Global Settlement

The meeting began with a discussion of the Global Settlement negotiations. The issues being discussed are: Remedies, Past/Future Costs, Natural Resource Damages, Final Agreement. Citizens has expressed concerns about the Global Settlement but the EPA feels there are a number of positives associated with this approach. The EPA wants to avoid litigation at this time, as it would slow the resolution of the problems remaining. EPA has also had positive meetings with Viacom on the development of a schedule.

Neals Landfill

The EPA's Dr. Milton Clark presented an analysis of the Neal's Landfill Fish Assessment for the risks to human health. Fish is the dominant risk pathway for PCBs to humans. Fish consumption advisories exist for Clear and Richland Creeks, and they are listed as impaired waterways under the Clean Water Act.The EPA study used fish from Griffey Lake, Lake Lemon and Lake Monroe to set a baseline for the area, and all these fish were found to be below detection level (less than .05 ppm) for PCBs. They found that the fish in Richland (1998) and Clear Creek (2000) to be from 5 to 50 times these background levels. [Levels of PCBs (Clear Creek 2000) bass are 6 to 25 times the 0.05 ppm level - Richland Creek (1998) bass are 8 to 20 times 0.05 ppm] Locations 1, 2, and 3 were found to have fish with PCB levels above those that would trigger fish advisories (from .15 to 2 ppm-the action level is .05ppm).

The acceptable level in fish is 0.025 ppm PCB. There is a 50% reduction in fillet PCB levels from cooking and cleaning. The comparison is made to whole fish, fillets would contain 25-50% less PCBs per weight. PCB levels in in both Clear and Richland Creek fish of 1-2 ppm is about 20 to 100 times higher than acceptable levels. In Richland Creek, Locations 1, 2, &3 all show PCB levels above action limits, while Locations 4 and 5 and 6 are below. The closer to Conard's Branch, the hotter the fish were. Several species of panfish were found with high PCB levels, including Longear Sunfish, Suckers, Rock Bass, and Redhorse. Although there has been perhaps 50% reduction in PCB discharge from Neal’s landfill in past two years, the RME non-cancer risks are still about 8 times acceptable levels.

EPA is reviewing the final Long-Term Groundwater Monitoring Plan and the Final Groundwater Investigation Plans being developed by Vaicom. The Ecological Risk Assessment Report is nearly complete, and there is no change in water levels surrounding Neal's Landfill (from the blasting at Rogers' Quarry.) The Revised Status Report for Groundwater, Sediment and Fish was released in March. It is a summary of geology, hydrogeologic investigations and tracer tests, historical and current flow analysis, a summary of chemical data, and of the PCB Mass discharged. There appears to be a common Conduit System for South Spring and Overflow Springs. Most drainage is through Northwest Spring System, Southwest Spring System (Taylor, Branham) and there are sporadic detections just above detection limit.

From June 7, 2000 to November 13, 2000 at least a dozen storm events with peak flows greater than 5000 gpm (124 million gallons bypassed) occurred at Neal's Landfill. Current peak storm flows and PCB levels are below 1998 levels (pre-remediation). The comparison of PCB Data from 2000 to 2001 do not appear to indicate a significant difference in levels. The estimated PCB mass released from April 2000 to July 2000 is 372 grams.

A draft report has been submitted to Viacom. The data was collected from 17:00 on 10/24/01 and 9:15 on 10/25/01. Spring flow, specific conductance, turbidity, particle size analysis were done in the field, while total suspended solids, and particle size analysis were done in the laboratory. They did PCB analyses of whole samples, particulate samples, and the dissolved phase. A peak flow of 7,108 Gallons Per Minute (gpm) was measured. Samples were collected at about 4,500 gpm, 2 at the peak flow rate, and one at about 6,600 gpm.

There was a 84 to 97% reduction in total suspended solids over a 24-hour test, while there was 43 to 60% reduction in PCBs over 24-hour test, of which 73 to 95% are associated with the particulate phase. They saw a significant reduction of PCBs over the first 4 hours, followed by a plateau. The study showed there is the possibility of reducing the PCB concentrations through settling. This is good, as Neal's Landfill has over 8 times the water flow as the ICS, and would be very difficult to capture in tanks as at the ICS Treatment Plant. EPA is planning another treatability study for this spring. They plan to obtain samples during the ascending and descending limbs of a storm, use large containers (55 gallon drum) to determine settling characteristics, and study settling with and without coagulants.

Lemon Lane

The October-November 2001 Viacom Dye Trace Report has been released. There was free product (PCB oil) found in LF-6 (four feet from LF 6-8). Viacom bailed LF-6 until the oil was removed. Viacom performed dye tracing on the LF 6-8 on 4/10/02. Initial results show that there is flow from LF6-8 to Valhalla and on to ICS. This flow chart shows the relationship of between LF 6-8, MW-6, and ICS. There is little evidence to support the theory of flow from LF 6-8 to MW-45.

The ICS Treatment Plant is still experiencing overflows (the latest in April) of the holding tanks during large storm events, otherwise the plant is in good working order.

Bennett's Dump

Summary written from notes taken at the meeting and the EPA Powerpoint presentation by Mitch Rice, COPA
April 22, 2002