The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public information meeting to update residents and other interested parties about activities at the Dewey Loeffel Landfill Superfund Site on Thursday, May 16, 2013.
Click here for more details.
Click here for the GE presentation at that meeting
Click here for the EPA presentation at that meeting
February 15, 2013 Update from EPA
Following a recent meeting with the USEPA, the following materials were provided.
Attached you'll find: the final effluent limits for the treatment plant; a few maps with the
location
of the plant identified (these will be superseded by recent design
documents); a map with monitoring wells and a map with residential wells
that are sampled and their frequency. There were some questions
regarding the ground water sampling and thought the maps would be
useful. All these documents are available below in the Documents section of this page.
Loeffel
Toxic Site Update
January
9, 2013
EPA has indicated that they will be following up with a
more detailed monthly update shortly, but wanted to give the Town a quick heads
up about some additional activities/testing (Phase III Treatability Tests) that
will be conducted at the Site. These activities are minor in nature. The
tests will be contained/conducted in the pole barn. There will no activities related to the Phase III
Treatability Test that will occur outside the pole barn other than unloading
equipment/supplies. The equipment (basically two 55 gallon
drums, piping, pumps, treatment material, and secondary containment) for the
testing will be set up on Wednesday/Thursday of this week. There will be a
few site visits outside the normal Mon-Thurs trucking schedule while this goes
on.
As part of the design of the treatment plant, the
potentially responsible parties have been conducting treatability studies (to
test the various treatment processes and their ability to remove the
contaminants form the water/leachate). Most of these tests were done
off-site (water and leachate was shipped to the testing facility). They
will be doing some additional testing on-site so that they can use the
water/leachate directly pumped from the tank (something more in keeping with
the actual system when up and running). Again this will be conducted in
the pole barn and any treated water and leachate not collected for analysis
will be discharged back into the frac tanks and disposed as usual.
The actual testing should begin on Friday, January 11 and last thru January
21. Samples will be collected during this time frame. The equipment
will likely be kept in place for a few additional days beyond January 21 as
they evaluate test results and then disassembled if no further testing is
required.
Loeffel Toxic Waste Site
Update
November 2012
The following
is a brief summary of some of the work that has been completed at the Dewey
Loeffel Landfill Superfund site during the month of November and a schedule for
activities planned for December. Please let me know if you have any questions
about this information.
Pump and Truck Operations:
General Electric (GE) and the SI Group (SI) continued pump & truck
operations as well as operation and maintenance (O&M) of the groundwater
extraction and leachate collection systems. Trucking operations are scheduled
for each Monday and Thursday of the week, except as adjusted for holidays.
Design of Groundwater Treatment Facility:
On September 5, 2012, EPA conditionally approved the Preliminary Design Plan
for this facility. GE and SI have since commenced the field work identified in
the Plan. The field work includes collecting data to support the design and
construction of the facility. The results of this field work were documented in
a Preliminary Design Data Report, that was submitted to EPA on December 4, 2012
and is under review. The Design Report Implementation Plan is expected by late
January. This report shall provide the design of the Pump and Treat System to
be conducted at the SIte.
Residential Well Monitoring
The results of the semi-annual sampling event performed on October 17 were
reported on November 29. Notably, 1,4-dioxane was not detected in any of
the wells. No activity this month.
Residential Well POU Systems
The quarterly sampling event was performed on November 7, and included
1,4-dioxane analysis in addition to the routine VOC analysis. The results
will be reported this month.
Groundwater Monitoring
PRPs performed the fall sampling event on October 22 to 26. Report
preparation began in November, and will continue this month. The report
might be completed and submitted by the end of this month.
Surface Water Monitoring
The third of three sampling events was performed on November 1, and report
preparation began. Report preparation will be completed this month, and
the report will be submitted.
Fish Monitoring
Report preparation was completed, and the report was submitted on
November 28. No activity this month.
Community Update:
The community update is being modified and distribution to the public will
occur after the new year.
October 2012 USEPA Report on Loeffel
Toxic Site
The following is a brief summary of some of the work
that has been completed at the Dewey Loeffel Landfill Superfund site during the
month of October and a schedule for activities planned for November. Please let
me know if you have any questions about this information. I expect to email you
additional information regarding the trucking issues identified in the October
11 email tomorrow. Thank you
Pump and
Truck Operations:
General Electric (GE) and the SI Group (SI)
continued pump & truck operations as well as operation and maintenance
(O&M) of the groundwater extraction and leachate collection systems.
Trucking operations are scheduled for each Monday and Thursday of the week,
except as adjusted for holidays.
The trucking signs along Mead (not the
EPA signs) have been vandalized on multiple occasions. The sign that was
previously repaired (east of the landfill) was found to have been ripped from
the post and stolen. This event has also been reported to the State Police.
Portable versions of the signs that are now deployed by the field crew on the
days in which the trucking will be performed (i.e., on Monday and Thursdays).
These signs are stored in the pole barn and deployed and removed prior to and
following completion of the trucking event for the day.
Design of Groundwater Treatment
Facility:
On September 5, 2012, EPA conditionally approved the
Preliminary Design Plan for this facility. GE and SI have since commenced the
field work identified in the Plan. The field work includes collecting data to
support the design and construction of the facility. The results of this field
work will be documented in a Preliminary Design Data Report, which is currently
scheduled to be submitted to EPA for review by December 4, 2012.
Residential Well
Monitoring
The semi-annual sampling event was performed on October
17. During this event, the semi-annual wells were sampled for 1,4-dioxane
analyses in addition to the routine VOC analyses.
Groundwater Monitoring
The PRPs
performed the fall sampling event on October 22 to 26. Report preparation will
begin this month.
Surface Water
Monitoring
The second of three sampling events was performed on
October 5. The third sampling event was performed on November 1. Report
preparation will begin this month.
Community Update:
EPA has
prepared a community update and will develop a schedule for distribution to the
public.
Dear Supervisor Fleming:
As a follow-up to my
previous email on October 17, 2012, I am providing the following additional
information concerning your October 11, 2012 email regarding the trucking
operations at the Dewey Loeffel Landfill Superfund site. I apologize for the
delay in getting you this information, but yesterday was the first day that I
was back in the office since Hurricane Sandy.
As a result of
discussions between EPA and the responsible parties, the trucking subcontractor,
Clean Harbors, has discussed the concerns raised in your 10/11/12 email with
each of the vac truck drivers, has reviewed the transportation operating
procedures (SOPs) for the site and has added language prohibiting convoying of
vac trucks. Previously, loads were being scheduled at 30 minute intervals in an
effort to avoid trucks departing the site at the same time. In addition, any
new drivers will have the transportation SOPs reviewed with them prior to being
scheduled for pickups at the site.
ARCADIS, the responsible parties'
contractor overseeing the truck loading operations at the landfill will also
continue to reinforce with each of the drivers at the site the procedures that
have been in place since operations commenced. These include; (a) the truck
route, (b) adhering to scheduled arrival times, (c) adhering to blackout times
(based on the school bus schedule), and (d) avoiding the arrival and departure
of more than one truck at a time.
The following is additional
informational that was developed by Clean Harbors and is provided to its
truckers regarding the transportation SOPs for the site. Please let me know if
you would like to discuss this matter further. thank you
Dewey Loeffel Landfill Superfund
Site
On Site Transporter Procedures
The following list of procedures is
part of the Dewey Loeffel Landfill Superfund Site consent order
with the EPA.
Being such, full compliance is expected by all transporters with the
following
procedures.
I. Travel and Route Restrictions
a. All vehicles
must adhere to the transport route on attached primary trucking route map for
arriving and departing the work site.
b. No travel shall occur on Mead Road
before 6:55 am or between 2:40 and 4:05 pm. These times coincide with the
local school district’s bus activity on this road.
c. All vehicles can not
travel to and from the town of Nassau to the work site together.
II. Truck
Schedule
a. Loads will be scheduled at 30 minute intervals. The first load
will normally be at 7:00 am. The last load will be normally scheduled no
later then 11:00 am. All loads will be scheduled and the driver MUST arrive
at their scheduled time. They may not arrive earlier than their scheduled
time and wait onsite for their scheduled slot. If the driver will be later
then their scheduled time, the driver must call and notify Donnie LaFlamme at
XXXXXXXXXXXX. At this
point, CHES will notify the Arcadis contact.
III. Site Rules
a. No
Smoking
b. Sign in Upon Entering Site/Sign Out when departing
c. No
horseplay
d. Wear Required PPE (see Section IV)
e. Wheels must be chalked
while vehicle is parked and/or loading.
IV. PPE Personal Protective Equipment
(See Attached JHA)
a. Dermal Protection long sleeve shirt/pants
b. Hand
protection-double gloved (inner nitriles and outer leathers)
c. High
visibility vest
d. Foot Protection-steel toed boots
e. Head
Protection-Hard Hat
f. Other PPE as required by transporter
V.
Manifest(s)
a. Coordinate with ARCADIS field staff
1. Arcadis field staff
will be responsible for prepping/preparing CHES preprinted manifest for each
shipment.
2. All loads volumes will be rounded to the nearest ten gallons by
the operator.
3. Arcadis field staff will enter the weekly assigned sales
order number on each manifest and if they have questions, contact Rob
Bihlmeyer
September 2012 Loeffel Update from
USEPA
The following is a brief summary of some of
the work that has been completed at the Dewey Loeffel Landfill Superfund site
during this past month and a schedule for upcoming activities currently planned
for October. Please let me know if you have any questions about this
information.
Pump and Truck Operations:
1. General Electric (GE)
and the SI Group (SI) continued pump & truck operations as well as operation
and maintenance (O&M) of the groundwater extraction and leachate collection
systems. Trucking operations are scheduled for each Monday and Thursday of the
week, except as adjusted for holidays.
2. On September 24, 2012
Supervisor Fleming informed EPA that the Nassau area held a Mass Casualty
Incident Drill during the weekend involving 19 agencies. During that program he
was advised that the trucking operation at the Dewey Loeffel site has involved
truck convoying once the tankers leave the site. EPA has been following up on
this matter and has been told by GE and SI there have been instances where two
trucks have left the site together after loading. Although this practice is not
common, it has happened. However, EPA is not aware of any regulations that
prohibit this activity. If this is not correct, please let me know of any
regulations that you believe would prohibit this activity.
3. EPA
completed improvements to the Mead Road trucking route between September 4 and
8, 2012 in accordance with the recommendations provided during EPA's summer 2012
safety evaluation. This included the installation of geotextile fabric and stone
lined drainage swales on both sides of the road for a stretch of over 600 feet
where the roadway was most susceptible to destabilization and erosion caused by
storm water flow (the "choke point"). The drainage swales are designed to reduce
the flow of water over the road surface, making it more stable and less likely
to erode and become narrower during heavy rain storms. An engineer was present
on-site during the construction to ensure that the work met the engineering
specifications. The property owner was also present during the construction and
approved of the work.
4. EPA also cleaned out and armored several
culverts along Mead Road to enable them to more effectively carry storm water
off the road surface. A stone ditch was added after the outfall of one of the
culverts to reduce the potential for a heavy storm surge to erode the road
shoulder nearest to the culvert.
5. Additional signage was installed
along the road on September 12 and 13, 2012. Hazards signs were placed in areas
where they can help to delineate the road shoulders when they are covered with
snow or leaves.
Design of Groundwater Treatment Facility:
1. On
September 5, 2012, EPA conditionally approved the Preliminary Design Plan for
this facility. GE and SI have since commenced the field work identified in the
Plan. The field work includes collecting data to support the design and
construction of the facility. The results of this field work will be documented
in a Preliminary Design Data Report, which is currently scheduled to be
submitted to EPA for review by December 4, 2012.
Community
Update:
1. EPA anticipates that a community update will be developed for
distribution to the public within the next 4 to 6 weeks.
AUGUST 2012 USEPA
UPDATE
Pump and Truck
Operations:
1. General Electric (GE)
and the SI Group (SI) assumed responsibility for pump & truck operations as
well as operation and maintenance (O&M) of the groundwater extraction and
leachate collection systems on August 1, and their first day of pumping was,
August 2. Trucking operations are scheduled for each Monday and Thursday of the
week. Due to the holiday, shipments are scheduled for August 31 (Friday before
Labor Day), September 4 (Tuesday after Labor Day), and September 6th.
2.
On August 20th, GE and SI re-installed the truck signs that were stolen along
Mead Road during the week ending August 12, 2012.
Design of Groundwater Treatment
Facility:
1. EPA has completed the review of the Preliminary
Design Plan for this facility and will be sending an approval letter to GE and
SI within the next week. This plan was submitted to EPA by GE and SI on July
19th. Upon receipt of EPA's approval, GE and SI would commence the field work
identified in the Plan. The field work includes collecting data to support the
design and construction of the facility.
Mead Road:
1. GE and SI began tree trimming
activities related to certain line-of-sight improvements near the intersection
of Mead Road and County Road 15 during the week of August 27th.
2. EPA's
contractor is scheduled to mobilize at the site on Tuesday, September 4th to
begin implementation of the drainage and line-of-site improvements identified in
the engineering evaluation conducted by Creighton Manning.
Groundwater sampling:
During the
week of August 20th, as part of its periodic sampling program, GE collected
water samples for analysis from residences with point-of-use treatment
systems.
An EPA Document document archive site has been established at
http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/dewey/docs.html
EPA Reaches Agreement with General Electric Company and SI Group, Inc. to Protect Drinking Water at the Dewey Loeffel Landfill Superfund Site in Nassau, New York
Contact: Larisa Romanowski, (518) 747-4389, romanowski.larisa@epa.gov
(New York, N.Y. - April 11, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that it has entered into an agreement with the General Electric Company and SI Group, Inc. (formerly Schenectady Chemical) to collect and properly dispose of contaminated ground water and liquid leaching from the Dewey Loeffel landfill that is threatening several nearby drinking water wells. The liquid seeping from the landfill, called leachate, and the ground water are contaminated with volatile organic compounds, which can cause cancer in people. The extent and nature of potential health effects depend on many factors, including the level and how long people are exposed to the contaminants.
The EPA is currently collecting the contaminated liquid waste and sending it off-site for disposal. Under the agreement, General Electric and SI will take on the collection and removal of the waste and the construction of a treatment plant adjacent to the landfill, all with EPA oversight. The waste will continue to be sent off-site until the construction of the treatment plant is completed. Treated water from the new system will be discharged to surface water only after the EPA verifies that sampling data shows that the treatment system is working effectively and is capable of meeting stringent state discharge limits. GE and SI Group have agreed to reimburse EPA for certain costs, including an upfront payment of $800,000.
"The EPA has determined that treating the contaminated ground water and liquid at the site is an effective way to protect people's drinking water wells while the EPA investigation of the site continues," said Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. "The treatment system that will be constructed near the landfill will alleviate the impacts of the hundreds of truck trips needed to dispose of the waste off-site."
The treatment system to be constructed will address potential threats from the contaminated ground water and leachate and community concerns about trucking the contaminated liquid off-site. A comprehensive long-term study is underway, which will identify permanent cleanup options, called remedial actions, for the contaminated ground water, surface water and sediment associated with the site. The permanent cleanup plan may include changes to the leachate collection, ground water extraction and treatment systems.
The Dewey Loeffel Landfill site is located in southern Rensselaer County, approximately four miles northeast of the village of Nassau. From 1952 until 1968, the site was used for the disposal of an estimated 46,000 tons of waste materials generated by several Capital District companies. The waste included industrial solvents, waste oils, polychlorinated biphenyls, scrap materials, sludge and solids. Volatile organic compounds and other hazardous substances have seeped out of the landfill and contaminated the ground water. PCBs have also moved downstream, causing contamination of sediment and several species of fish in and near Nassau Lake.
From 1980 until the site was added to the federal Superfund list in May 2011, numerous investigations and cleanup actions were performed at the site under the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Superfund program. In the fall 2011, the EPA took responsibility for operating ground water and leachate collection systems that had been installed by the state.
The EPA has a web page about the site at: http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/dewey <http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/dewey > <http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/dewey>
Follow the EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 <http://twitter.com/eparegion2> <http://twitter.com/eparegion2 > and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2 <http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2> .
New Document Available for Dewey Loeffel Landfill Site
The New York State Department of Health (DOH) and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) announce that a draft Health Consultation (HC) is now available for public review.
This HC updates human exposure information for the Dewey Loeffel Landfill site since the 2003 ATSDR Health Consultation was released and includes information from the investigation of off-site groundwater and private drinking wells around the site.
We would like your comments on the HC. Please send them to DOH by February 29, 2012. A comment form with return information will be provided with each copy of the document.
For copies of the document (with comment form):
ü Visit the DOH website at http://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/investigations/dewey
ü Call the DOH at 518-402-7880 or email request to documentcomments@health.state.ny.us
ü Visit the Nassau Free Library (official document repository) at 18 Church St, Nassau, NY 12123
EPA REGION 2, DEWEY LOEFFEL LANDFILL SUPERFUND SITE PROJECT UPDATE, December, 2011
DEWEY LOEFFEL LANDFILL SUPERFUND SITE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigation of the landfill and groundwater contamination components of the Dewey Loeffel Landfill Superfund Site began last spring.
In April, field crews completed magnetic and electromagnetic geophysical surveys of the landfill to assess the presence of residual sources of buried contamination in the landfill. Additional tests were conducted to evaluate the current integrity of the existing landfill cap by assessing the physical and geotechnical properties of the cap.
The Landfill Cap Investigation was initiated in May 2011. A total of 20 borings were advanced through the landfill to evaluate the thickness of the cap. Twenty subsurface landfill cap samples and 10 surface soil samples were collected, and submitted for geotechnical analyses. The technical report with the results of the landfill investigation is available on EPA Region 2’s Dewey Loeffel web page at http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/dewey/.
In May, EPA also identified the locations of five groundwater monitoring wells to further evaluate groundwater and contaminants. Well installation began in late June and was completed in mid-July. Groundwater samples and geophysical information was collected through September. A report summarizing the results of the groundwater investigations is expected this winter. Additional groundwater investigations may be necessary and are dependent on the findings of the report.
Additional details, as well as future activities, have been documented in a work plan, which is available on the Dewey Loeffel page of the EPA website at http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/dewey/.
EPA TAKES OVER NYSDEC EXTRACTION WELL OPERATIONS
Since 2008, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) had been operating three groundwater extraction wells to reduce contaminant concentrations and prevent the spread of the groundwater plume. In October 2011, EPA’s Removal Program took over responsibility for the operation (pumping) and maintenance of the leachate collection system and groundwater extraction wells. EPA’s action also included winterization of the extraction well system to allow for year-round operation of the wells, as well as disposal of the collected leachate and groundwater.
As part of the winterization of the extraction well system, an additional above ground storage tank was installed, insulated structures were built on-site to enclose the aboveground piping for the extraction wells and a heated barn was constructed around the aboveground storage tanks. More detailed information regarding the winterization of the extraction well system and EPA's removal action can be found in the Pollution Report (POLREPS) section of the following website: www.epaosc.org/DeweyLoeffelLandfill.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT (TAG) AWARDED
A Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) has been awarded to “United Neighbors Concerned About GE Dewey Loeffel Landfill (UNCAGED)” for the Dewey Loeffel Landfill Superfund Site. TAG funding allows qualified community groups to contract with independent technical advisors who can interpret and help the community understand technical information about their local Superfund site. More information about TAG’s is available at http://www.epa.gov/superfund/community/tag/.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Interviews with local officials, organizations, and community residents began over the summer for the Community Involvement Plan (CIP) for the Dewey Loeffel Landfill Superfund Site. The CIP will identify the ways that EPA will involve the community and the tools and activities that will be used to share information and receive public feedback as the project progresses. The draft CIP is expected this winter and will be made available for public input. If you have questions about EPA’s community involvement program, contact Larisa Romanowski at (518) 747-4389, or by email, romanowski.larisa@epa.gov.
INFORMATION REPOSITORY
The Nassau Free Library has been established as the Information Repository for the Dewey Loeffel Landfill Superfund Site. Project documents will be available at the library by request, and will also be available online at http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/dewey/.
Nassau Free Library
18 Church Street
Nassau, NY 12123
(518)766-2715
For more information about the Dewey Loeffel Landfill Superfund Site, contact:
Ben Conetta
Remedial Project Manager
EPA Region 2
290 Broadway, 20th Floor
New York, New York 10007
(212) 637-3030
conetta.benny@epa.gov
Or
Larisa Romanowski
Community Involvement Coordinator
Hudson River Field Office
421 Lower Main Street
Hudson Falls, NY 12839
(518) 747-4389
romanowski.larisa@epa.gov
Or visit, http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/dewey/.
Loeffel Site Update – November 21, 2011
The Town of Nassau has been reminded that the USEPA is not required to obtain permits for ongoing removal action. However, they have advised us that they would be willing to discuss and address any concerns the municipality has moving forward. They have provided the Town with the section of CERCLA regarding permitting, as well as the engineer's drawings (signed by a NY State Registered P.E.) for the pole barn that's currently being constructed around the frack tanks for winterization and waste removal. The pole barn will be insulated and heated with propane heaters which will be powered by a generator until power lines can be brought to the Site. All building and installation is being conducted by licensed and certified professionals within proper code.
More detailed information regarding the winterization of the extraction well system and EPA's removal action can be found in the "POLREPS" section of www.epaosc.org/DeweyLoeffelLandfill. USEPA has also submitted the Administrative Record for this removal action for public review at the Nassau Free Library. The Administrative Record provides documentation for the basis of our decision to conduct this removal action.
October 2011 EPA UPDATE ON THE LOEFFEL TOXIC WASTE SITE
EPA will be assuming responsibility for the operation (pumping) and maintenance of the leachate collection system and groundwater extraction well system at the Site, which are currently being operated by NYSDEC. Contracting mechanisms are being set up for weekly transportation of the collected leachate and groundwater to off-Site treatment and disposal facilities. In addition, EPA will be winterizing the extraction well system and associated storage tank to allow for year-round operation of the system.
This work is being conducted as an action initiated by EPA’s Removal Program. From October 17-20, 2011, insulated enclosures were constructed around the aboveground portions of the piping for the extraction well system. On October 19, 2011, an additional storage tank for the extraction well system was also installed to increase the storage capacity of the groundwater collection/extraction well system. In addition, on October 25, 2011, construction of a heated barn which will enclose the aboveground storage tanks is scheduled to begin.
Larisa W. Romanowski, USEPA Region 2
Public Affairs Specialist
Hudson River Field Office
421 Lower Main Street, Suite 100
Hudson Falls, NY 12839
LOEFFEL UPDATE- July 2011:
The following information picks up where we left off with the last Loeffel Site update.
The well drillers completed their mobilization to the Loeffel Site on Tuesday, June 21. Drilling operations began on June 23 and are reported to be progressing well. EPA has reported that it is anticipated that the drilling and development of the monitoring wells will be completed this week. Nassau’s Mr. McCagg reports that the EPA subcontractors are on well number four of five and expect to be done by Wednesday.
The Town has supplied support as far as property and water storage usage. After demobilizing the contractors are expected to return in approximately three weeks to test the wells they just installed. Following that work, it is anticipated that geophysical evaluation and further testing of the wells (including sampling) will be scheduled for August.
Additionally, EPA reports that the extraction well system has been started up by the NYSDEC and should be fully operational by the week of July 18th.
Thank you.
David Fleming
