon completion of the FS, a
30-day public comment period is held.
After comments are reviewed, specific
long-term action is then chosen and
designed. Once these activities are
finished, the actual site remediation
begins.
The time needed to complete each of
these six steps is different for every site.
In general, RI/FS takes from one to
two years. Designing the long-term
action may take six months. The final
long-term action typically takes one to
two years to put in place. It is also
possible that the RI/FS will indicate
that no further action should be taken
at the site. Continued on page 5
-------
On-going activities during the
Superfund process include:
* Regular Monitoring.
U.S. EPA monitors the site during
the remedial activities. If a site
becomes an imminent threat to
public health or the environment
during the RI/FS, U.S. EPA may
conduct an emergency response
action. Monitoring activities will
usually continue long after site
remediation has been completed.
* Community Relations.
Throughout the Superfund process,
U.S. EPA tries to keep citizens and
officials informed about site
activities and provide opportunities
for citizens to participate in decisions
made about the site. A public
eminent period is held during the
~process to provide U.S. EPA with
information about citizen concerns.
These concerns will be considered
when making decisions about
remediation activities at a site.
Recognizing the importance of
community involvement, and the
need for citizens living near NPL
sites to be well informed, Congress
included provisions in SARA to
establish a Technical Assistance
Grant (TAG) Program. The TAG
program's intent is to foster
informed public involvement in
decisions relating to site specific
clean up strategies under Superfund.
The TAG program provides up to
$50,000 to community groups for the
purpose of hiring technical advisors
to assist citizens in understanding
and interpreting site-related technical
information.
Eligible community groups are those
whose membership may be affected
by a release or threatened release of
toxic wastes at any facility or site
which is listed on the NPL, or
proposed for listing, and at which
preliminary site work has begun. In
general, eligible applicants would be
groups of individuals who live near
the site and whose health, economic
well-being or enjoyment of the
environment are directly threatened.
Additionally, groups applying for the
TAG must be incorporated under
applicable state laws as well as be
able to contribute a match of 35
percent. Additional information on
the TAG application process may be
obtained by contacting the
Community Relations Coordinator.
Search for Potentially Responsible
Parties (PRPs).
After being proposed for the NPL,
U.S. EPA undertakes a thorough
investigation to identify parties who
may be potentially liable for the
waste contamination problem. The
search for PRPs often continues
throughout the RI/FS process. If
they refuse to provide funds to
undertake the various phases of the
RI/FS process, they may face
various legal actions.
GLOSSARY
Aquifer - A layer of rock or soil below the ground surface that may supply useable quantities of
ground water to wells and springs. Aquifers can be a source of water for drinking and
other uses.
Ground Water - Precipitation (rain, snow, hail, etc.) that soaks into the ground and eventually
collects in the aquifer. When ground water accumulates in usable quantities within an
aquifer, it may be used as a source for drinking water or other purposes.
Hydrogeologic Study - A hydrogeologic study examines the nature and distribution of aquifers in
a geologic system. The study includes identifying the direction and rate of ground water
movement within the aquifers; determining the natural and chemical characteristics of
ground water and geologic structures below ground surface; and examining the
relationship between the various rock and soil layers in the area.
Leachate - A liquid (usually precipitation) that has percolated through wastes and contains
components of that waste. Liquid mixing with wastes inside a landfill becomes
contaminated leachate and can seep into ground water.
Monitoring WtUs - Wells installed at specific locations to collect ground water samples. The
samples are typically analyzed in a lab to determine the amounts, types and distribution
of contaminants in the ground water beneath the site. Other information collected assists
in determining the rate and speed of ground water movement.
Sediment - Materials that settle to the bottom of a stream, creek, lake or other body of water.
Surface Water - Bodies of water that are above ground, such as rivers, lakes and streams.
-------
FOR MORE INFORMATION
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC
INVOLVEMENT
In order to keep you informed about
how the Remedial Investigation and
Feasibility Study are progressing, U.S.
EPA will periodically distribute fact
sheets and updates. In addition, public
meetings will be held to explain the
results of site-related studies.
PUBLIC MEETING
U.S. EPA will hold a public meeting in
Caledonia to describe the Superfund
program and the specific activities
planned for the Hunts Disposal Landfill
site.
Thursday, October 20, 1988
7:00 P.M.
Caledonia Town Hall
6922 Nicholson Road
Caledonia, Wisconsin
INFORMATION REPOSITORY
If you are interested in learning more
about the Hunts Disposal Landfill site,
please review the documents in the
Information Repository. Copies of the
work plan, community relations plan,
relevant laws, and other related
documents are available for review at:
Caledonia Towa HaD
6922 Nicholson Road
Caledonia, Wisconsin
Hours: M-F: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Please contact the following U.S. E'fA
personnel if you would like additional
information:
Susan Pastor
Community Relations Coordinator
Office of Public Affairs
012) 353-1325
Michael GMforf
Remedial Project Manager
Remedial and Enforcement
Response Branch
(312) 886-7257
U.S. EPA Region V
230 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois 60604
Toll-Free number: 1-800-621-8431
(9:00 AM to 4:30 PM Central Time)
SrEPA
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region 5
Office of Public Affairs
230 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60604
------- |