U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT Former United Zinc and Associated Smelters - Removal Polrep UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Region VII Subject: POLREP #28 Former United Zinc and Associated Smelters A78Q lola, KS Latitude: 37.9244799 Longitude: -95.3999814 To: Dave Williams, EPA R7 Superfund From: Date: Reporting Period: Randy Schademann, On-Scene Coordinator 5/13/2016 May 7, 2016 through May 13, 2016 1. Introduction 1.1 Background Site Number: A78Q D.O. Number: 0054 Response Authority: CERCLA Response Lead: EPA NPL Status: Mobilization Date: Demob Date: CERCLIS ID: ERNS No.: FPN#: NPL 9/28/2015 KSN000705026 Contract Number: Action Memo Date: Response Type: Incident Category: Operable Unit: Start Date: Completion Date: RCRIS ID: State Notification: Reimbursable Account #: EP-S7-13-05 8/6/2015 Time-Critical Removal Action 00 9/29/2015 1.1.1 Incident Category CERCLA Incident Category: Time-Critical Removal Action 1.1.2 Site Description 1.1.2.1 Location The Site is located in and around the city of lola, Allen County, Kansas. The main area of the former United Zinc property is located on the east side of lola within a mixture of residential and commercial properties. The facility was one of several zinc and lead smelting operations in the area between 1902 and 1925. Residential and non-residential properties were contaminated with elevated levels of lead. 1.1.2.2 Description of Threat FUZ_polrep_28.htm[5/25/2016 9:33:55 AM] ------- Lead, a hazardous substance as defined by Section 101(14) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended, has been released into the soil at the Site. The primary contaminants of concern at this Site are lead and lead compounds. 1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results Refer to PolRep #1. 2. Current Activities 2.1 Operations Section 2.1.1 Narrative The removal action consists of excavation and proper disposal of soil and/or waste containing lead concentrations greater than 400 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) from properties meeting the following criteria: residential properties where a composite sample exceeds a concentration of 800 mg/kg; high child impact areas such as schools and daycare facilities where a composite sample exceeds a concentration of 400 mg/kg; and residential properties where a child with a blood lead level of 10 micrograms per deciliter (|jg/dl) or greater resides and soil contains lead concentrations over 400 mg/kg. Currently, approximately 350 properties have been identified that meet these criteria. Excavated soil is transported to the Allen County Landfill, a RCRA Subtitle D landfill, and used as daily cover. 2.1.2 Response Actions to Date Excavation at a school athletic field was completed last week. Sod will be installed on Friday, May 13, 2016. Excavation began on two adjoining properties this week. Weather permitting, those two properties and several others will be completed next week. Excavation was completed at the following properties during this reporting period: Property ID Property Address Date Excavation Completed 2430 221 S Walnut 5/11/2016 A full list of properties (currently 102) addressed during this action is presented in the Notices section of this website. The EPA continued efforts to assess properties which were not previously sampled. The EPA completed an initial reconnaissance of these 890 unsampled properties and determined that approximately 350 properties are residential and able to be sampled. To date, access has been obtained for 220 of these properties (of which 214 have been sampled). Access has been declined for 59 properties. 2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) The PRP search is ongoing. No PRP has been identified to date. 2.1.4 Progress Metrics Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest Treatment Disposal Lead-contaminated soil Solid 20,641 tons N/A N/A Allen County Landfill daily cover Vegetation from Elm Creek Park berm Solid 99 tons NA NA Allen County Landfill FUZ_polrep_28.htm[5/25/2016 9:33:55 AM] ------- 2.2 Planning Section 2.2.1 Anticipated Activities 2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities Excavation and backfilling operations will continue during the next operational period. START contractors will continue to process samples that have been collected for the assessment task. See Section 2.1.2 for additional information regarding these properties. 2.2.1.2 Next Steps The Site was listed on the National Priorities List (NPL) on May 21, 2013. A remedial action is being planned. 2.2.2 Issues No issues at this time. 2.3 Logistics Section Not applicable. The Logistics Section is not activated due to the size of the removal action. 2.4 Finance Section 2.4.1 Narrative The below accounting of expenditures is an estimate based on figures known to the OSC at the time this report was written. The cost accounting provided in this report does not necessarily represent an exact monetary figure which the government may include in any claim for cost recovery. The Time-Critical Removal Action Memorandum with a Consistency Exemption from the 12-Month and $2 Million Statutory Limits was approved on 08/06/2015. Estimated Costs * Budgeted Total To Date Remaining °/ /O Remaining Extramural Costs ERRS - Cleanup Contractor $8,100,000.00 $2,401,417.93 $5,698,582.07 70.35% START $500,000.00 $242,213.57 $257,786.43 51.56% Intramural Costs USEPA - Direct $150,000.00 $105,444.41 $44,555.59 29.70% USEPA - InDirect $4,393,375.00 $1,377,286.07 $3,016,088.93 68.65% Total Site Costs $13,143,375.00 $4,126,361.98 $9,017,013.02 68.61% * The above accounting of expenditures is an estimate based on figures known to the OSC at the time this report was written. The OSC does not necessarily receive specific figures on final payments made to any contractor(s). Other financial data which the OSC must rely upon may not be entirely up-to-date. The cost accounting provided in this report does not necessarily represent an exact monetary figure which the government may include in any claim for cost recovery. FUZ_polrep_28.htm[5/25/2016 9:33:55 AM] ------- 2.5 Other Command Staff The EPA Community Engagement Specialist for the Site is Tamara Freeman. An Administrative Record containing site- related documents is available for review at the following locations: lola Public Library 218 E Madison Avenue lola, Kansas 66749 EPA Region 7 Records Office 11201 Renner Boulevard Lenexa, Kansas 66219 3. Participating Entities 3.1 Unified Command Because of the nature of the site, a unified command structure has not been formalized. City, county, and state representatives are kept abreast of activities and issues through routine dialogue. 3.2 Cooperating Agencies City of lola Allen County Kansas Department of Health and Environment 4. Personnel On Site EPA Personnel working on the project (not necessarily on site): OSC Schademann (this reporting period) OSC Luetke OSC Schuette RPM Bahnke (as needed) CES Freeman (as needed) EPA CNSL Sanders (as needed) EPA Contractors 10 ERRS personnel 1 START personnel Other Agencies 1 ATSDR representative FUZ_polrep_28.htm[5/25/2016 9:33:55 AM] ------- 5. Definition of Terms ATSDR Agency for Toxic Substance Disease Registry CES Community Engagement Specialist CNSL US EPA Counsel EPA Environmental Protection Agency MCL Maximum Contaminant Level nd non detect NPL National Priorities List OSC On-Scene Coordinator PRP Potentially Responsible Party RAL Removal Action Level RPM Remedial Project Manager SME Subject Matter Expert START Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team ijg/L Micrograms per liter |jg/kg Micrograms per kilogram |jg/m3 Micrograms per cubic meter 6. Additional sources of information 6.1 Internet location of additional information/report Lead is classified by the EPA as a probable human carcinogen and is a cumulative toxicant. The early effects of lead poisoning are nonspecific and difficult to distinguish from the symptoms of minor seasonal illnesses. Lead poisoning causes decreased physical fitness, fatigue, sleep disturbance, headache, aching bones and muscles, digestive symptoms (particularly constipation), abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite. With increased exposure, symptoms include anemia, pallor, a "lead line" on the gums, and decreased handgrip strength. Children are more vulnerable to lead poisoning than adults. For children, lead can damage the central nervous system, kidneys and reproductive system. At higher levels, it can cause coma, convulsions and death. Even low levels of lead are harmful and are associated with decreased intelligence, impaired neurobehavioral development, decreased stature and growth, impaired hearing acuity, and possibly high blood pressure. For more information on lead please visit: ATSDR ToxFAQs 7. Situational Reference Materials No information available at this time. FUZ_polrep_28.htm[5/25/2016 9:33:55 AM] ------- |