United States Environmental Protection Agency to Remove Hazardous Materials from EC Electroplating Facility in Garfield, New Jersey Community Update AUGUST 2011 EPA TO REMOVE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS FROM EC ELECTROPLATING PROPERTY EPA IN THE PROCESS OF INSTALLING MONITORING WELL NETWORK TO TEST AND MONITOR GROUNDWATER CONDITIONS EPA BASEMENT INSPECTION. SAMPLING AND CLEANUP CONTINUES QUESTIONS? Please Contact Community Involvement Coordinator Pat Seppi 646-369-0068 seppi.pat@epa.gov On-Scene-Coordinator Neil Norrell 908-420-4512 norrell.neil@epa.gov Remedial Project Manager Rich Puvogel (212) 637-4410 Puvogel. rich@epa. gov This community update is provided to let you know of progress on the United States Enviromnental Protection Agency's (EPA's) response to chro- mium groundwater contamination beneath southwest Garfield. EPA re- sponse actions continue to focus on three areas: basement inspections to reduce potential chromium exposures in basements caused by infiltrating groundwater; construction of a monitoring well network to determine the extent of chromium in groundwater; and assessment of conditions at the EC Electroplating facility, which appears to be a significant source of the chro- mium groundwater contamination. This update provides information on progress in each of these three areas. EPA to Remove Hazardous Materials from the EC Electroplating Property In July 2011, EPA completed an assessment of conditions at the EC Electro- plating facility located at 125 Clark Street, Garfield, New Jersey. EPA's assessment indicated that it is necessary to remove hazardous materials from the EC Electroplating facility to protect groundwater and people who may come into contact with hazardous materials in the facility. Removal of haz- ardous materials will eliminate the potential of future releases from the EC Electroplating facility. EPA's assessment indicated that electroplating process waste remains inside the EC Electroplating building which contains elevated levels of hexavalent chrome. EPA will test materials, secure all uncontained hazardous materi- als, segregate incompatable materials, and prepare hazardous material for removal from the property. Any hazardous material to be removed from the facility will be containerized and secured prior to removal. You may notice increased activity at the EC Electroplating facility over the next few weeks as EPA and its contractors begin removal activities. At times, you may see EPA and contractor personnel wearing protective suits and respirators prior to entering the EC Electroplating building to test and handle material. Air monitoring will be performed to ensure the protection of both workers and the surrounding community. As with previous EPA activities in the area, to ensure public safety, EPA will closely coordinate its removal action with the City of Garfield emergency services. EPA will keep you informed of pro- gress and plans as it proceeds with this removal work. Should you have any questions regarding EPA's removal action at the EC Electroplating facility please contact Neil Norrell at (908)420-4512 or Pat Seppi at (646) 369- 0068. http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/removal/garfield/ ------- EPA to Remove Hazardous Material from EC Electroplating Facility in Garfield, New Jersey Community Update AUGUST 2011 Groundwater Investigation EPA installed 24 monitoring wells in southwest Garfield to determine the extent of chromium contamination in groundwater. Installation of this initial monitoring well network started in February 2011 and was completed on July 20th. Sampling of these newly installed monitoring wells started on July 25th and was completed Au- gust 9th. EPA lias also sampled eleven pre-existing monitoring wells in the area that were installed by the New Jersey Depart- ment of Environmental Protection during their investigations of groundwater contamination from other properties in the area. Laboratory analysis of the groundwater samples from monitor- ing wells is expected to be completed by late September. EPA will use this groundwater sampling data to determine if the monitoring well network adequately characterizes the extent of chromium contamination in groundwater. It may be necessary to add additional monitoring wells to the network. Once enough information is obtained to fully characterize groundwater condi- Specialists sample one of 35 monitoring wells that tions, EPA will evaluate technologies that may be used to ad- were sampled from July through early August. dress the groundwater contamination. EPA Basement Inspection and Cleanup Status EPA continues to inspect basements in the southwest section of Garfield for the presence of chromium caused by groundwater infiltration. Over 489 basement properties in southwest Garfield have been inspected. Of 489 properties inspected, thirteen properties were found to be in need of cleanup to protect occupants from unac- ceptable levels of chromium in basements caused by infiltrating groundwater. If you received this Community Update in the mail and have not had your basement inspected by EPA, please contact Neil Norrell, EP A's On- Scene-Coordinator, at (908) 420-4512 to arrange a time for an inspection. If your property is inspected and determined to be in need of cleanup, EPA will perform the cleanup for you at EPA's cost. EPA Contacts This Community Update provides you with information about the upcoming EPA removal activities at the EC Electroplating facility, the progression of the investigation into groundwater, and EPA's inspection, sampling, and cleanup of basements in the area. For more information on EPA's community involvement, you may con- tact Pat Seppi at 646-369-0068. For scheduling inspection of your basement, or information on removal activi- ties at the EC Electoplating facility, please call Neil Norrell at 908-420-4512. If you have any questions about the groundwater investigation and monitoring well testing, please call Rich Puvogel at 212-637-4410. http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/removal/garfield/ ------- |