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SRP Community RelationsSite Information ProgramHudson Chromate ProjectUpdate #31

Chrome Update 31 (December 2002)

MEMORANDUM

TO: Hudson County Chromate Waste Sites Mailing List

FROM: Ronald T. Corcory, Project Coordinator, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

SUBJECT: Hudson County Chromate Update #31, December 2002

The following is a summary of significant developments that have occurred between June 2001 and December 2002 regarding the Hudson County Chromate Waste Sites.

Occidental Chemical

Occidental has completed remedial construction activities at Sites 48 and 201 and remedial action reports for these sites have been approved. No Further Action letters will be issued for these sites as soon as proof of the filing of deed notices for these sites is submitted to the Department. Delineation activities at sites assigned to Occidental are substantially complete at all but two sites pending NJDEP review and approval of the submitted reports. Since the last update, Site 209 has been discovered in Kearny and is being handled by Occidental under its ACO. Interim remedial measures have recently been completed at this site and Occidental is awaiting approval of the remedial investigation work plan by NJDEP prior to conducting site characterization activities.

Honeywell

College Towers Apartments NJ Site 154:
College Towers Apartments is a 320-unit apartment complex in Jersey City, New Jersey that houses elderly residents. The complex was built in 1955 in a low-lying area that was formerly a baseball field. The parking lot area and around the back of the buildings were partially backfilled with Chromium Ore Processing Residue (COPR), construction debris and other fill material. The backyard edges of 13 adjoining townhouses were also partially backfilled with COPR. Honeywell remediated the site by excavating all soil that contained >240 mg/kg hexavalent chromium (11,730 tons hazardous and 4,000 tons non-hazardous) around the buildings and backyards, temorarily stockpiling the material on the site awaiting laboratory results to determine if the soil would be handled as hazardous or non-hazardous waste then landfilling the material as appropriate. The buildings' foundations were power washed and waterproofing was applied. Clean fill was backfilled. While excavated soils were stockpiled right outside of residents' windows awaiting laboratory results, extremely diligent dust suppression and air monitoring was performed to ensure safety for all the residents. The parking lot perimeter was lined with sheetpiling to a minimum depth of 7 feet and a new 4.5" asphalt cap installed to contain and isolate the COPR material left under the parking lot. Because the resident's parking area was the construction site, Honeywell rented a nearby parking lot, fenced it off and provided lighting, 24 hour continuous security and shuttle service for the displaced residents. A Honeywell representative was on-call at all times to answer resident questions and concerns. Information bulletins were distributed and informal meetings at the apartment complex were held. Restoration included providing new handicap ramps to all four buildings, installing new sidewalks, patios, fencing, three pools, sheds, grass, sprinklers, and landscaping. On the basement walls that had previously cracked from poor soil compaction a wall laminate was installed.

The extent of the contamination was greater than shown by remedial investigation borings. Over 85% of the excavated material did not pass the TCLP Chromium test, shifting disposal from non-hazardous to hazardous, which is 2.4 times more costly to transport and dispose.

Fourteen no-further action letters will be issued by NJDEP for the adjoining townhouses. A deed notice that identifies the area of COPR contamination left under the parking lot and defines the asphalt cap as an engineering control that must be maintained by Honeywell will be signed and filed.

Bayonne Sewer Pipeline NJ Site 144:
The Bayonne Sewage Pipeline (C-Line) cap project was completed in October. This included excavation of COPR material and consolidation under a cap in the bay area, giving way for construction of the City of Bayonne Wetlands Nature Park. An additional cap was constructed on NJ Turnpike Authority right-of-way. A workplan to monitor possible upward migration of COPR deposits beneath water level and to prevent its migration by placing additional geotextile, stone and sand was submitted to NJDEP. Additional delineation of COPR is being planned. This additional work will be performed in 2003. On-going deed notice work is continuing. Deed notices are needed from private property owners for the very deep (20 feet or more) deposits of COPR used as bedding along the length of the pipeline. The Construction Certification Report (Remedial Action Report) has been drafted.

Roosevelt Drive-In NJ Site 115:
Monthly inspection, sampling and reporting functions were performed for the Roosevelt Drive-In site. Bulkhead liner improvements including replacing and attaching to the bulkhead an approximately 50 foot wide by 620-foot section of liner was constructed in June 2002. The Construction Completion Report was submitted on November 26, 2002 to the Department and was approved on December 11, 2002. Honeywell installed safety guardrail along the bulkhead at three locations, both swales and in the middle to meet OSHA standards. A passive storm water treatment system utilizing peat moss was constructed by December 9, 2002. The revised Study Area 7 RI Report was submitted to DEP for review on October 10, 2002. Honeywell performed the final two rounds of surface water sampling of the Hackensack River on September 17, 2002 and November 12, 2002.

Trader Horn NJ Site 120:
The revised "Results of Homogenization and ASTM Leaching Experiments for Soils from Trader Horn" (dated September 16, 2002) was submitted to NJDEP on September 16, 2002 in response to the July 22, 2002 comment that pertained to Foodtown.

Foodtown NJDEP Site 155:
A report entitled "Results of ASTM Leaching Experiments for Solids from Foodtown" which helped to establish site specific acute contact dermatitis criteria was submitted to the Department on June 10, 2002 and later approved by the Department. Preliminary discussions with consultants for the NJEDA regarding developing the site for an elementary school occurred in November and December. DEP provided comments on the draft RI Report to Honeywell on November 6, 2002. Honeywell is finalizing a response to the comments in the form of a revised final RI report and is performing additional borings to delineate the contamination along Ocean Avenue.

MI Holdings NJDEP Site 184:
A report entitled "Results of ASTM Leaching Experiments for Solids from MI Holdings" which helped to establish site specific acute contact dermatitis criteria was submitted to the Department on September 12, 2002. The MI Holdings Remedial Action Selection Report/Remedial Action Work Plan (RASR/RAWP) is being reviewed by the Department.

Regional Hudson County Activities Honeywell:
The December 2002 Revised Hackensack River Supplemental Sediment Sampling and Analysis Plan was submitted to DEP for review on December 5, 2002. Honeywell submitted on June 28, 2002 a conceptual plan and a detailed plan on November 21, 2002 regarding a regional groundwater feasibility study scope of work covering both shallow and deep aquifers. The Department on January 22, 2003 approved the groundwater feasibility plan scope of work. On October 31, 2002, Honeywell submitted response to comments regarding Chromium in Ground Water Tag Maps and Isoconcentration Maps, which included a plan to drill 16 additional wells, both shallow and deep to better delineate chromium in the groundwater. The Department approved this plan on November 12, 2002.

PPG Industries, Incorporated

The NJDEP commented on the Group 1(Gregory Park Apts.) RI Report in August.

The remedial action report for the Group 2 site (DEP Green Acres, Chrome Site 008) has been submitted in late Sept. The DEP has yet to comment on this report.

For Groups 3 & 5 (Sites 002,003,004,005,066 & 112 - Caven Point #1,#2,#3,#4,#5 and Ultramar Petroleum #1) the Remedial Action has been underway since April and will continue through the next quarter.

Remedial Action for Group 4 (Site 112A) has been completed in September . Remedial Action Report should be submitted by December-January.

Remedial Action for Group 11 (Site 147) has been completed in July 2002. DEP is awaiting Remedial Action Report.

Remedial Investigation Report for Group 7 (Site 114) has been approved in September 2002. Building demolition is underway to begin Remedial Investigation.

July 2, 1993 Allied Signal Directive Sites and Orphan Sites Groups 1 & 2

The Preliminary Site Characterization (PSC) soil investigations have been completed at all twenty-three (23) sites in the Allied Directive group. These sites are numbered 007, 015, 019, 067, 068, 069, 070, 091, 092, 093, 094, 097, 098, 099, 100, 101, 130, 165, 172, 175, 178, 183 and 185. All of the PSC analytical data from these investigations have been validated. The results and recommendations will be presented in the PSC Remedial Investigation (RI) reports. Monitor wells have been installed at sites 007, 015, 019, 068, 070, 091, 092, 093, 094, 099, 100, 101, 130, 165, 172, 175, 183 and 185. Building inspections have been completed at nineteen (19) sites. PSC surface water and sediment sampling has been completed at sites 015, 068, 091 and 165. Initial PSC soil sampling has been completed at all twenty-three (23) sites under the Allied Directive category. PSC Remedial Investigation Reports have been completed for sites numbered 015,067,091, 094, 165,172,175,178,183 & 185. The Final Site Characterization (FSC) proposal was received from the contractor during May 2002.

A PSC plan with Final Recommendations has been developed for Site 175. The recommended action for this site is a small-scale removal and does not require inclusion in the Final Site Characterization. Plans to remove a small area of contaminated soil with off-site disposal are moving forward for Site 175. After post-excavation sampling confirms the contamination has been removed, the excavation will be back-filled with clean soil and Site 175 will receive a No Further Action letter.

The Orphan 1 group of sites consists of ten chromium sites. Preliminary and Final Site Characterization investigations were conducted at all Orphan 1 sites except for site 139. The following is a status of each of the ten sites.

Site 017 (Exxon Station): Confirmed hexavalent chromium along curb and underneath pavement. NJDEP extended sampling across street during FSC and found nothing. No further sampling and deed restriction recommended. Final FSC Report planned for Spring 2003.

Site 020 (NJ Turnpike Property): Hexavalent chromium confirmed throughout site. Exceedances of ground water quality standards for total chromium found. FSC fieldwork to be completed early 2003. Site access issues has delayed completion of fieldwork. FSC Report tentatively scheduled for Spring/Summer 2003.

Site 021 (NJ Turnpike Property): Contains visible surface chromate slag with no confirmed hexavalent/total chromium hits. Final PSC Report issued June 2001. No further sampling recommended.

Site 077 (Eighth Street): Hexavalent chromium found underneath commercial building during PSC. FSC fieldwork to further delineate site contamination completed during summer of 2002. Final FSC Report tentatively scheduled for Spring 2003.

Site 086 (Nicholas Trucking): Hexavalent chromium detected along riverfront. FSC sampling during the Spring of 2002 confirmed that onsite hexavalent chromium contamination is limited to riverfront area. Final FSC Report planned for Spring 2003.

Site 138 (Bayonne Sewage Treatment Plant): Only one hit of hexavalent chromium found at 10-15 ft. during the PSC. NJDEP agreed to do no further sampling and leave the hexavalent hit in place. Deed restriction recommended for this site.

Site 139 (IMTT): Large active chemical storage facility. NJDEP conducted in-house surface sampling effort confirming wide-spread chromium contamination during November 2001. Further RI work and/or remedial action to be discussed with upper management.

Site 150 (Coastal Oil): PSC fieldwork completed during Summer of 2002. Hexavalent chromium was found along oil pipeline gallery. Wide-spread free phase oil product was discovered during PSC soil boring work. This situation was reported to NJDEP's Hotline for case assignment.

Site 152 (Kenrich Petrochemicals): PSC fieldwork conducted during the Spring of 2002. No hexavalent chromium discovered. Wide-spread free phase oil product discovered during the soil boring work. The situation was reported to NJDEP's Hotline for case assignment. No further sampling for chromium is recommended. Final PSC Report tentatively scheduled for first quarter of 2003.

Site 162 (Conrail Spur): Final PSC Report issued August 2000. No hexavalent chromium found. No further sampling recommended.

Site 174 (Collins Park): Only one hexavalent chromium hit discovered at approximately 5-7 ft. depth. NJDEP conducted additional FSC work during the Summer of 2002 and confirmed that hexavalent chromium is limited to one location. Final FSC Report planned for first quarter of 2003.

Site 177 (Bayonne Municipal Lot): PSC fieldwork during the Summer of 2002 did not find any hexavalent chromium contamination onsite. High levels of petroleum hydrocarbon was detected in two soil borings.

Site 180 (Eastern Oil): Hexavalenet chromium found along Jersey City sewer line. FSC fieldwork during Spring/Summer of 2002 confirmed that hexavalent chromium contamination is limited to immediate area around sewer line. Final FSC Report tentatively scheduled for Spring 2003.

Site 186 (JM Towing): PSC fieldwork discovered hexavalent chromium found underneath IRM liner and under hardtop. FSC fieldwork completed during Spring of 2002 confirmed that the hexavalent chromium is limited to the area underneath the IRM. The Final FSC Report is planned for the first quarter of 2003. No further action recommended except for administrative deed notice.

The Orphan 2 group of sites consists of fifteen sites. L. ROBERT KIMBALL and Associates (LRK) are currently investigating the four highest priority sites. Potential exposure and size determined priority. Those sites are Site 192 (Turnpike Authority Pier 10S); Site 198 (Hartz Mountain); Site 206 (Polarome); and, Site 207 (Garfield Avenue).

The draft Site Specific Investigation Plans (SSIP) for Sites 192, 206 and 207 have been approved. LRK started mobilizing for the RI fieldwork during October 2002 and expects to start the actual field investigation during December 2002.

General Chromium Site Status

Below is the Chromite Ore Processing Residue Sites Status table, which summarizes the phase of all known chromium sites, sorted by responsible party. A copy of the updated Chrome Sites list is attached. Note that this list does not include sites that have been remediated and are now under the category of "No Further Action" (NFA).

Chromite Ore Processing Residue Sites Status
January 13, 2003

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