Document ID: EPA-HQ-RCRA-2003-0002-0193
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2002-12-17T05:00Z

Sand
&
Gravel
Pit
Damage
Cases
Page
1
June11,
2001
SUMMARY
OF
EPA
COAL
COMBUSTION
WASTE
DAMAGE
CASES
INVOLVING
SAND
&
GRAVEL
MINES/
PITS/
OPERATIONS
This
document
provides
summary
information
on
five
damage
cases
that
EPA
has
concluded
involved
the
placement
of
coal
combustion
waste
into
sand
and
gravel
mines
or
pits.
These
five
cases
are
among
the
proven
or
potential
damage
cases
discussed
in
EPA's
May
22,
2000
Regulatory
Determination
on
Wastes
from
the
Combustion
of
Fossil
Fuels
(
65
FR
32214).
These
five
cases
are:

°
City
of
Beverly/
Vitale
Brothers
Fly
Ash
Pit,
Massachusetts
°
Virginia
Power
Yorktown
Power
Station
Chisman
Creek
Disposal
Site,
Virginia
°
WEPCO
Cedar­
Sauk
Landfill,
Wisconsin
°
Lemberger
Landfill,
Wisconsin
°
WEPCO
Highway
59
Landfill,
Wisconsin
Also,
EPA
is
currently
collecting
and
analyzing
information
on
an
additional
case
that
involved
placement
of
coal
combustion
waste
into
a
quarry.
In
the
2000
Regulatory
Determination,
this
case
was
counted
among
the
18
cases
with
insufficient
documentation
and
data
to
verify
and
draw
a
conclusion
about
whether
they
should
be
considered
potential
or
proven
damage
cases.
Because
EPA's
data
collection
and
analysis
for
this
case
is
not
yet
complete,
it
is
not
summarized
here.
Sand
&
Gravel
Pit
Damage
Cases
Page
2
June11,
2001
City
of
Beverly/
Vitale
Brothers
Fly
Ash
Pit,
Massachusetts
History:
This
site
is
an
abandoned
gravel
and
sand
mine
that
was
used
as
an
unpermitted
landfill
from
the
1950'
s
until
the
mid­
1970'
s.
The
site
was
operated
by
the
Vitale
Brothers
until
1980,
when
the
City
of
Beverly
Conservation
Commission
gained
ownership
because
of
failure
to
pay
property
taxes.
On
the
site,
the
Vitale
Brothers
accepted
and
disposed
saltwater­
quenched
fly
ash
from
New
England
Power
Company
along
with
other
wastes.
Leaking
underground
storage
tanks
containing
petroleum
products
were
also
located
at
the
site.
In
1973,
fly
ash
at
the
site
eroded
into
a
nearby
swamp
and
a
stream
that
is
a
tributary
to
a
surface
drinking
water
supply.
The
erosion
created
a
damming
effect
and
resulted
in
flooding
of
neighboring
property.
In
1988,
surface
water
sampling
of
the
stream
revealed
levels
of
iron
and
manganese
significantly
greater
than
upstream
levels.
Additionally,
there
were
complaints
of
fugitive
dust
from
the
site
from
neighbors
located
500
feet
away.
Air
sampling
on
one
occasion
in
1988
revealed
arsenic
concentrations
of
2
parts
per
billion.
Finally,
1988
groundwater
sampling
found
arsenic
and
selenium
in
excess
of
their
primary
MCLs
and
aluminum,
iron,
and
manganese
in
excess
of
secondary
MCLs.
According
to
the
State,
fly
ash
is
the
suspected
source
of
contamination
in
all
of
these
media.

The
site
has
a
long
history
of
noncompliance
with
local
and
State
laws
and
regulations.
The
site
is
currently
undergoing
Comprehensive
Site
Assessment
and
Risk
Characterization
in
preparation
for
potential
remedial
action
under
Massachusetts
regulations
for
the
assessment
and
cleanup
of
hazardous
waste
sites.

Basis
for
Consideration
as
a
Damage
Case:
This
case
was
not
counted
as
a
proven
damage
case
in
the
1999
Report
to
Congress
although
it
should
have
been.
The
case
does
meet
the
criteria
for
a
proven
damage
case
for
the
following
reasons:
(
1)
selenium
and
arsenic
exceeded
(
health­
based)
primary
MCLs,
(
2)
there
is
evidence
of
contamination
of
nearby
(
offsite)
wetlands
and
surface
waters,
and
(
3)
the
facility
was
the
subject
of
several
citations
and
the
State
is
assessing
potential
remedial
actions.

Causative
Factors:
Fly
ash
is
disposed
at
the
site
at
depths
from
14
to
36
feet.
Not
only
is
the
site
unlined,
but
groundwater
depth
at
the
site
is
between
10
and
21
feet,
indicating
the
likelihood
of
direct
contact
with
fly
ash.
Fly
ash
also
is
observed
to
be
present
at
the
surface
of
the
site
with
no
cover
or
other
surface
runoff,
erosion,
or
fugitive
dust
controls.
Finally,
the
site
is
located
in
close
proximity
to
a
wetland
and
a
surface
water
body.
Sand
&
Gravel
Pit
Damage
Cases
Page
3
June11,
2001
Virginia
Power
Yorktown
Power
Station
Chisman
Creek
Disposal
Site,
Virginia
History:
This
site
consists
of
three
parcels
of
land
that
cover
27
acres.
Between
1957
and
1974,
abandoned
sand
and
gravel
pits
at
the
site
received
fly
ash
from
the
combustion
of
coal
and
petroleum
coke
at
the
Yorktown
Power
Station.
Disposal
at
the
site
ended
in
1974
when
Virginia
Power
began
burning
oil
at
the
Yorktown
plant.
In
1980,
nearby
shallow
residential
wells
became
contaminated
with
vanadium
and
selenium.
Water
in
the
wells
turned
green
and
contained
selenium
above
the
primary
MCL
and
sulfate
above
the
secondary
MCL.
Investigations
in
response
to
the
discolored
drinking
water
found
heavy
metal
contamination
in
the
groundwater
around
the
fly
ash
disposal
areas,
in
onsite
ponds,
and
in
the
sediments
of
Chisman
Creek
and
its
tributaries.
Arsenic,
beryllium,
chromium,
copper,
molybdenum,
nickel,
vanadium,
and
selenium
were
detected
above
background
levels.

In
September
1983,
EPA
added
the
site
to
the
National
Priorities
List
(
NPL)
under
the
Comprehensive
Environmental
Response,
Compensation,
and
Liabilities
Act
(
CERCLA).
Cleanup
began
in
late
1986
and
was
conducted
in
two
parts.
The
first
part
addressed
the
fly
ash
pits
and
contaminated
groundwater
and
included
the
following
steps:

C
extension
of
public
water
to
55
homes
with
contaminated
well
water,
C
capping
the
disposal
pits
with
soil
(
2
pits)
or
compacted
clay
(
1
pit)
overlain
with
topsoil
and
vegetative
growth,
C
groundwater
and
leachate
collection
for
treatment
and
to
lower
the
water
table
beneath
the
pits,
and
C
post­
closure
monitoring.

The
second
part
addressed
the
onsite
ponds,
a
freshwater
tributary
stream,
and
the
Chisman
Creek
estuary
and
included
the
following
steps:

C
relocation
of
a
600­
foot
portion
of
the
tributary
to
minimize
contact
with
the
fly
ash
disposal
areas,
C
diversion
of
surface
runoff,
and
C
long­
term
monitoring
for
the
ponds,
tributary,
and
estuary.

Construction
of
all
cleanup
components
was
completed
on
December
21,
1990.
The
site
has
been
redeveloped
as
a
public
park.

Basis
for
Consideration
as
a
Damage
Case:
EPA
has
categorized
this
case
as
a
proven
damage
case
for
the
following
reasons:
(
1)
drinking
water
wells
contained
selenium
above
the
(
health­
based)
primary
MCL;
(
2)
there
is
evidence
of
surface
water
and
sediment
contamination;
and
(
3)
the
site
was
remediated
under
CERCLA.

Causative
Factors:
The
facility
was
operated
with
no
dust
or
erosion
controls.
The
facility
is
unlined
and
located
in
close
proximity
to
drinking
water
wells.
A
surface
water
tributary
passed
through
or
near
the
disposal
areas.
In
addition,
the
documentation
on
the
site
and
design
of
remedial
measures
suggest
that
groundwater
at
the
site
was
very
shallow
and
possibly
in
contact
with
disposed
waste.
(
Note
also
that
the
facility
is
located
in
close
proximity
to
a
wetland,
although
there
is
no
documentation
of
impact
to
flora
in
the
wetland.)
1
Quantative
data
on
the
original
depth
to
groundwater
are
not
available,
but
documentation
on
the
site
reports
that
the
water
table
was
near
the
base
of
the
original
pit.

Sand
&
Gravel
Pit
Damage
Cases
Page
4
June11,
2001
WEPCO
Cedar­
Sauk
Landfill,
Wisconsin
History:
This
facility
is
an
abandoned
sand
and
gravel
pit
that
received
coal
combustion
waste
from
the
WEPCO
Port
Washington
Power
Plant
from
1969
to
1979.
After
closure
of
the
facility,
groundwater
monitoring
revealed
exceedences
of
the
primary
MCL
for
selenium,
the
State
standard
for
boron,
and
the
secondary
MCL
for
sulfate.
Vegetative
damage
resulting
from
boron
uptake
also
was
observed
in
a
nearby
wetland.
Presumably,
this
damage
is
the
result
of
groundwater
migration
to
the
wetland.
As
a
result,
the
State
required
installation
of
relief
wells
to
confine
and
remediate
the
contamination
plume
and
installation
of
an
upgraded
cover
at
the
site.

Basis
for
Consideration
as
a
Damage
Case:
EPA
has
categorized
this
case
as
a
proven
damage
case
for
the
following
reasons:
(
1)
selenium
in
groundwater
exceeded
the
(
health­
based)
primary
MCL,
(
2)
there
was
clear
evidence
of
vegetative
damage,
and
(
3)
the
State
required
remedial
action.
(
This
case
was
not
counted
as
a
proven
damage
case
in
the
1999
Report
to
Congress,
however,
because
there
was
no
evidence
of
comanagement
of
low­
volume
wastes
at
the
site.)

Causative
Factors:
The
facility
is
not
only
unlined,
but
was
constructed
over
shallow
groundwater1
in
highly
permeable
(
10­
3
to
10­
2
cm/
sec)
media.
Some
time
after
closure,
the
water
table
rose,
saturating
portions
of
the
ash
fill.
Furthermore,
the
original
soil
cover
installed
at
closure
was
found
to
be
insufficient,
less
than
2
feet
in
places.
Finally,
the
site
was
located
in
close
proximity
to
a
wetland.
Sand
&
Gravel
Pit
Damage
Cases
Page
5
June11,
2001
Lemberger
Landfill,
Wisconsin
History:
This
site
is
an
old
gravel
pit
that
was
used
by
the
Township
of
Franklin
as
an
open
dump
from
about
1940
to
1969.
Lemberger
Landfill,
Inc.,
operated
the
site
as
a
sanitary
landfill
under
a
license
from
the
State
from
about
1970
to
1976.
Under
the
license,
the
site
was
permitted
to
receive
municipal
solid
waste
and
power
plant
fly
ash
and
bottom
ash.
The
available
records
show
that,
in
addition
to
municipal
solid
waste
and
possibly
industrial
waste,
the
landfill
received
power
plant
fly
ash
and
bottom
ash
starting
in
1969.
In
1976,
the
site
ceased
operations
except
for
disposal
of
fly
ash
to
bring
the
site
to
final
grade.
A
second
cap
was
placed
on
the
landfill
in
May
1981.

Damages
at
the
site
include
the
seepage
of
landfill
leachate
onto
adjacent
property.
Groundwater
at
the
site
is
contaminated
with
VOC
and
inorganic
constituents
including
arsenic,
barium,
chromium,
cadmium,
and
lead.
VOCs
were
present
in
residential
wells
in
the
vicinity
of
the
site,
according
to
monitoring
conducted
by
the
State
in
1984
and
1985.
A
river
near
the
site
also
is
potentially
impacted;
VOCs
and
inorganics
including
cadmium
and
lead
are
present
in
surface
water.

The
site
was
proposed
to
the
National
Priorities
List
(
NPL)
under
the
Comprehensive
Environmental
Response,
Compensation,
and
Liabilities
Act
(
CERCLA)
on
September
18,
1985
and
added
to
the
final
NPL
on
June
10,
1986.
In
1991,
EPA
selected
the
final
remedy
for
the
site,
which
included
the
following:

C
clearing
and
regrading
the
waste
area
to
smooth
out
the
existing
cap,
C
constructing
a
multi­
layer
cap
with
a
vegetative
cover,
C
constructing
a
slurry
wall
around
the
perimeter
of
the
wastes,
C
extraction
and
treatment
of
contaminated
groundwater,
and
C
groundwater
monitoring
and
temporary
groundwater
use
restrictions.

A
group
of
potentially
responsible
parties
entered
into
a
consent
decree
with
EPA
in
1992
to
implement
the
remedy.
Construction
was
completed
in
September
1996.

Basis
for
Consideration
as
a
Damage
Case:
Because
the
available
documentation
does
not
clearly
implicate,
or
rule
out,
coal
combustion
waste
as
a
source
of
the
contamination,
EPA
has
categorized
this
case
as
a
potential
damage
case.
Because
coal
combustion
wastes
were
disposed
along
with
other,
non­
utility
wastes,
EPA
considered
this
case
in
its
discussion
of
non­
utility
coal
combustion
wastes
in
the
1999
Report
to
Congress.

Causative
Factors:
Not
only
is
the
facility
unlined,
but
four
residences
are
located
within
1,000
feet
of
the
site
and
the
Branch
River
is
located
one­
half
mile
away.
In
addition,
State
inspections
showed
that
fly
ash
and
bottom
ash
were
used
as
cover
material
instead
of
being
buried
along
with
the
other
wastes.
CERCLA
documentation
for
the
site
implies
that
this
practice
was
not
authorized
by
the
State.
Sand
&
Gravel
Pit
Damage
Cases
Page
6
June11,
2001
WEPCO
Highway
59
Landfill,
Wisconsin
History:
This
site
is
located
in
an
old
sand
and
gravel
pit
and
received
fly
ash
and
bottom
ash
between
1969
and
1978.
Groundwater
monitoring
between
1988
and
1998
found
sulfate,
boron,
manganese,
chloride,
and
iron
above
the
State's
Enforcement
Standards
(
ES)
and
arsenic
above
the
State's
Preventive
Action
Level
(
PAL)
in
nearby
private
wells.
Other
downgradient
monitoring
wells
showed
sulfate,
boron,
iron,
and
manganese
in
excess
of
the
ES
and
selenium
and
chloride
in
excess
of
PALs.
State
agency
staff
consider
this
site
one
of
the
most
seriously
affected
coal
ash
sites
in
the
State.
The
State
required
a
continuation
of
monitoring
at
this
closed
facility
In
1982
and
an
investigation
into
groundwater
contamination
in
1994.

Basis
for
Consideration
as
a
Damage
Case:
EPA
has
categorized
this
case
as
a
proven
damage
case
for
the
following
reasons:
(
1)
although
the
boron
standard
was
not
health­
based
at
the
time
of
the
exceedences,
the
boron
levels
reported
for
the
facility
would
have
exceeded
the
State's
recently
promulgated
health­
based
ES
for
boron;
(
2)
contamination
from
the
facility
appears
to
have
migrated
to
off­
site
private
wells;
and
(
3)
as
a
result
of
the
various
PAL
and
ES
exceedences,
the
State
required
a
groundwater
investigation.

Causative
Factors:
The
facility
is
unlined
and
the
soil
underlying
the
site
consists
of
fine
to
coarse
sands
and
gravel
with
minor
amounts
of
silt
and
clay
and
is
believed
to
be
relatively
permeable.
The
original
sand
and
gravel
pit
included
an
area
of
standing
water.
The
presence
of
the
standing
water
is
attributed
to
the
elevation
of
the
groundwater
table
exceeding
the
base
of
the
pit
in
this
area.
Waste
was
disposed
directly
into
this
area
to
a
depth
of
5
to
10
feet
below
the
water
table.
(
Note
also
that
the
facility
is
located
in
close
proximity
to
a
wetland,
although
there
is
no
documentation
of
impact
to
flora
in
the
wetland.)