San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site

San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site

Highlands

Channelview

Northern Waste Pits Before Cap

North Waste Pits After Cap

Approximate Limit of Armored Cap

Cap Construction Completed July 12, 2011

Old boat washed up on cap – Feb 2015

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers  Computer models - flow & scour for storm/surge events.

 Existing cap design/construction.  Short & long term cap reliability? [storms & barge strikes]  Any migration through cap?  Removal Best Management Practices.  Cleanup levels.  New full removal alternative.

Warning Signs & Fish Advisories

Next: Corps of Engineers Report – June 2015 Proposed Plan – Dec 2015

San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site For More Information U.S. EPA

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

Gary Miller Remedial Project Manager 214.665.8318 or 1.800.533.3508 (toll-free)

Satya Dwivedula Project Manager, Superfund Section 512.239.3548

Valmichael Leos On-Scene Coordinator 214.665.2283 or 1.800.533.3508 (toll-free) Donn Walters Sr. Community Involvement Coordinator / Public Liaison 214.665.6483 or 1.800.533.3508 (toll-free)

Crystal Taylor Community Relations, Superfund Section 512.239.3844 Site Repository Highlands Public Library, Stratford Branch 509 Stratford Street, Highlands Texas

San Jacinto Waste Pits Superfund Site on the Internet www.sanjacintowastepits.com or www.epa.gov/region6/6sf/pdffiles/0606611.pdf


Background  Impoundments built in the mid-1960s for disposal of paper mill wastes.

 Partially submerged impoundments cover about 15.7 acres on the western bank of the San Jacinto River, north of Interstate 10 in Harris County, TX.

 Primarily contaminated with dioxins and furans.  San Jacinto River Waste Pits added to the National Priorities List (Superfund) on March 19, 2008.

San Jacinto River Waste Pits Oct 1964

15

San Jacinto River Waste Pits South Impoundment 1965

16

Northern Waste Pits Before Cap

San Jacinto River • Between 1851 and 2004, 25 hurricanes have made landfall along the north Texas Gulf Coast, seven of which were major (Category 3 to 5) storms. • October 1994 flood had peak discharge of 360,000 cfs (greater than 100-years return period); the river stage height had a maximum value of 27 feet above sea level. • 10 to 12-feet of river bed scour just south of the I-10 bridge. • “The flooding caused major soil erosion in the flood plain and river channel, including the creation of water channels outside the San Jacinto River bed. The flood waters scoured the riverbed and banks, destabilized roads and bridges …” (NTSB, 1996). • River cut new channel through Banana Bend: 510-feet wide & 15-feet deep.

Waste Pits

San Jacinto River Waste Pits

Land Use

Surface Water Dioxin Analysis µg/L TEQ dioxin/furan Texas Surface Water Quality Standard: 7.8 x 10-8 µg/L


27.2

31.1

66.1

205 Soil samples within preliminary site boundary. Waste Pits

Southern Impoundment Surface soil - ng/kg TEQDF Dioxin

≤ 50 ppt TEQ Dioxin/Furan

San Jacinto River Waste Pits Site

4.79

198

31,600

50,105

291 Surface & subsurface sediment samples within preliminary site boundary.

Waste Pits Southern Impoundment

3.87

Sediment - ng/kg TEQDF Dioxin

San Jacinto River Waste Pits Dioxin/Furan (TEQ) Concentrations in Sediment Cores (ng/kg dw)

San Jacinto River Waste Pits Dioxin/Furan (TEQ) Concentrations in Surface Sediment (ng/kg dw)

26

Southern Impoundment Soil Samples

50,105 ppt @ 8-10 ft.

35,466 ppt @ 4-6 ft.

Soil Dioxin Results ≥ 665 ng/kg TEQDF < 665 ng/kg TEQDF 27

Southern Impoundment Soil Samples

50,105 ppt @ 8-10 ft.

35,466 ppt @ 4-6 ft.

Soil Dioxin Results ≥ 665 ng/kg TEQDF < 665 ng/kg TEQDF 28

29

San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site Hardhead catfish sample locations within preliminary site boundary.

San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site Blue Crab sample locations within preliminary site boundary.

Spotted Seatrout Hazard Index by Site

Northern Waste Pits Groundwater Monitoring Well Locations

Groundwater Cross-Section

No Dioxin TEQDF detected in groundwater.

3770 pg/L Dioxin TEQ DF in waste material .

2.64J pg/L Dioxin TEQ DF in groundwater (MCL 30 pg/L).

Southern Impoundment Groundwater Monitoring Well Locations 47.3

17.1

1.3

13.6

60.2 1.1

Groundwater Monitoring Wells pg/L Dioxin TEQ DF (MCL 30 pg/L).

Richard A. Beauchamp, M.D. TDSHS

Conceptual Site Model

Chemicals of Potential Concern

Human Health Risk Assessment – North Area

Human Health Risk Assessment – South Area

Hazard Quotients for Mammalian Receptors

Hazard Quotients for Avian Receptors

Hazard Quotients for Fish

San Jacinto River Waste Pits Draft Feasibility Study Preliminary Action Levels:

• 220 ng/kg (sediment outside of cap – recreational visitor).

• 450 ng/kg (soil in Southern Impoundment – construction worker).

• 1,300 ng/kg (soil/sediment within cap – industrial/commercial worker).

San Jacinto River Waste Pits Texas Department of State Health Services: 

Conducting investigation of cancer & birth defects frequency in the area.



Will compare results to expected frequencies.



TDSHS performed door-to-door visits in Channelview to discuss health concerns with community in January 2014.


TCRA Update – Armor Cap Inspections Starting January 2012 Operations, Monitoring, and Maintenance (OMM) began on armor cap.

    

Periodic Visual Inspections Topographic Surveys Manual Probing (if necessary) Chemical Analysis (Pore water sampling) Response plan for cap deficiencies (stock pile, response equipment)

Visual Inspections & Surveys:  Site security fencing and perimeter fencing  Site signage  Land based inspection of armor cap for erosion  Water based inspection of waste materials erosion into river  Review of topographic surveys (changes in elevation) of armor cap


TCRA Update – Armor Cap Inspections

Waste Pits Cap Porewater Sampling Locations

San Jacinto River Waste Pits Northern Area Remediation Alternatives : • Alt. 1N: TCRA Cap (No further action). Cost: $520,000.

• Alt. 2N: TCRA Cap, ICs & MNR. Cost: $1.3 million.

• Alt. 3N: Permanent Cap (cap enhancements), ICs, & MNR. Cost: $3.5 million; 2 months construction.

• Alt. 4N: Partial Solidification, Permanent Cap, ICs, & MNR. Cost: $14.2 million; 17 months construction.

• Alt. 5N: Partial Removal, Permanent Cap, ICs, & MNR. Cost: $29.1 million; 13 months construction.

• Alt. 5aN: Partial removal, Permanent Cap, ICs, & MNR. Cost: $68.9 million; 19 months construction.

• Alt. 6N: Full removal (greater than 220 ng/kg). Cost: $90.2 million; 16 months construction.

San Jacinto River Waste Pits Alternative 3N Cap Enhancements: • 2 mo. Construction • $3.5 MM

San Jacinto River Waste Pits

Alternative 6N (200,100 CY) Full Removal: 16 mo. construction; $ 90.2 MM

San Jacinto River Waste Pits Southern Area Remediation Alternatives : • Alt. 1S: No action. Cost: $143,000.

• Alt. 2S: Institutional Controls. Cost: $273,000.

• Alt. 3S: Enhanced Institutional Controls. Cost: $663,000; 1 month construction.

• Alt. 4S: Removal & Off-Site Disposal. Cost: $9.9 million; 7 months construction.

San Jacinto River Waste Pits Preliminary Remedial Action Areas South of I-10

TCRA Update – Western Berm Erosion

• Berm erosion July 2012. • Completion of repairs August 2012.

San Jacinto River Waste Pits Update on Armor Cap

Fig. 1 – Armor Cap Enhancement Work Plan - Armor cap D placement areas with improved slope construction

San Jacinto River Waste Pits Update on Armor Cap

Constructing enhanced slope along the South Berm – 1-21-2014

Proportion of Congener Total (except OCDD)

SJRWP Congener Fingerprint 0.8

0.7 SJRWP 0.6

15 SE-08

0.5

SE-11 0.4

SJB1 SJC1

0.3

SJGB012 SE-09

0.2

SJGB010 0.1

SJGB009 SJVS001

0

SJGB011 SJA1

TEQ range = 10,080 to 32,400 ppt