ResponsetoEPACommentsDelistingPetitionforSludgeintheFinalEffluentPonds(FEPs)BWXTechnologies,Inc.Mt.AthosSiteLynchburg,VirginiaCommentsfromDavidM.Friedman,EPARegionIII,February12,2004:GeneralCommentsComment:ThelistingdescriptionforF006is,“Wastewatertreatmentsludgesfromelectroplatingoperations,exceptfromthefollowingprocesses...”Itis,andalwayshasbeen,Agencypolicythatthemixtureruledoesnotapplytotheliquidinawastewatertreatmentunitthatmanagesunlistedliquidwaste,evenifthatliquidgeneratesahazardoussludgethatsettlestothebottomoftheunit.Thispolicy,however,doesnotapplyifthesludgeisdredgeduporscouredfromthebottomoftheunitasaresultofoperationoftheunit,andphysicallymixeswiththeliquid.SincetheF006listingdescribesa“wastewatertreatmentsludge”andnota“wastewater”asthelistedwaste,andinlightoftheabovementionedpolicy,EPAdoesnotunderstandhowthewastewaterinFEPNo.2wouldbeconsideredaF006listedwaste.Wenotethatthepetitiondoesnotdescribehoworwhethersamplesofthiswastewaterwillbecollectedandanalyzed,and,therefore,thepetitionwouldbeconsideredtobeseriouslydeficientwithregardtothiswastestream.Ifyouintendtopursuedelistingofthewastewater,weneedadditionalinformationexplainingwhyyoufeeltheF006listingappliestothewastewater,andhowyouintendtocollectenvironmentaldatatoshowthatthiswasteshouldbedelisted.Response:BWXTwasaddressingaperceptionissueassociatedwiththeFEPsandtheirdelisting.BWXTconcurswiththeEPA’sinterpretation.WasteDescriptionComment1:InordertocompletetheprofileofwastesenteringtheFEPs,pleasedescribeanyunanticipateddischargestotheFEPswhichhaveoccurredovertheoperatinglifeoftheseunits.Response1:TherehasnotbeenanunanticipateddischargetotheFEPsduringtheiroperatinglife.PeriodicallyBWXThasexperiencedexcursionsofthefacilitiesVPDESpermit;however,theseexceedenceshavebeenshort-livedandwereminorexceedencesofapermitteddischargeparameteri.e.possiblyanelevatedpHorFluoridemeasurement.Comment2:PleaseexplainthemethodusedtoestimatethevolumeofsludgecurrentlyresidingintheFEPs.BWXTResponsetoEPAJune4,2004DelistingPetitionCommentsResponse2:In1993,BWXTcontractedtohavethesludgesampledandthedepthsprobedtodevelopavolumeestimate.BWXTcalculatedthesludgevolumebyusingthe1993FEPsludgesurveyreportcoupledwithaconservativeestimateofthevolumeofTSSdischargestotheFEPsfrom1993to2002.ThesludgevolumeintheFEPswasestimatedtobe10,400cubicyards(yd3).WasteSamplingComment3:TheSludgeSamplingPlanindicatesthatafterfreezing,thesamplecorewillbesprayedwithdeionizedwatertoremovetheoutersurfacelayeroficethatformsfromcontactwiththetube.Thisstepappearsunnecessary.TheFEPsludgeisexpectedtocontainwater.Response3:Theintentofsprayingdeionizedwaterwastoremovetheouterlayerofsludgethatsmearedalongthesidesofthetube,andtherebypreventonesludgelayerfrominfluencingthenextlayer.Intherevisedplan,theentiresludgedepthwillbeconsideredonesample,andthereforethisactionwillnotbeneeded.Comment4:TheSludgeSamplingPlanindicatesthatanywaterfromthealuminumpan(inwhichthefrozencoresareallowedtothaw)willbedecanted.Again,thisstepappearstobeunnecessarysincethesludgeisexpectedtocontainliquid.Response4:Thetextaboutdecantingwaterfromthealuminumpanhasbeenremovedfromtheplan.Comment5:TheSludgeSamplingPlandoesnotdescribethecollectionofsamplestosupporttheanalysisofvolatileorganiccompounds(VOCs).Grabsamplesaretypicallycollectedforthistypeofanalysis.HomogenizationofsamplesduringthesamplepreparationphaseoftheplanwouldnotbecompatiblewithVOCanalysis.Response5:TherevisedplanstipulatesthatsludgealiquotsforVOCanalysiswillbecollectedbeforethesludgeishomogenized.Assoonasthesludgeisextrudedfromthesamplingtube,theVOCaliquotwillbecollectedfromthemiddleportionofthesludgecoreandplacedintheappropriatesamplecontainer.SampleContainerandEguipmentPreparationComment6:TheSludgeSamplingPlandoesnotidentifythetypeofsamplecontainersthatwillbeused.Response6:Table4oftherevisedplanliststhesamplecontainersthatwillbeused.Comment7:TheSludgeSamplingPlandoesnotindicatewhich/howsamplepreservativeswillbeused,ortheamountofsamplepreservativethatwillbeused.2

# BWXT Response

to EPA

June

4, 2004 Delisting

Petition Comments Response

7:

Table

4 of the revised

plan specifies

the preservation

requirements

for each sample container. Comment

8:

The Sludge Sampling

Plan

does

not specify

the maximum

sample

holding times. Response

8:

Table

4 of the revised

plan specifies

the maximum

sample holding

times. Comment

9:

Prior

to the sampling

event, BWXT

(or

its contractor)

must determine

the number

of sample containers

that

will

be needed

and

the sample volumes to

be coliected.

BWXT

needs

to make

sure

that adequate

waste

is available for waste sample analysis,

and field

and laboratory

control samples. Response

9:

Table

4 of the revised

plan

lists

the number

and sizes

of sample containers

that will

be used. Sample Labeling Comment

10:

The Sludge Sampling

Plan

did

not provide information

on how sample container

labels,

sample

log sheets, chain-of-custody

records,

and field

log books

will

be used

to document

sampling

activities.

The Sludge Sampling Plan indicates

only

that samples

will

be transported

after chain-of-custody forms

have

been completed.

The Sludge Sampling

Plan needs

to describe how

field activities

will

be recorded,

and what

forms

wifi

be used

to record information. Response

10:

A section

on Field Documentation

has been added

to the plan

that specifies

how field activities

will

be recorded.

More details

about

field documentation

are provided

in the Data Collection

Quality Assurance

Plan, which

is appended

to the plan. Sample Shipment Comment

11:

It

is recommended

that

a chain-of-custody

seal

be placed

over

each sample container

top after

the sample

is collected.

At

the very

least,

it

is recommended

that

a chain-of-custody

seal

be placed

over

the shipping cooler

lid

to verify

the absence

of sample tampering

during shipment. Response

11:

The revised

plan specifies

that

a custody

seal

will

be placed

on each sample container

top after

the sample

is bottled. Comment

12:

It

is recommended

that

the cooler

be delivered

on

the

day samples

are prepared

(i.e.,

the

day frozen samples

are thawed

and homogenized).

The Sludge Sampling

Plan

did

not identify

when coolers

will

be delivered

to the laboratory.

3BWXTResponsetoEPAJune4,2004DelistingPetitionCommentsResponse12:TherevisedplanstatesthatVOCsampleswillbedeliveredtothelaboratorythesamedaytheyarecollected.However,circumstancescouldoccurwhereitmaybenecessarytoholdtheothersamplesovernightbeforedeliverytothelaboratory.Insuchacase,thechain-of-custodyprocedures,temperatureblanks,andmaximumallowableholdingtimesprovideassurancethatthesampleswillstillbeusable.SampleAnalysisComment13:ThepetitionandSludgeSamplingPlanindicatethatTCLPanalyseswillbeperformedformetalsandorganiccompounds.ItisunclearwhethertheTCLPextractwillbeanalyzedforthefullsuiteofAppendixVIIIconstituents(asappropriate)oronlythoseconstituentslistedin40CFRSection261.24.Response13:Theplanhasbeenrevisedtospecifyanalysesforallthechemicalconstituents,excepttotaloilandgreaseandtotalsulfide,ontheTCLPextracts,inaccordancewiththeguidancein“EPARCRADelistingProgram,GuidanceManualforthePetitioner,”March2000.Comment14:DuringthePhase1samplingevent,atleastonesamplefromFEPNos.1and2mustbeanalyzedusingamultipleleachatetestingprotocol.ThisprotocolrequiresthetestingofallconstituentsusingTCLPprocedurebutsubstitutingthespecifiedextractionfluidwith,(a)distilleddeionizedwater,and(b)analkalinesolutionofsodiumhydroxidewithapHbetween10and12.Response14:TherevisedplanincludestestingduringPhase1ofonesamplefromeachpondforthetwoadditionalpHextractions.Comment15:ThepetitionandSludgeSamplingPlanmustberevisedtoincludeanalysisoftheFEPsludgesamplesfortotalsulfide.Response15:Theplanhasbeenrevisedtoincludeanalysisofthesludgesamplesfortotalsulfide.Comment16:ThepetitionandSludgeSamplingPlanmustberevisedtoincludeanalysisoftheFEPsludgesamplesfortotaloilandgreasecontent.Response16:Theplanhasbeenrevisedtoincludeanalysisofthesludgesamplesfortotaloilandgreasecontent.4

# BWXT Response

to EPA

June

4, 2004 Delisting

Petition Comments Analytical

Methods Comment

17:

The petition

and Sludge Sampling

Plan

must

be revised

to include

the specific preparative,

cleanup

and determinative

methods

that

will

be used for

all analytes.

One possible

format

for presenting

this information

is shown

in the example

below:

Preparation

Cleanup

Analytical Method

Method

Method Total Appendix

IX volatiles

5035

NA

8260B Total Appendix

IX herbicides

8151A

3620B

8151A TCLP Appendix

IX semivolatiles

1311/3510

3640A

8270C Response

17:

Table

4 of the revised

plan specifies

the laboratory

methods

that

will

be used

for sample preparation,

cleanup,

and analysis. Detection

Limits Comment

18:

The Sludge Sampling

Plan

did

not provide

detailed information

regarding analytical

detection

limits

and

is, therefore, incomplete.

Detection

limits are laboratory

and instrument-specific.

In order

to properly

evaluate

the analytical

methods

that

will

be used,

the laboratory

needs

to generate

its detection

limits

to assure

that

it meets

the project

DQOs

with respect to sensitivity

and detection.

For example,

Method

6010

is probably appropriate

for most

of the target

metals

and

can typically

detect concentrations

significantly

below

the delisting maximum

allowable concentrations.

However,

this method

may

not

be suitable

for selenium

or lead

if the laboratory

is required

to reach

the delisting health-based

levels. The Sludge Sampling

Plan

must provide laboratory-generated

detection limits,

using

the methods

and instruments

that

will

be used during

the actual analysis. Response

18: Tables

5 through

10

of the revised

plan

lists

the laboratories’

standard

reporting limits

for

the specified

analytes

and methods. Data Validation Comment

19:

The petition

must include provisions

specifying

third

party

data validation for

all analytical

data.

Data validation

should

be performed

in accordance with

the Region

III Modifications

to the National Functional

Guidelines

for Data Review.

Please

refer

to the

list

of references

in the attached “Region

III QAPP Preparation

Checklist”

for

the specific

data validation documents. Response

19:

The revised

plan specifies

that

the analytical

data

will

be validated

by Shaw Environmental,

Inc., following

the EPA Region

III guidance. 5\BWXTResponsetoEPAJune4,2004DelistingPetitionCommentsQualityAssuranceProjectPlanComment20:ThepetitiondoesnotincludeaQualityAssuranceProjectPlan(QAPP).Inallcasesinvolvingthecollectionofenvironmentaldata,bothaSamplingandAnalysisPlan(S/APlan)andaQAPPmustbeprepared.Thesetwoplanscanbepreparedeitherasseparateplansorasonecombineddocument.Response20:TheQualityAssurancePlanforBWXTenvironmentalinvestigations,whichappliestotheFEPsludgesampling,isappendedtotherevisedplan.QualityControlSamplesComment21:TheSludgeSamplingPlanstatesthatonefieldduplicatewillbecollectedduringthefieldevent.Thisfrequencymustberevisedsothatonefieldduplicateiscollectedforeverytwenty(20)samplesoreachsamplebatch,whicheverisgreater.Response21:Therevisedpianspecifiesthatonesludgefieldduplicatewillbecollectedforevery20samplesoreachsamplingevent,whicheverisgreater.Comment22:TheSludgeSamplingPlanmustincludeprovisionsforensuringthatsamplesaremaintainedat40Cuntiltheyarereceivedbythelaboratory.Temperatureblanksareonewaytoevaluatethepotentialeffectsofsampletransportationondataquality.Onetemperatureblankisincludedineachsamplecooler.Uponreceiptbythelaboratory,thetemperatureofthewaterinthetemperatureblankvialmustbe4°C,plusorminus2degrees.Response22:Therevisedplanspecifiesthatatemperatureblankwillbeplacedineachsamplecooler,andthecoolertemperaturecheckedbythelaboratoryuponreceipt.LaboratoryQualityAssuranceComment23:TheSludgeSamplingPlandoesnotspecifytheanalyticallaboratory(orlaboratories)tobeusedforanalysisofthesludgesamples,nordoesitcontaintheanalyticallaboratory’sQAprocedures.Thisrequirementcanbeaddressedby,(a)includingthelaboratory’sQAmanualand,(b)theresultsofthelaboratory’smostrecentproficiencytestingforeachtypeofanalysisthatitwillbeperforming.However,inlieuofproficiencytestingresults,wewillacceptacurrentcertificateofaccreditationforthespecifiedtypesofanalysesfromanorganizationsuchasNELAP(theNationalEnvironmentalLaboratoryAccreditationProgram).6BWXTResponsetoEPAJune4,2004DelistingPetitionCommentsResponse23:TherevisedpianspecifiesthatthelaboratoryanalyseswillbeperformedbyBWXTServicesNuclearEnvironmentalLaboratory,EnoRiverLabsofDurham,NorthCarolina,andSTL-St.LouisofEarthCity,Missouri..Currentcertificatesofaccreditationfortheselaboratoriesareappendedtotheplan.HazardousWasteCharacteristicsComment24:SectionXl(Conclusions),SubsectionDstatesthat,“ThedatatobegeneratedwilldemonstratethattheFEPSludgedoesnotexhibitanyhazardouswastecharacteristic.”Thesamplingandanalysisproposedinthepetitiondoesnotaddressallofthehazardouswastecharacteristics.Characteristicscanbeaddressedbytesting,orinsomecases,bypresentingotherinformationwhichissufficienttoshowthatthesubjectwastecouldnotexhibitthatparticularcharacteristicbasedonprocessknowledge.Forexample,thecharacteristicofreactivitycanbeaddressedinpartbytestingforcyanideandsulfide;however,othercategoriesofreactivityareusuallyaddressedthroughprocessknowledge.Iftestingisnotdoneforaparticularhazardouswastecharacteristic,thefinalsubmissionmuststillspecificallyaddressthatcharacteristic,andprovideinformationtosupporttheconclusionsthatthewastedoesnotpossessthepropertydescribedbythecharacteristic.Response24:Therevisedplanincludesanalysesforcyanideandsulfidetoaddressreactivity.Testingforignitabilityandcorrosivitywillalsobeperformed.7