# \

a UNITE D STATE S ENVIRONMENTA L PROTECTIO N AGENC Y

REGIO N 6 144 5 ROS S AVENUE

, SUIT E 120 0 DALLAS

, T X 75202-273 3

MEMORANDU M

SUBJECT: Reques

t fo r a Remova l Action a t th

e Stat e Marin e o f Por t Arthu r Site

, Jefferso n 

### Texa s FROM :
THRU :
TO : Coordinato

r Respons e & Prevention Branch

, Charle s A

. Gazda

, Chie f Respons e & Prevention Myro n O

. Knudson

, P.E.

, Director Superfim d Divisio n (6SF ) SiteTD#:B X
I

. PURPOS E Th e purpos e of thi s Action Memorandu m i

s t o reques t an d documen t approva l of th e propose d remova l action describe

d herein

, pursuan t t o th e Comprehensiv e Environmenta l 

### Response

, Compensatio

n an d Liabilit y Ac t ("CERCLA")

, a s amended

, 4 2 U.S.C

. §9601 e

t seg. . a t th e Stat e Marin e o f Por t Arthu r site

, Jefferso n County

, Texas

. Thi s action meet s th e criteri a for initiatin g a remova l action unde

r Sectio n 300.41 5 of th

e Nationa l Oi l an d Hazardou s Substance s Pollutio n Contingency Pla n ("NCP")

, 40CF R§ 300.415

. Thi s remova l action i s anticipate d t o requir e les s tha n twelv e month s an d les s tha n $ 2 milio n fo r completion

. N o action s hav e been initiate d unde r th e On-Scen e Coordinator' s $50,00 0authority

. Authority t o mak e determination s tha t ther e ma y b e a n imminen t an d substantia l endangermen t t o publi c healt h o r welfar e o r th e environmen t pursuan t t o CERCL A wa s delegate d t o Regiona l Administrator

s o n Apri l 15,1994

, i n delegation 14-14-A

. Authority t o mak e th e determination wa s redelegate d t o th e Director

, Superfim

d Division

, by Delegatio

n R6-14-14-A

, effectiv e Augus t 4,1995

.



# OOOnl l

13953 3 Printed on Recycled PaperJ L SIT E CONDITION S AN D BACKGROUN D

CERCLISJD# : TXD09980110 2 Category o f Removal : Tim e Critica l A

. Sit e Descriptio n 1

. Remova l sit e evaluatio n Th e Stat e Marin e o f Por t Arthu r ("Stat e Marine") site

, als o know n a s th e Stat e Weldin g
an d Marin e Work s an d Golde n Triangl e Shipyard

, i s a n inactiv e barg e cleanin g an d salvag e facility 

### (th e "Site")

. L i 1974

, Stat e Marin e wa s issue d a wastewate r Discharg e permi t (No

. 01859 )

fro m th e Texa s Departmen t of Wate r Resource s (th e "TDWR" ) t o operat e a barg e cleanin g facilit y for vessel s carryin g petroleu m an d othe r chemica l products

. Th e Texa s Natura l Resourc e Conservation Commissio

n (th e "TNRCC" ) record s indicat e tha t a t leas t 2 8 barge s wer e cleane d a t th e Sit e i n 1981

, an d tha t approximatel y 10,00

0gallon s of washwate r wer e generate d pe r barg e durin g cleanin g activities

. Th e washwate r fro m operation s
wa s allegedl y pumpe d int o a wastewate r treatment syste m a t th

e Site

, wher e i t wa s treate d an d discharge d t o th e Sabin e Lake

. However

, Stat e Marin e wa s cite d for a numbe r of violation s of it s wastewate r discharg e permi t by th e TDW R an d th e Texa s Ai r Control Boar d (no w bot h know n a

s th e TNRCC)

. A TDW R inspection i n 198 0foun

d tha t th e wastewate r treatment syste m impoundment s an d tank s wer e being use d for wastewate r storage

, an d not treatment; th e treatment syste m wa

s inactive

. Th e TDW R documente

d larg e area s o f staine d soils

, breache d an d unline d impoundments

, an d evidenc e o f larg e spill s fro m th e treatment system

. O n Jun e 29,1981

, th e Stat e of Texa s signe d a n Agree d Orde r for Temporary Injunction

, whic h require d prope r sit e closure

. O n Decembe r 9,1982

, a Judgemen

t o f Contemp t and Orde r

o f Commitmen t wa s signed

, whic h ordere d Stat e Marin e t o compl y wit h th e Agree d Order

. O n Jul y 25,1983

, th e TDW R observe d Stat e Marin e personnel pumpin g hazardou s waste s fro m a barg e directl y t o th e surfac e wate r instead of t o th e treatment syste m a t th

e Site

. I n 1987

, th e Texa s Wate r Commissio n (th e "TWC" ) complete d a Stat e Superfim d registr y

of hazardou s wast e facilitie s i n Texa s tha t wer e though t t o pos e a n imminen t an d substantia l endangermen t t o publi c healt h an d safet y or th e environment

. Th e Sit e wa s ranke d secon d o n thi s registr y an d referre d t o th e Environmenta l Protectio n Agency (th

e "E P A" ) fo r evaluatio n unde r th e 198 2 versio n of th e Hazar d Rankin g Syste m ("HRS")

. Th e Sit e scor e fel l belo w th e EPA' s cut-of f scor e require d fo r remedia l activitie s unde r CERCL A a t tha t time

. A s a result

, th e EP A referre d th e Sit e back t o th e TW C for action unde

r Stat e authority o n Ma y 28,1987

.

OQO&1 2O

n Marc h 16,1988

, th e Stat e of Texa s issue d a "Supedund " Administrativ e Orde r t o 

### Stat e Marin e requirin g al l responsible partie

s t o perfor m a complet e Remedia l Investigation ("RE")

an d Feasibilit y Stud y ("FS" )

at th e Site

. Responsibl e partie s di d no t compl y wit h thi s Order

. Th e TW C agai n referre d th e Sit e t o th e EP A i n 1992

, fo r consideration unde r th e revise d 1990HR S (4 0CF R Par t 300

, Appendix A

, HRS)

. I n Januar y 1995

, th e EPA requeste d tha t TNRC C perfor m a n Expande d Sit e Inspection ("ESI" ) at th e Site

. Base d on thi s ESI

, th e Sit e receive d

a n HR S o f 4 8 i n Novembe r o f 1997

. O n Decembe r 4,1995

, Governo r Georg e Bus h signe d a lette r t o th e EP A concurring wit

h 

### th e possibl e listin g of th e Sit e o n th e Nationa l Prioritie s Lis t (th e "NPL" ) (Se e Attachmen t 1)

. Th e EP A propose d th e Sit e fo r listin g on th e NP L on Marc h 6,1998

, an d initiate d a n RI/FS on Jun e 22,1998

. 2

. Physica l location Th e Sit e i s locate d on Ol d Yach t Clu b^ oad on Pleasur e Islet

, a peninsul a locate d approximatel y V z mil

e southwes t of th e mout h of th e Neche s Rive r wher e i t enter s Sabin e Lak e i n Jefferso n County

, Texa

s (Se e Attachmen t 2)

. Th e Sit e coordinate s ar e latitud e 29°57'39 " north

, longitud e 93°51'33 " w«st

. Th e are a i s mainl y industrial

. Th

e Sabin e lak e i s a commercia l an d recreationa l fishery

. Th e EP A Regio n 6 Environmenta l Justic

e Compute r Mode l wa s ru n fo r thi s Site

. Within
a on e mil e radiu s of th e Site

, th e percent minority i s 0 % an d th e percent economicall y stresse

d i s 0%

. Within a 5 0mil e radiu s of th e Site

, th e percent minority i s 22.8 % an d th e percent economicall y stresse

d i s 26.8%

. I n comparison

, th

e Stat e of Texa s percent minority i s 39.4 %

an d th e percent economicall y stresse

d i s 27.6%

. (Se e Attachmen t 3 ) 

### 3

. Sit e characteristic s Th e Sit e occupie s approximatel y 17. 2 acres

. Whil e i n operation

, th e Stat e Marin e facility include d a wast e wate r treatment system

, a wast

e oi l storag e area , thre e surfac e impoundments

, 

### an d severa l larg e abovegroun d storag e tank s ("tank farm")

. Known source s o f contamination abov e groun d includ e th e no w burie d surfac e impoundments

, th e forme r tan k far m area , a n are

a


### of contaminate d soil s adjacen t t o th e shorelin e of Sabin e Lak e an d th e sediment s of Sabin e Lake

. 

### 4

. Releas e or threatene d releas e int o th e environmen t of a hazardou s substance

, or pollutant

, o r contaminan t Th e TNRCC' s ES I identifie d thre e area s wher e hazardou s substance s hav e been released

.



## 00001 3• Three burie d surfac e impoundments : Forma-surfac e impoundments

, whic h

measure d ISO x ISO 1 ; 90 x 75' ; an d 90 ' x 45'

, wer e use d fo r wast e oi l storag e an d

wer e neve r properl y closed

. Soi l sample

s reveale d severa l elevate d organi c constituents

, mos t notabl y anthracene

, phenanthrene

, benzo(b)fluoranthene

, benzo(a)pyrene

, pyren e an d chrysene

.



### • Contaminate d sott

s adjacen t t o th e doc k alon g th e Sabin e Neche

s Cana l wher e barge s wer e emptie d an d cleaned : Soi l sample

s reveale d severa l elevate d organi c constituents

, mos t notabl y anthracene

, phenanthrene

, an d fluorene

.

• Forme r tan k far m locatio n wher e waste

s oils wer e refine d int o bunke r fuel : Once containe d a 20,00

0 gallo n above-groun d storag e tan k (AST)

, a 10,000 gallo n AST

, an d severa l smalle r tank

s use d t o stor e wastewate r an d wast e oi l fro m th e barg e cleanin g operations

. Staine d soils an d discarde d tank s bottom s ar e th e onl y remnant s no w i n this tank

. Soi l sample s reveale d severa l elevate d concentration

s o f organi c constituents

, mos t notabl y benzo(b)fluoranthene

, pyrene , fluoranthene

, an d chrysene

. 5

. NP L status Th e Sit e receive d a n HR S o f 4 8 i n Novembe r 1997

. Th e Sit e wa s propose d t o th e NP L

o n Marc h 6,1998

. Shoul d th e Sit e ran k an d remedia l fundin g fo r clean-u p o f thi s Site be approved

, th e curren t remova l actio n is

consisten t wit h a remedia l cleanu p du e t o th e fac t tha t th e propose d actio n constitute

s acces s contro l measures . 6

. Maps

, picture s an d othe r graphi c representation

s Attachmen t 1 : Governo r Bush'

s Lette r t o th e EP A Attachmen t 2 : Sit e Locatio n Ma p 

### Attachmen t 3 : Potentia l Environmenta l Justic e (EJ ) Inde x Pilo t Attachmen t 4 : TNRC C fiel d repor t 

### Attachmen t 5 : Oi l & Hazardou

s Materials/Technica l Assistanc e Databas

e (OHM/TADS ) Materia l Safet y Dat a Sheet

s (MSDS ) fo r PCB s 

### Attachmen t 6 : Enforcemen t Addendu m B

. Othe r Action s t o Dat e 1

. Previou s action s 

### Previou s activitie s conducte d b y th e EPA

, state

, local

, an d privat e entitie s a t th e sit e ar e detaile d i n sectio n one , "Remova l sit e evaluation. "



# 00001 42

. Curren

t action s Th e EP A i s currentl y conducting a n RI/FS o

f th e Sit e i n suppor t o f a remedia l action

. 

### Th e RI/FS wil hel p detennin

e th e selectio n o f a feasible an d cos t effectiv e remedia l action remed y
a t th e Site

. C

. Stat e an d Loca l Authorities'Role

s 

### 1

. Stat e and loca l action s t o dat e Th e TNRC C throug h a multi-cooperativ

e agreemen t wit h th e EP A conducte d a n ES I at th e Site

. Thi s ES I resulte d i n a n HR S Documentatio

n Repor t use d t o propos e th e Sit e fo r listin g ontheNPL

. 2

. Potentia l for continue

d State/loca l respons

e Th e Stat e referre d th e Sit e t o th e EP A i n 1992

, for consideration unde

r th e revise d 1990 HR S (40CF R Par t 300

, Appendix A

, HRS)

. Al l enforcement attempt

s a t th e Stat e leve l hav e failed

. B y lette r date d Decembe r 4,1995

, th e Governo r of th e Stat e of Texa s concurre d wit h th e propose d listin g of th e Sit e o n th e NPL

. A t present

, th e Stat e intend s t o tak e n o furthe r action

.

m . THREAT S T O PUBLI C HEALT H O R WELFAR E O R TH E ENVIRONMENT ; STATUTOR Y AN D REGULATOR Y AUTHORITIE S Section 300.41 5 of th

e NC P list s th e factor s t o b e considere d i n determinin g th e appropriatenes s of a remova l action

. Paragraph s (bX2XO a° d (iv) directl y appl y t o th e condition s a t th e Site

. An y on e of thes e factor s ma y b e sufficien t t o determin e whethe r a remova l 

### action i s appropriate

. A Threat s t o Publi c Healt h or Welfar e 1

. Exposur e t o human populations

, animal s or th e foo d chain

, NC P Section 300.415(bX2)(i ) Th e predominan t threa t t o human population s i s th e potentia l fo r exposur e by direc t contac t wit h organi c constituent s including : anthracene

, phenanthrene

, benzo(a)pyrene

, pyrene , chrysene

, fluorene

, benzo(b)fluoranthene

, an d fluoranthene ; an d Polychlorinate d Biphenyl s 

### ("PCBs")

. Th e facility i s no t secure d an d ca n b e easil y accesse d fro m th e Ol d Yach t Clu bRoad

. 

### Th e TNRC C ha s documente d illegal trespassin g o

f individual s on th e Site

. O n on e occasion

, representative s o f th e Stat e witnesse d a n individua l fishin g fro m th e contaminate d shoreline

, wh o
move d inlan d a s th e TNRC C approache d th e Sit e by boa t (Se e Attachmen t 4)

.



# 000 01 5

### Ther

e i s visua l an d analytica l evidenc e of extensiv e contamination of surfac

e soil

. Person s entering th e Sit e would b e expose d t o thi s contamination

. Benzo(a)pyrene

, benzo(b)fluoranthene

, chrysen e an d phenanthren e ar e considere d carcinogens

. Route s o f exposur e includ e inhalation

, dermal

, ocular absorption

, an

d ingestion

. Derma l absorption i s a n importan t exposur e rout e potentiall y producin g ski n cancer . I n addition

, organi c liquid s an d vapor s ar e stron g irritant s potentiall y producin g loca l erythema

, pulmonar

y edema

, dermatitis

, dizziness

, nausea , convulsions

, an d kidney an d live r damage

. Naphthalen e i f inhale d ma y caus e breathing difficulties

, respirator y failure

, an d centra l

nervou s syste m depression

. Additionaly

, naphthalen

e ma y caus e contac t dermatiti s t o skin ;
cornea ! injur y or blindnes

s t o eyes ; and

, i f ingested

, i t ma y caus

e gastrointestina l trac t disturbances

, an d live r an d kidney damage

. Accordin g t o Databas e (OHM/TADS ) Material Safet y Dat a Sheet s (MSDS)

, PCB s ca n caus e live r an d ski n disorder s an d reproduction abnormalitie

s (Se e Attachmen t 5)

. PCB s ar e considere d probabl e human carcinogens

. PC B exposur e ma y initiat e o r aggravat e skin

, liver

, an d

nervou s syste m diseases

. Acut e exposur e ma y initiat e chloracn e an d eye irritation

, dermatologica l sign s associate d wit h follicula r keratosis

, an d variou s nervou s symptoms

. Occupationa l exposure

s hav e been relate d t o chloracne

, jaundice

, an d acut e yelo w live r atrophy

. 2

. Contaminant s i n soils

, NC P Sectio n 300.415(b)(2)(iv ) Ther e ar e hazardou s substance s i n soil s a t th e Site

. Constituent s foun d included

, anthracene

, phenanthrene

, benzo(a)pyrene

, pyrene , benzo(b)fluoranthene

, chrysene

, fluorene

, naphthalene

, fluoranthene

, benzo(a)anthracene

, naphthalene

, benzo(a)fluoranthene

, gammachlordane

, lea d an d antimony

. Samplin g result s o f such waste s indicat e tha t the y constitut e hazardou s substance s pursuan t t o Section 101(14 ) o f CERCLA

, 4 2 U.S.C

.§ 9601(14)

, and furthe r define d a t 4 0C.F.R

.§ 302.4

. Th e hazardou s substance s liste d belo w wer e detecte d i n soil s sample s collecte d durin g th e 1995

, ES I conducte d b y th e TNRCC

. Thes e soil s sample s wer e collecte d a t depth s of 6 t o 6. 5 inche s fro m th e on-sit c burie d surfac e impoundmen t area , shorelin e are a an d forme r tan k f~,m
area. Organic Hazardou s Substanc e anthracen e phenanthren e benzo(a)pyren e
pyren e benzo(b)fluoranthen e Highes t Detecte d Concentration 3,40 0ug/k g 4,80 0ug/k g 3,90 0fig/k g 25,00 0ug/k g 7,90 0ug/k g


## 000 0chrysen

e fluoren e fluoranthen e benzo(a)anthracen e Naphthalen e benzo(a)fluoranthen e 8,40 0ug/k g 1,20 0ug/k g 7,90 0ug/k g 3,800ug/k g 79 0jig/k g 4,00 0ug/k g PCB s gamma-chlordan e 5. 6 ug/k

g INORGANICS 

### lea d
antimon y 20

1 p.g/k g 44.7ug/kg B

. Threat s t o th e Environmen t No t applicabl e t o thi s propose d remova l action

. IV

. EN D ANGERMEN T DETERMINATIO N Actua l or threatene d release s of pollutant s an d contaminant s fro m thi s site

, i f not addresse d by implementin g th e action selecte d i n thi s Action Memorandum

, wil presen t a n imminen t an d substantia l endangermen

t t o publi c health

, o r welfare

. V

. PROPOSE D ACTION S AN D ESTIMATE D COST S 

### A Propose d Action s 1

. Propose d action description Th e propose d respons e wil consis t of erectin g approximatel y 3,60

0linear fee t offenc e alon g th e north

, sout h an d wes t boundarie s of th e Site

. Installatio n of a fenc e i s th e quickes t an d

mos t effectiv e wa y t o limi t sit e acces s an d mitigat e th e publi c healt h threa t pose d by direc t human contac t wit h contaminant s i n th e surfac e soil s of th e Site

. 2

. Contributio n t o remedia l performanc

e Becaus e thi s action constitute s acces s control

, thi s action i s cos t effectiv e an d consistent wit h an y lon g ter m remediation strategie

s tha t ma y b e develope d for th e Site

.


# 00001 7

# *

3

. Description o f alternativ

e technologie s N o othe r technologie s exis t t o quickl y an d effectivel y eliminat e human contac t wit h surfac e soil s a t di e site

. 4

. Applicabl e o r relevan t an d appropriat e requirement s (ARARs ) N o ARAR s exis t fo r th e propose d action

. 5

. Projec t schedule Th e constructio n of a fenc

e t o secur e th e Sit e shoul d b e complete d withi n tw o week s fro m mobilizatio n t o th e Site

. 

### B

. Estimate d Costs : Extramura l Costs :* Regiona l Allowanc e Costs : ERRS............................................................................................ $ 40,000.0 0 Othe r Extramura l Costs : START........................................................................................

. 15,000.00 Subtotal

, Extramura l Costs.................................................

. 55,000.0 0 Extramura l Cost s Contingency....................................................

. 11,000.0 0
TOTAL

, EXTRAMURAL COSTS..............................................

. 66,000.0 0 Intramura l Costs : EPADirec t Costs........................................................................

. 13,000.00 EPAIndirec t Costs......................................................................

. 22,000.0 0 TOTA L INTRAMURAL COSTS................................................

. 35,000.0 0 TOTA L REMOVA L PROJEC T CEILING.........______....

. $101,000.0 0

8 

# 00001 8V L EXPECTE D CHANG E I N TH E SITUATION SHOUL D ACTIO N B E DELAYE D

O R NO T TAKE N Should th e action describe d i n th e Action Memorandu m b

e delaye d o r no t taken

, th e potentia l exposur e o f nearby human population

s t o pollutant s an d contaminant s i n th e surfac e soi l

o f th e landfil l wil remai n unabated

. VE L OUTSTANDIN G POLIC Y ISSUE S Ther e ar e n o outstanding polic y issue s associate d wit h th e Site

. VH L ENFORCEMEN T Se e Attachmen t 6

. IX

. RECOMMENDATION Thi s decision documen t represent s th e selecte d remova l actio n for th

e Stat e Marin e of Por t Arthu r Sit e i n Jefferso n County

, Texas

, develope d i n accordanc e wit h CERCLA

, a s amended

, an d no t inconsistent wit h th e NCP

. Thi s decisio n i s base d o n th e administrativ e recor d fo r th e site

. Condition s a t th e sit e mee t th e criteri a a s define d by 40CF R Sectio n 300.415(b)(2)(i )

an d (iv) of di e NC P for a removal

, an

d I recommen d approva l of th e propose d remova l action

. Th e tota l project ceiling

, i f approved

, wil b

e $101,000

. O f this

, a n estimate d $40,00 0come s fro m th e Regiona l remova l allowanc

e (ERR S Clean-u p contractor cost)

. 

## APPROVED: IU/f/ULM^ [-~wuwyr; DATE :

Attachment s



# 00001 9