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EPA SUPERFUND REMOVAL TO BEGIN AT THE FERNANDEZ MINK OIL SITE LOCATED IN TUPELO (LEE COUNTY) MISSISSIPPI

Release Date: 05/14/2002
Contact Information: Wesley Lambert, Office of Media Relations, U.S. EPA (404) 562-8316

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that it will begin a Superfund hazardous substance removal at the Fernandez Mink Oil Drum Site in Tupelo (Lee County), Mississippi on Wednesday, May 15, 2002. A removal is a short-term cleanup intended to stabilize or clean up a site that poses an imminent and substantial threat to human health or the environment. The removal is taking place under the authority of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, also known as Superfund. The cleanup is being directed by Karen Knight, an On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) with EPA Region 4's Emergency Response and Removal Branch located in Atlanta, Georgia. The site was referred to EPA by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality in March 2002. EPA responded by sending an OSC on March 5, 2002 to secure the site. As a follow up to the March response, EPA conducted a removal site evaluation on April 3, 2002. Removal actions proposed from this evaluation include: Conducting air monitoring and inventory of drums. Over packing leaking drums, stabilizing bulging drums/containers and stage all drums/containers for field analytical screening. Conducting field analytical screening and hazardous characterization of contents of drums and containers. Conducting bulking and consolidation of like materials for disposal. Staging drums and other containers by compatibility. Disposing as appropriate, the wastes found on Site that are either hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Securing the warehouse and property of the Site with locks and fencing. Conducting soil testing, if necessary. The Fernandez Mink Oil Property Site consists of approximately 100 drums located inside the warehouse and approximately 125 drums and various containers located on the exterior of the facility. The drums are in various stages of deterioration with some corroded, bulging and leaking. Primary concern is the potential for exposure of anyone to anyone who encounters the leaking material. There is also a potential for soil contamination from the leaking drums and containers on site. The warehouse is located between a radio station and a vehicle repair station. A soccer complex is located approximately 200 yards from the warehouse. Persons interested in obtaining further information regarding the site are encouraged to contact Karen Knight at (404) 562-8885 or Stephanie Y. Brown, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator, at (404) 562-8450 or (800) 564-7577.