PROPOSED PLAN BARBER ORCHARD SUPERFUND SITE … · 2020. 7. 3. · Haywood County, North Carolina....
Transcript of PROPOSED PLAN BARBER ORCHARD SUPERFUND SITE … · 2020. 7. 3. · Haywood County, North Carolina....
You are Invited to Comment on the Proposed Plan for Addressing
Groundwater at the Barber Orchard Superfund Site, Waynesville, NC
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (NCDENR) want to hear your views about the following proposed plan for addressing the groundwater and
surface water/sediment at the Barber Orchard Superfund Site (Site). You can comment on the Proposed Plan at a 7:00 p.m.
public meeting on Thursday, September 08, 2011 at the Saunook Fire Station located at 2908 Old Balsam Road, Waynesville,
North Carolina. Comments can also be submitted through the mail, via facsimile, or email (refer to the box below for
additional information). We have studied the Site and now believe that the following actions are needed to protect public
health and the environment.
This Proposed Plan presents:
• The proposed alternative of No Action with groundwater monitoring for the Barber Orchard Operable Unit 2 for the
groundwater underlying the Site and the streams (surface water/sediment) draining the Orchard.
You are encouraged to comment during the public comment period. You have until Thursday, September 29, 2011 to submit
written comments on the Proposed Plan or other material in the Administrative Record file. At the end of the comment
period, EPA and NCDENR will review the comments/suggestions and make a final decision about the Site cleanup. Your
input on this Proposed Plan is an important part of the decision-making process. We want to hear from you and will pay
serious attention to what you have to say.
Tell Us What You Think Submit Written Comments
Public Comment Period
August 31, 2011 through September 29, 2011
EPA will accept written comments on the
Proposed Plan during the public comment
period. You may submit written comments
three (3) ways:
MAIL Mr. Jon Bornholm
U.S. EPA - Region 4
61 Forsyth Street, SW
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3104
EMAIL [email protected]
FACSIMILE 404-562-8788
Attend the Public Meeting
Public Meeting:
You are invited to attend a public
meeting sponsored by EPA to hear
about the Proposed Plan for Operable
Unit 2 (Groundwater and surface
water/sediment) for the Barber Orchard
Site. At the meeting you will be able to
voice your views about the proposed
actions.
The meeting will be held:
Thursday, September 09, 2011
at 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Location: Saunook Fire Station
2908 Old Balsam Road
Waynesville, NC
Locations of Administrative Record and
Information Repository
Haywood County Public Library
402 South Haywood Street
Waynesville, North Carolina
Phone: 828-452-5169
Hours: Mon-Wed, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Thurs 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Friday 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: Closed
EPA, Region 4's Information Center
61 Forsyth Street
Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
404-562-8946
Hours: Mon – Fri, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
PROPOSED PLAN
BARBER ORCHARD SUPERFUND SITE
OPERABLE UNIT 2 (GROUNDWATER)
WAYNESVILLE, HAYWOOD COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
AUGUST 2011
Barber Orchard Site Proposed Plan Operable Unit 2
August 2011
2 INTRODUCTION
This Proposed Plan provides:
• a brief description and history of the Site;
• a summary of the nature and extent of
contamination;
• a summary of the Baseline Risk Assessment;
• presents to the public the Agency’s preferred
alternative for the groundwater (OU 2) at the Site;
• the public the opportunity to submit comments on
the proposed cleanup alternative; and
• a list of contacts and locations for more
information.
EPA is required by both the Superfund law
[Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,
and Liability Act (“CERCLA”), Section 117(c), and the
National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution
Contingency Plan (“NCP”), Section 300.435(f)(2)] to issue
this Proposed Plan to the public. This document is issued
by the US EPA, the lead agency for the site, and
NCDENR, the support agency. EPA, in consultation with
NCDENR, will select a final remedy for the site after
reviewing and considering all information submitted
during the 30-day public comment period. EPA, in
consultation with NCDENR, may modify the Preferred
Alternative or select another response action presented in
this Plan based on new information or public comments.
Therefore the public is encouraged to review and comment
on all the alternatives presented in this Proposed Plan.
This Proposed Plan summarizes and identifies key
information generated and/or collected through the
Remedial Investigation (RI) and Feasibility Study (FS)
phase of the Superfund process as well as the additional
groundwater data collected since the issuance of the 2004
OU 1 ROD.
All pertinent information supporting this Proposed Plan
can be found in greater detail in documents contained in
the Barber Orchard Administrative Record. The
Administrative Record and Information Repository can be
found in the Haywood County Public Library at 402 South
Haywood Street in Waynesville, North Carolina and in
EPA's, Region IV Information Center at 61 Forsyth Street,
Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center, Atlanta, Georgia.
SITE BACKGROUND/SITE CHARACTERISTICS
The Barber Orchard Site is a former commercial apple
orchard located off U.S. Highway 23/74 approximately 3
miles west of the city limits of Waynesville in western
Haywood County, North Carolina. The Site is
approximately 438 acres in size located on the northern
slope of a mountain in the Blue Ridge physiographic
province. Figure 1 is the Site Location Map. The Barber
Orchard Site was proposed for the National Priority List
(NPL) in the Federal Register (Vol. 66, No. 8, January
2001) and finalized on the NPL via the Federal Register
(Vol. 66, No. 178, September 2001). EPA’s identification
number is NCF FNO 406 989.
Topography across the Orchard varies. The parcels
located nearest to U.S. Highway 23/74 are relatively flat,
as they are located in the flood plain of Richland Creek.
To the southeast, the Orchard rises sharply as it nears the
Blue Ridge Parkway. Surface elevations across Barber
Orchard range from approximately 2,900 feet above mean
sea level (msl) along Richland Creek to around 4,000 feet
above msl near the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The Site is a former apple orchard that operated from 1908
to 1988. Apples were grown commercially and harvested
until bankruptcy closed the orchard. As with many
commercial agricultural operations, pesticides were
routinely used. The method of pesticide application at
Barber Orchard was somewhat unique, however, the
pesticides were mixed at one or more mixing stations,
drained downhill to a compressor and then pumped back
up into the orchard under considerable pressure (800
pounds per square inch), through an underground system
of pipes. The piping system had a number of standpipes
located among the apple trees. Orchard employees would
connect flexible hoses to these stand pipes and spray the
pesticide mixture onto the trees. Although not
documented, the depth of the underground piping is
assumed to be shallow. No diagrams showing the layout
of the piping system exists.
The pipes were routinely flushed to prevent clogging; any
pesticides present in the pipes were left to run onto the
ground. Reportedly, pipes would sometimes freeze and
rupture in the winter, causing them to leak. Pesticides
suspected of being used at the Site include: lead arsenate,
dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), lindane,
dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD), endrin, and
dieldrin. After bankruptcy, the former orchard land was
broken into 170 parcels of varying sizes and sold.
The former orchard now includes a mixture of the
following:
• Approximately 100 acres developed as residential
property
Barber Orchard Site Proposed Plan Operable Unit 2
August 2011
3
• Approximately 60 acres developed as agricultural/
commercial/cultural/light-industrial
• Approximately 10 acres unbuildable
• Approximately 268 acres orchard/pasture land.
Based on information obtained over the years, the Agency
is expecting that the majority of the undeveloped portion
of the Orchard will be developed as residential property.
The future make-up of the orchard is expected to look like:
• Approximately 358 acres developed as residential
property
• Approximately 70 acres developed as agricultural/
commercial/cultural/light-industrial
• Approximately 10 acres unbuildable
In early 1999, the Health Department of Haywood County
sampled a potable well at the residence of a concerned
homeowner in Barber Orchard. Pesticides were detected
in this sample, prompting a larger sampling effort by
NCDENR and the North Carolina Department of
Agriculture. Results of this sampling effort were
forwarded to the EPA for removal action evaluation in
June of 1999.
In 1999, EPA conducted additional testing of soils in
residential lawns and potable wells (drinking water) in
Barber Orchard. Results showed elevated concentrations
of arsenic, lead, and pesticides in soil from many of the
residential yards. In numerous locations, the arsenic
concentration exceeded EPA’s screening concentration of
40 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) which is based on
EPA’s 1 × 10-4
cancer risk level for arsenic. Groundwater
samples were collected from 55 potable water wells across
the Orchard area. Organochlorine pesticides including
alpha- benzene hexachloride (BHC), beta-BHC, and
gamma-BHC (Lindane) were detected in 21 of these wells.
The concentration of Lindane exceeded its federal
maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 0.2 micrograms per
liter (µg/l) in 5 of the 55 potable wells sampled. The
concentrations of these 5 Lindane detection were 0.27
µg/l, 0.29 µg/l, 0.4 µg/l, 0.45 µg/l, and 1.7 µg/l. MCLs are
established under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
(which can be viewed at the following website:
http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/index.cfm). In
addition, two of these potable well samples contained a
concentration of lead above the federal MCL for lead
which is 15 µg/l. The concentrations of lead detected in
these two wells were 28 µg/l and 38 J µg/l.
Due to the elevated concentration of arsenic in the soil in
the landscaped portions of residential properties, a soil
removal action was initiated in October 1999 which was
completed in August 2000. This action removed surface
soils (the top foot) from 28 residential properties where
arsenic levels exceeded 40 mg/kg. The excavated areas
were backfilled with clean soil and landscaped. All home
owners in the Orchard were encouraged to install a
filtration system on their individual water supply system.
Although the former orchard occupies a parcel of land that
is approximately 438 acres, the RI expanded the study area
to the edges of the watershed which includes
approximately 725 acres. The boundaries of the watershed
are defined by the mountain top to the south, Richland
Creek to the north, and two unnamed tributaries to
Richland Creek, to the east and west. Included within the
watershed boundaries are several businesses, a fire
department, several churches, and a daycare center. This
725 acre area is drained by eight unnamed tributaries to
Richland Creek. Figure 1 shows the location of the
Barber Orchard Site along with these eight tributaries.
The subsurface geology at Barber Orchard consists of
unconsolidated soils and colluvium overlying bedrock.
The unconsolidated materials consist of saprolite
(weathered bedrock that contains relic structures), soils
(residuum created by weathering of bedrock), and
colluvium (poorly sorted soils, boulders and cobbles
deposited by gravity). This mantle of material overlying
the bedrock tends to be thinner on steep slopes and thicker
towards the valley bottoms. The colluvium is most
common in the lower lying areas. Surface soils at the Site
consist of fine- to medium-grained sands, silts and clays,
and silty sands that transition to saprolite.
Groundwater occurs in both the unconsolidated soils and
bedrock with no barrier between these two groundwater
zones. Groundwater occurrence is widespread in the
overburden but is restricted to fractures in bedrock.
Existing bedrock wells range in depth from approximately
100 feet below ground surface (bgs) to more than 700 feet
bgs. Groundwater in the overburden is used to a limited
extent as is indicated by a few hand-dug wells and springs,
while most of the groundwater used in the area is extracted
from bedrock wells. Groundwater recharge occurs through
surface water infiltration or precipitation. Groundwater
discharge occurs through seepage into area creeks. The
major surface water feature is Richland Creek which forms
the northern boundary of the Site. Seven tributaries to
Richland Creek flow across the Site and convey water
Barber Orchard Site Proposed Plan Operable Unit 2
August 2011
4 from the higher elevations and empty into Richland Creek.
At sporadic locations along some of these tributaries, a few
small ponds have been constructed.
To date, EPA has not identified any viable potentially
responsible parties. Therefore, the 1999-2000 emergency
response, the RI/FS, and the current, ongoing soil cleanup
have been funded by the Superfund.
Haywood County/Town of Waynesville received monies
from a number of sources to extend a municipal water
supply line into the Barber Orchard area. One of these
sources was a grant from EPA. Consequently, EPA
evaluated this grant under the National Environmental
Policy Act. In May 2003, EPA issued a "Finding of No
Significant Impact" which contained the following Special
Grant Condition – "The County must require all residential
sites in the Barber Orchard community to be sampled for
lead and arsenic contamination prior to construction of
those sites. If lead/arsenic levels are found to exceed
EPA’s remedial action level, the County must require (the
soil at) the sites to be remediated before construction on
those sites is permitted." The Commissioners of Haywood
County adopted this language which reduced the pace of
residential development within the Orchard.
In 2004-2005, Haywood County/Town of Waynesville
extended a municipal water supply line throughout the
Orchard and up to the North Carolina Department of
Transportation’s rest stop on US Highway 23/74. As of
June 2011, approximately half of the developed parcels
(32 parcels) in the Orchard have hooked up to the
municipal water line.
SCOPE AND ROLE OF OPERABLE UNIT
EPA has organized the work at the Barber Orchard Site
into two operable units (OUs).
• Operable Unit 1: Contaminated soils
• Operable Unit 2: Contaminated groundwater,
surface water and sediment.
OU 1 – SOIL
EPA selected the remedy for OU 1 in a ROD signed on
September 29, 2004. The remedy included the excavation
and off-site disposal of soils contaminated with
organochlorine pesticides and metals (arsenic and lead).
The remedy is currently being implemented and it is
anticipated it will be completed by the end of September
2011.
OU 2 – GROUNDWATER
The second operable unit (OU 2), the subject of this
Proposed Plan, focuses on the contaminated groundwater
underlying the Orchard along with the surface water and
sediment in the streams that drain from the Orchard.
Although the Agency is proposing No Action for OU 2,
long-term monitoring of the groundwater underlying the
Orchard will be conducted to ensure that the soil cleanup is
effective and beneficially impacts the quality of the
groundwater. Monitoring wells and potable wells will be
monitored.
This OU is the final operable unit for the Barber Orchard
site as no further actions are necessary.
REMEDIAL INVESTIGATION
SUMMARY/NATURE AND EXTENT OF
CONTAMINATION
A RI is an in-depth study designed to gather data needed to
determine the nature and extent of contamination at a
Superfund site; support the Baseline Risk Assessment;
establish site cleanup criteria; identify preliminary
alternatives for remedial action; and support technical and
cost analyses of alternatives. The RI is usually done with
the FS. The FS identifies and analyzes appropriate
technologies/ alternatives for addressing the contamination
at the Site. The FS describes in detail the alternatives that
were considered, as well as the process and criteria used to
narrow the list of the potential remedial alternatives, to
address the contamination and risks at the Site. Together
they are usually referred to as the "RI/FS".
In January 2001, EPA conducted the RI/FS public kick-off
meeting. In May 2003, EPA held a public meeting to
share the findings of the RI.
EPA’s 2001-2002 RI involved the collection and analyses
of numerous soil samples, surface water and sediment
samples, and groundwater samples from newly installed
monitoring wells along with a number of private, potable
wells. The data collected and/or generated from these
efforts confirmed and documented that the quality of
surface and some subsurface soils as well as the
underlying groundwater have been negatively impacted by
past Site activities. Table 1 summarizes the 2001
Barber Orchard Site Proposed Plan Operable Unit 2
August 2011
5 monitoring well data and Table 2 summarizes the 2001
potable well data.
The soil data generated as part of the RI confirmed that
elevated levels of lead, arsenic, and organochlorine
pesticides were present within soils of the former orchard,
especially in areas where apple trees were planted or
currently growing. The majority of these contaminants
were found in the top foot of soil with an occasional
detection as deep as four feet. Organochlorine pesticides
were detected in monitoring wells, potable wells, and
springs. The primary contaminants in the groundwater
were the following organochlorine pesticides: alpha-BHC,
beta-BHC, delta-BHC, gamma-BHC (Lindane), endrin,
and endrin ketone.
Surface water and sediment samples were collected from
twelve streams during the RI. These streams can be
categorized as:
• streams that flow through or border the areas
where the apple orchard operated,
• streams that flow from the opposing hillside across
the valley and are not influenced by the orchard,
and
• Richland Creek, which is the largest stream in the
area, receives drainage from the other two types of
streams.
The surface water data is summarized in Table 3 and the
sediment data is summarized in Table 4. The highest
concentrations of contaminants in surface water were
detected in the streams that drained the Orchard. Lead and
organochlorine pesticides were detected in the water
column and arsenic, lead and organochlorine pesticides
were detected in the sediments. No concentrations of
contaminants were found in either the surface water or the
sediment above levels that would pose an unacceptable
risk to human health.
Figures 2 and 3 show the areal extent of contaminated soil
in the surface and subsurface zones, respectively. The
remediation of the soil contamination is anticipated to be
completed by the end of September 2011.
Figure 4 presents the groundwater sampling locations
used in the RI. The area/volume of groundwater beneath
the Barber Orchard Site was calculated based on the
following assumptions:
• porosity values in the saprolite were set at 40%;
fracture bedrock porosity was set a 5% (As a
simplifying assumption, overall porosity for the
rock column (saprolite/bedrock) is assumed to be
10%).
• the areal size was estimated to be a rectangle 3,000
feet by 3,000 feet or 9,000,000 square feet.
• the average thickness of groundwater is 20 feet
and using a combined average porosity of 10%,
the volume of groundwater beneath the Site is
134,640,000 gallons.
The groundwater at the Site has been sampled numerous
times: 1999 by North Carolina, 1999-2000 by EPA, 2001-
2002 as part of the RI, August 2004, October 2007, March
2009, August 2010, and May 2011. The August 2004,
October 2007, March 2009, and August 2010 groundwater
sampling efforts focused on the monitoring wells. The
1999-2000 groundwater sampling efforts focused on
potable wells. The RI groundwater sampling effort
included both potable wells and monitoring wells. The
most recent groundwater sampling was conducted in May
2011 that included all fourteen monitoring wells and
fifteen potable wells. No concentrations of contaminants
were detected above federal MCLs or above levels that
pose an unacceptable carcinogenic or non-carcinogenic
risk to human health. An elevated concentration of lead
was detected in monitoring well MW-16 (16 µg/l);
however, this concentration of lead is attributable to the
turbidity of this sample and not the groundwater.
No groundwater “hot spots” have been identified;
however, the detection of pesticides is generally more
common in the western portion of the Site than the eastern
portion of the Site. This trend may be explained by the
development of the Orchard which also occurred from
west to east. The May 2011 analytical results for the 15
potable well samples were compared to the 1999-2001
results. Based on this comparison four observations were
made:
1) no contaminants were detected above federal MCL
in 2011,
2) concentrations of the organochlorine pesticides are
generally declining with time,
3) based on the conceptual hydrogeological model
for the Site, the contaminants are being slowly
diluted as the groundwater migrates northward
towards the primary groundwater discharge point -
Richland Creek, and
Barber Orchard Site Proposed Plan Operable Unit 2
August 2011
6
4) based on the 2001 RI data, discharges to Richland
Creek are not above Ambient Water Quality
Criteria and do not pose an unacceptable risk or
ecological receptors.
In addition, two soil removal efforts have occurred on the
Site. The first was EPA’s sponsored emergency response
action in 1999-2000 that removed contaminated soil from
28 residential yards. The second soil cleanup is currently
ongoing and is anticipated to be completed by September
30, 2011. The current soil cleanup includes removing the
top foot of soil from approximately 85 acres. The removal
of this contaminated soil will eliminate the source of
contamination to the groundwater. With the source
removed, the levels of detections in the groundwater
should continue to decline.
SUMMARY OF SITE RISKS
HUMAN HEALTH - Based on the results of the risk
characterization, chemicals of concern were selected from
chemicals of potential concern. At the Barber Orchard
site, it is known that pesticides, including arsenic and lead,
were historically used. The following chemicals were
identified as chemicals of concern in the various
environmental media:
• SURFACE SOIL - arsenic, lead, manganese,
thallium, DDD, DDE, DDT, aldrin, dieldrin, and
endrin ketone;
• HOMEGROWN PRODUCE (from surface soil) -
barium, manganese, thallium, DDD, DDE, DDT,
aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, endrin ketone, and
benzo(a)pyrene;
• SUBSURFACE SOIL - aluminum, arsenic, DDT,
aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, and endrin ketone;
• SUSPENDED PARTICULATES (from subsurface soil)
-aluminum, barium, and manganese;
• OVERBURDEN GROUNDWATER - aluminum,
barium, chromium, copper, iron, manganese,
vanadium, alpha-BHC, and lindane;
• BEDROCK GROUNDWATER - arsenic, chromium,
alpha-BHC, and lindane;
• FISH INGESTION (from Richland Creek surface
water) - DDT; and
• BEEF/MILK INGESTION (from surface soil) -
thallium, DDD, DDE, DDT, aldrin, dieldrin,
endrin, and endrin ketone.
WHAT IS RISK AND HOW IS IT CALCULATED?
The Superfund human health risk assessment estimates the
"baseline risk." This is an estimate of the likelihood of health
problems occurring if no cleanup actions were taken at a site.
To estimate the baseline risk at a Superfund site, EPA
undertakes a four-step process:
Step 1: Analyze Contamination
Step 2: Estimate Exposure
Step 3: Assess Potential Health Dangers
Step 4: Characterize Site Risk
In Step 1, EPA looks at the concentrations of contaminants
found at a site as well as past scientific studies on the effects
these contaminants have had on people (or animals, when
human studies are unavailable). A comparison between site-
specific concentrations and health-based concentrations helps
EPA to determine which contaminants are most likely to pose
the greatest threat to human health.
In Step 2, EPA considers the different ways that people might
be exposed to the contaminants identified in Step 1, the
concentrations that people might be exposed to, and the
potential frequency and duration of exposure. Using this
information, EPA calculates a "reasonable maximum
exposure" (RME) scenario, which portrays the highest level of
human exposure that could reasonably be expected to occur.
In Step 3, EPA uses the information from Step 2 combined
with information on the toxicity of each chemical to assess
potential health risks. EPA considers two types of risk:
cancer risk and non-cancer risk. The likelihood of any kind of
cancer resulting from a Superfund site is generally expressed
as a probability; for example, a "1 in 10,000 chance" or 1 ×
10-4
." In other words, the exposed individual would have an
excess cancer risk of one in 10,000 due to long-term exposure
to site contaminants. This excess risk would be over and
above the existing cancer risk for the individual. If the
accumulative excess cancer risk posed by the contaminants of
concern at a site is greater than 1× 10-4
(i.e., one out of
10,000), then the Agency typically implements a cleanup
action to reduce the overall risk. If the accumulative excess
cancer risk posed by the contaminants of concern at a site is
less than 1 × 10-6
(i.e., one out of 1,000,000), then the Agency
typically does not implement a cleanup action and may rely
on other activities to protect human health and the
environment. For non-cancer health effects, EPA calculates a
"hazard index" (HI). If the calculated hazard index is less
than 1, then no non-cancer health effects are expected. If the
hazard index greater than 1, then a non-cancer health effect
may occur do to the long-term exposure to Site contaminants.
In Step 4, EPA determines whether site risks are excessive for
people at or near the Superfund site. The results of the three
previous steps are combined, evaluated, and summarized.
EPA adds up the potential risks for each receptor.
Barber Orchard Site Proposed Plan Operable Unit 2
August 2011
7 The above chemicals of concern are associated with one or
more of the following receptors:
• CURRENT RESIDENT - overburden groundwater;
• FUTURE RESIDENT - surface soil, homegrown
produce, overburden and bedrock groundwater;
• CONSTRUCTION WORKER - subsurface soil,
suspended particulates, overburden and bedrock
groundwater;
• COMMERCIAL WORKER - overburden groundwater;
• SPORTSMAN - fish ingestion; and
• BEEF/MILK - ingestion.
Based on the concentrations detected in the May 2011
groundwater analytical data set, no concentrations of
contaminants were detected in the groundwater that
resulted in either an unacceptable cancer risk or an
unacceptable non-cancer risk. Refer to Table 5 for a
summary of the May 2011 groundwater data.
No RAO was developed for surface water as the only
unacceptable risk identified in the Baseline Risk
Assessment was under the sportsman fish ingestion
scenario for ingestion fish containing 4,4-DDT. However,
as documented in the RI, elevated levels were detected in
Richland Creek upgradient of the Orchard demonstrating
that Barber Orchard is not the sole source of 4,4-DDT
detected in Richland Creek.
ECOLOGICAL - The Screening-Level Ecological Risk
Assessment (SLERA) was unable to confirm that the Site
will have an adverse impact on the environment. The
current soil cleanup will eliminate future ecological
concerns.
REMEDIAL ACTION OBJECTIVES
OU 2
Since there are no risks associated with groundwater,
surface water and sediment, remedial action objectives
were not developed.
APPLICABLE AND RELEVANT AND
APPROPRIATE REQUIREMENTS
Remedial actions must comply with Applicable and
Relevant and Appropriate Requirements (ARARs) of
federal and state laws, statutes, and regulations. EPA's
Interim Guidance on Compliance with ARARs (EPA,
1988) and CERCLA Compliance with Other Laws Manual
Part II (EPA, 1989) establish how requirements of federal
and state laws are generally identified and applied to
remedial actions at CERCLA sites. However, since the
Proposed Plan for OU 2 does not propose any remedial
action, the development of ARARs is not applicable.
Although not identified as an ARAR, the Agency will
continue to monitor groundwater until the concentrations
of contaminants in the groundwater decrease to their North
Carolina Groundwater Quality Standard (15A NCAC 02L
.0202) (see Table 6). This long-term groundwater
monitoring will provide the necessary data to 1) ensure the
quality of the groundwater remains protective of human
health, 2) confirm that the soil remedy was effective in
preventing the contaminants in the soil from migrating to
the groundwater, and 3) demonstrate that the quality of the
underlying groundwater continues to improve with time.
PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE FOR OU 2
OU 2 – No Action
Cost:
Estimated Capital Cost: $0
Estimated Annual O & M Cost:$53,000 (
Estimated Construction Timeframe: 0 years
The annual operations and maintenance (O&M) cost is
associate with the long-term monitoring of the
groundwater.
Based on the information provided above no risks have
been identified for groundwater, surface water and
sediment. As such, the preferred alternative for OU 2
(groundwater, surface water and sediment) is "No Action".
The Agency is confident that the ongoing soil cleanup will
have a positive impact on the currently improving quality
of the groundwater.
STATE ACCEPTANCE
The North Carolina Department of Environment and
Natural Resources supports the Preferred Alternative for
OU 2.
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
You can comment on the Proposed Plan at a 7:00 p.m.
public meeting on Thursday, September 08, 2011 at the
Barber Orchard Site Proposed Plan Operable Unit 2
August 2011
8 Saunook Fire Station located at 2908 Old Balsam Road,
Waynesville, North Carolina.
EPA and NCDENR provide information regarding the
cleanup of the Barber Orchard Site to the public through
Fact Sheets, public meetings, announcements in The
Smokey Mountain News, and the Administrative Record
file for the site. EPA and the NCDENR encourage the
public to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the
Site and the Superfund activities that have been conducted
at the Site. Information regarding the public comment
period, public meeting and the locations of the
Administrative Record files, are provided on the front page
of this Proposed Plan.
For further information on the Barber Orchard Site, please
contact:
Jon Bornholm
Remedial Project Manager
(404) 562-8820 or (800) 435-9233
e-mail: [email protected]
or
Angela Miller
Community Involvement Coordinator
(404) 562-8561 or (800) 435-9233
e-mail: [email protected]
at
US EPA Region 4
61 Forsyth Street, SW
Atlanta, GA 30303-8960
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
The Administrative Record contains all the information
used by the Agency to select a Remedial Action. Copies
of the Administrative Record are kept at:
Haywood County Public Library
402 South Haywood Street
Waynesville, North Carolina
Phone: 828-452-5169
Hours: Mon-Wed, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Thurs 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Friday 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: Closed
and at
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region IV - Records Center
61 Forsyth Street, SW
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3104
404-562-8820
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m..
Table 1 – Summary of Analytical Results for Groundwater Samples Collected from Monitoring Wells in the RI
Analytes Number of Detections Range of Concentrations MCL NC 2L
Organic Chloride Pesticides
alpha-BHC (α-BHC) 2 out of 15 0.078 – 0.099 NA 0.02
beta-BHC (β-BHC) 2 out of 15 0.03 – 0.036 NA 0.02
delta-BHC (δ-BHC) 2 out of 15 0.43 – 0.077 NA 0.02
gamma-BHC (Lindane) 4 out of 15 0.017 – 0.25 0.2 0.03
Endrin 5 out of 15 0.014 – 0.058 2 2**
Metals
Arsenic 2 out of 15 5.9 – 13 10 10
Lead 7 out of 15 3.4 – 72 15* 15
All concentrations reported in micrograms per liter (µg/l) or parts per billion (ppb). NA – Not available * - The action level for lead is 15 µg/L. ** - Endrin, total (includes endrin, endrin aldehyde, and endrin ketone)
Table 2 – Summary of Analytical Results for Groundwater Samples Collected from Potable Wells in the RI
Analytes Number of Detections Range of Concentrations MCL NC 2L
Organic Chloride Pesticides
alpha-BHC (α-BHC) 5 out of 33 0.004 – 0.036 NA 0.02
beta-BHC (β-BHC) 4 out of 33 0.003 – 0.038 NA 0.02
delta-BHC (δ-BHC) 2 out of 33 0.01 – 0.014 NA 0.02
gamma-BHC (Lindane) 8 out of 33 0.004 – 0.12 0.2 0.03
Endrin 9 out of 33 0.006 – 0.12 2 2**
Endrin Ketone 8 out of 33 0.007 – 0.17 NA 2**
Metals
Arsenic 0 out of 33 0 10 10
Lead 6 out of 33 2.8 – 19 15* 15
All concentrations reported in micrograms per liter (µg/l) or parts per billion (ppb). NA – Not available * - The action level for lead is 15 µg/L. ** - Endrin, total (includes endrin, endrin aldehyde, and endrin ketone)
Table 3 – Summary of Analytical Results for Surface Water Samples Collected During the RI
Analytes Number of Detections Range of Concentrations
Organic Chloride Pesticides
alpha-BHC (α-BHC) 0 out of 19 0
beta-BHC (β-BHC) 1 out of 19 0.043
delta-BHC (δ-BHC) 0 out of 19 0
gamma-BHC (Lindane) 0 out of 19 0
Endrin 2 out of 19 0.08 – 0.15
Endrin Ketone 1 out of 19 0.12
4,4-DDT 1 out of 19 0.91
Metals
Arsenic 0 out of 19 0
Lead 4 out of 19 1.9 – 4.7
All concentrations reported in micrograms per liter (µg/l) or parts per billion (ppb).
Table 4 – Summary of Analytical Results for Sediment Samples Collected During the RI
Analytes Number of Detections Range of Concentrations
Organic Chloride Pesticides
alpha-BHC (α-BHC) 1 out of 19 0.35
beta-BHC (β-BHC) 2 out of 19 0.018 – 0.15
delta-BHC (δ-BHC) 2 out of 19 0.0038 – 0.01
gamma-BHC (Lindane) 2 out of 19 0.0034 – 0.02
Endrin 11 out of 19 0.0023 – 0.43
Endrin Ketone 7 out of 19 0.0056 – 0.092
4,4-DDT 13 out of 19 0.0028 – 1.4
Metals
Arsenic 15 out of 19 1 – 48
Lead 19 out of 19 6.5 – 150
All concentrations reported in milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg).
Table 5 – Analytical Data from Groundwater Samples Collected in May 2011 from Both Potable Wells and Monitoring Wells Showing that No Unacceptable Carcinogenic or Non-Carcinogenic Risk Action Level has been Exceeded. All concentrations in micrograms/liter (µg/l).
Excess Cancer risk or hazard quotient based on
maximum detection
Health based drinking water MCL/Action level
POTABLE WELLS MONITORING WELLS
Detection Frequency Detection Range Detection Frequency Detection Range
Organic Chloride Pesticides
alpha-BHC (α-BHC) Risk = 1 × 10-5 NA 5 – 15 0.003 – 0.16 1 – 14 0.016
beta-BHC (β-BHC) Risk = 2 × 10-6 NA 5 – 15 0.006 – 0.059 1 – 14 0.038
delta-BHC (δ-BHC) Risk = 1 × 10-6 NA 2 – 15 0.004 – 0.037 1 – 14 0.02
gamma-BHC (Lindane) Risk = 8 × 10-7 0.2 10 – 15 0.008 – 0.051 2 – 14 0.013 – 0.039
Endrin HQ = 0.1 2 4 – 15 0.002 – 0.1 1 – 14 1.5
Endrin Ketone HQ = 0.02 NA 8 – 15 0.004 – 0.19 2 – 14 0.071 – 0.23
Metals
Arsenic Risk = 9 × 10-5 10 0 – 15 NA 2 – 14 1.3 – 3.9
Chromium HQ = 0.07 100 3 – 15 1.2 – 5.2 5 – 14 1.4 – 5.7
Lead < action level 15 3 – 15 1 – 12 3 – 14 1.4 – 6 16*
* – This was a very turbid sample. Elevated level of lead attributed to this turbidity and not considered to be in the water column. NA – Not Available
Table 6 – North Carolina Groundwater Standards for North Carolina Administrative Code (NCAC) Title 15A Subchapter 2L. All standards are in microgram per liter (µg/l).
Contaminants 2L GROUNDWATER STANDARD
Organic Chloride Pesticides
alpha-BHC (α-BHC) 0.02
beta-BHC (β-BHC) 0.02
delta-BHC (δ-BHC) 0.02
gamma-BHC (Lindane) 0.03
Endrin 2*
Endrin Ketone 2*
Metals
Arsenic 10
Lead 15
* - Endrin, total (includes endrin, endrin aldehyde, and endrin ketone) The North Carolina 2L standards can be viewed at the following website: http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/ps/csu/gwstandards