SWMU 45 – PCB Spill Area/Old Power Plant

SWMU 45 consists of an area outside of Building 38, the old Power Plant (SWMU 11), where transformer oils, containing PCBs, were routinely discarded directly onto the ground during transformer maintenance. As discussed previously in SWMU 11, there are also two abandoned 50,000 gallon USTs associated with SWMU 45/SWMU 11. Therefore, an RFI of soils, surface water and sediments, and groundwater was required in the permit for SWMU 45, in association with SWMU 11.

Status

Two CMIs have been completed at this site to address the PCB releases and the tanks and cooling tunnels. These are discussed in some detail in SWMU 11 section.

  • RFI Work Plans were approved in 1995.
  • The original investigations were performed and a report was provided to the EPA in 1998.
  • During an ICM for the cooling water tunnels, oil releases to the subsurface soils around the tunnels were noted.
  • Investigations for these soils were proposed and approved by EPA.
  • A CMS is required for the sediments in Puerca Bay. A CMS outline and Final CMS Work Plan were prepared in 1999.
  • A Revised Final CMS Work Plan was submitted in March 2000 and, following agency comments, a Revised Final II CMS Work Plan was submitted in July 2000 and approved September 2000.
  • The Final Additional Data collection Report and Screening Level ERA and Step 3a of the Baseline ERA was submitted to the EPA January 2006 and approved.
  • The EPA approved final Steps 3b and 4 of the Baseline ERA for SWMU 45 was submitted to the EPA for review and approval in July 2006.
  • The site verification for the Baseline ERA for SWMU 45 was initiated in September 2006.
  • The Baseline ERA Field Investigation was initiated January 27, 2007 and completed February 2, 2007.
  • The RCRA 7003 Administrative Order on Consent recommends the implementation of the CMS for SWMU 45.
  • The Final Steps 6 and 7 of the Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment was submitted to EPA on July 11, 2008.
  • EPA provided comments on the Final Steps 6 and 7 of the Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment on October 3, 2008.
  • An Addendum to the Final Steps 6 and 7 of the Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment was submitted on November 21, 2008.
  • A Draft Project Closeout Report - Remedial Action for Soil Remediation was submitted to the EPA on December 4, 2009.
  • A Draft Final Corrective Measures Study Final Report for SWMU 45 was submitted to the EPA on December 17, 2010.