Site Update United States San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site Environmental Protection Agency Harris County, Texas April 2015 This fact sheet will tell you about: • Current Status • Site Background • Site Contaminants • Groundwater Sampling Results • Residential Soil Sampling Results • Containment in Capped Areas • Community Involvement • For more information Current Status U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in coopera- tion with state, county, and local agencies is continuing to assess current and future site concerns to develop a com- prehensive plan for site cleanup. Because of the complexity of the San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site (Site), the EPA has decided that addi- tional information is needed prior to a recommendation of a cleanup alternative. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is performing an independent review of remedial alterna- tives, site modeling, and potential river/weather conditions that might influence remedy selection. Once this and the Feasibility Study are completed, the EPA will announce a proposed remedial alternative in a Proposed Plan that will be available for public comment. The EPA will also host a public meeting during the comment period to allow public participation in the remedy selection process. The EPA anticipates that the Proposed Plan will be re- leased for public comment during 2015. The EPA will continue to communicate with site stakeholders and the community on the progress at the Site. Site Background The San Jacinto River Waste Pits Site is on the western bank of the San Jacinto River, in Harris County, Texas, lo- cated north and south of the Interstate Highway 10 (I-10) bridge over the San Jacinto River. The Site was placed on the National Priorities List (NPL) in March of 2008. EPA is currently evaluating remedial alternatives to address contamination at the Site. Site Contaminants Soil, sediment, and fish tissue sampled during Site investi- gations indicate that dioxins are the chemicals that need to be addressed. Other chemicals including arsenic and poly- chlorinated biphenyls (PCB) are also present but do not contribute to a significant amount of risk compared to the dioxins. A temporary armored cap installed over the waste pits in 2011 isolated the dioxin in the pits. The cap prevents con- tinuing dioxin releases to the river as well as direct expo- sure to persons in the area. However, fish and shellfish in the river still contain high levels of dioxin (as well as pes- ticides and PCBs from other sources) and are covered by a fish consumption advisory issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services. About Dioxin Dioxins are produced from a variety of natural and man- made processes. The dioxin found in the site impound- ments originated from the Champion International Paper Mill. Dioxins are adhered to the materials in the impound- ments and are virtually insoluble in water. Water Quality A total of 13 monitoring wells were installed and ground- water samples were collected from across the site from 2011 to 2013. The results of the groundwater sampling in- dicate that dioxins have not migrated to the deeper Chicot aquifer, which is a drinking water source. Because dioxins are virtually insoluble, they do not move readily in the groundwater system. Groundwater is neither a transport pathway nor an exposure pathway at the Site. Sampling in the cap pore water and surface water just above the cap in 2012 did not detect any tetra-dioxin, and showed that the cap is effective in preventing dioxin releases to surface water (TCEQ below 0.01 pg/L). Residential Soil Sampling In 2011 and 2012 soil samples were collected from yards near the river banks in two residential areas: an area to the west of the Site (between Meadowbrook and River Road), and a second area along the eastern shoreline of the San Jacinto River to the northeast of the impoundments. ------- The results of the residential soil sampling program show that dioxins in soil in residential areas near the site are no different than background concentrations (for example soil in public parks of Houston) and are below levels consid- ered protective by USEPA for residential soils. As noted above, dioxins originate from a variety of sources. Containment in Capped Areas The wastes in the impoundments are effectively contained by the temporary armored cap installed in 2011. Sampling indicates that the wastes are not leaking, and visual inspec- tions as well as elevation surveys show that the cap is in- tact and stable. The armored cap includes three layers of protective geotextile and geomembrane covered by rock, and was designed and constructed in accordance with USEPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers design guid- ance to withstand major storms, including those that would only occur once every 100 years. The cap continues to be routinely monitored and maintained. In July 2012, a rela- tively minor storm (much less than the 100-year design storm) event occurred and resulted in a loss of armor mate- rial in some areas, but did not expose the underlying waste material. The cap was repaired following the storm, and was later upgraded in January 2014 to address deficiencies identified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (slope too steep and too much smaller material in some areas). The various remedial alternatives that EPA is evaluating in- clude methods of treating or removing the waste and af- fected sediment, or enhancing the effectiveness and reliability of the cap. Community Engagement In 2012, EPA awarded a Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) to the Galveston Bay Foundation. Galveston Bay serves as a lead agency to interpret site information and data for the community with the assistance of a Technical Advisor. The San Jacinto Community Awareness Committee (CAC), comprised of EPA, State, and Harris County agen- cies, also coordinates efforts to review and respond to site community engagement and public issues impacted by the site. State agencies have also worked closely with the com- munity to provide information and canvass neighborhoods. For more information: U.S. EPA: Gary Miller Superfund Remedial Project Manager 214.665.8318 or 1.800.533.3508 (toll-free) Valmichael Leos Superfund Remedial Project Manager 214.665.2283 or 1.800.533.3508 (toll-free) Donn Walters, EPA Sr. Community Involvement, Public Liaison 214.665.6483 or 1.800.533.3508 (toll-free) Superfund Regional Counsel 214.665.2157 or 1.800.533.3508 (toll-free) TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY: Superfund Section 512.239.6368 Crystal Taylor Community Relations, Superfund Section 512.239.3844 TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES: Tina Walker walker.tina@dshs.state.tx.us 512.776.2932 or 1.800.588.1248 x2932 SITE REPOSITORY: Stratford Branch Library 509 Stratford Street Highlands, TX 77562 All inquiries from the news media should be directed to the Region 6 Press Office at 214.665.2200. San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site on the internet: http://www.epa.gov/region6/6sf/pdffiles/san-iacinto- tx.pdf http://www.epa.gov/region6/6sf/texas/san iacinto/ https://www.epaosc.org/site/site profile.aspx?site id=6534 Para recibir una traduction en espanol de esta hoja de da- tos, comunicase con la Agencia de Protection del Medio Ambiente de los EEUU (la EPA) al numero de telefono 1.800.533.3508 (llamadagratis). To receive a Spanish translation of this fact sheet call U.S. EPA at 1.800.533.3508 (toll-free). ------- |