UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION Ill 1650 Arch Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-2029 

## DEC 2 32013 The Honorable Christopher Abruzzo, Secretary Pennsylvania Department ofEnvironmental Protection Rachel Carson State Office Building 400 Market Street Hanisburg, Pennsylvania 17101
Dear Secretary Abruzzo:

. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering proposing the BaghurstAlley Site (site), located in Upper Salford Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvaniato the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL), pursuant to its authority under Section 105 ofthe Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. Section 9605. The NPL contains a list ofpriority sites with releases ofhazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants that require evaluation for possible remediation. It is EPA spolicy to determine the state's position on a site that EPA is considering placing on the NPL. With this letter EPA is seeking the concurrence ofthe Commonwealth ofPennsylvania which has been delegated to the Secretary ofPennsylvania Department ofEnvironmental Protection (PADEP), on adding thj site to the NPL.
The site consists ofa ground waterplume contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The suspected source ofthe ground waterplume is located on a nearby farm. The contamination was first discovered in several residential drinking water wells by the Montgomery County Health Department in 1999. In November ofthat year, PADEP installed Point-of-Entry Treatment (POET) systems on 16 residential wells and 1 common well, which serves 11 additional homes. These wells have been sampled by PADEP on a semi-annual basis to assure that the POET systems are performing appropriately. There are also an additional 13 to 15 residential wells that have trace contamination.
In 2000, PADEP performed a site characterization study to try to identify potential source area(s). Monitoring wells installed as part ofthe study revealed very elevated concentrations ofVOCs onthe farm property. Also, 1,4-dioxane was detected in monitoring and private well samples at levels exceeding state standards and Regional Screening Levels (RSLs). The detection of 1,4-dioxane prompted PADEP to initiate bottled water deliveries to the affected homes, because the previously installed POET systems are not capable offiltering out I,4-dioxane. There are currently 27 residences that have been affected by this plume and are receiving treatment systems and/or bottled water. Although the Southeast Regional Office ofPADEP continues to work with the township to find a permanent alternate source ofdrinking water for the area, they have requested EPA assistance in addressing the site via the Superfund NPL process.


## 0 Printedon I00% recycled/recyclablepaper with I00%post-consumer fiber andprocess chlorine free. CustomerServiceHotline: 1-800-438-2474EPA is committed to working cooperatively with the state and local community throughout the listing and subsequent Superfund cleanup process, and to ensuring that EPA's actions are conducted in an open and transparent manner. For a fund-financed remedial action, prior to initiation ofthe remedial action EPA and PADEP will collaborate in the development ofa Superfund state contract to provide the state assurances required by CERCLA, including, for example, the state's statutory cost share for the remedial action and assumption ofoperation and maintenance responsibilities.
EPA is requesting a written response to thi letter from your office by January 17,2014. EPA has et lhi date to allow adequate time to meet the proposed rule schedule. The response letter should indicate whether PeMsylvania supports placement ofthe site on·the NPL. We appreciate your consideration ofthis matter.
Ifyou have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me orhave your staffcontact Mrs. Laura Mohollen, EPA's PennsylvaniaLiaison, at 215-814-3295. For information regarding the proposed NPL listing, your staffcan contact Ms. Kathryn Hodgkiss, Acting Director, Hazardous Site Cleanup Division at, 215-814-3151.

Sin,c ely, ). 

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# ~Jvl r· { ·'./:1.__;.-._ Shawn M. Garvin Regional Administrator

cc: Mr. Cosmo Servidio, Director PADEP Southeast Regional Office
Mr. James Woolford, Director Office ofSuperfund Remediation and Technology Innovation

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..,., Printedon I00% recycled/recyclablepaper with I00%post-consumer fiber andprocess chlorine free. Customer ServiceHotline: 1-800-438-2474