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Fact Sheet

August 2010

Proposed Final Remedy for Cleanup, Harcros Chemicals Site, Davenport, Scott County, Iowa

INTRODUCTION

he U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 invites the public to review and comment on EPA's proposed groundwater corrective action remedy for the Harcros Chemicals facility, 2040 W. River Drive in Davenport, Scott County, Iowa. Groundwater contamination above unrestricted use cleanup levels still exists in onsite and offsite groundwater. EPA proposes to select a groundwater corrective action remedy for the facility.

The public comment period runs August 16 to September 15, 2010, to enable the public to participate in the remedy selection process. EPA will hold a public availability meeting on Tuesday, August 31, 2010, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Davenport Public Library, Fairmount Branch, to allow the public an opportunity to discuss the proposed final cleanup actions with EPA and Harcros representatives.

Written comments should be mailed or e-mailed to

Ruby Crysler
U.S. EPA, AWMD/RCAP
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
e-mail: crysler.ruby@epa.gov

Comments should be received no later than September 15, 2010.

You Are Invited

Representatives from EPA and Harcros will be available to provide information and answer questions at a public availability meeting on Tuesday, August 31, 2010, from 5 to 7 p.m. The meeting will be held at the

Davenport Public Library
Fairmount Branch
3000 N. Fairmount Street
Davenport, Iowa

EPA Region 7 is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the meeting, please notify the EPA Reasonable Accommodations Coordinator, Jonathan Cooper, 800-223-0425 or at cooper.jonathan@epa.gov. Speech or hearing impaired individuals should e-mail or call using the local relay service.

Comments received will be summarized in a Response to Comments, and responses will be provided to those individuals providing the comments. The Response to Comments will be drafted at the conclusion of the public comment period and incorporated into the Administrative Record. EPA may modify the proposed final remedy or select other alternatives based upon new information and comments from the public. A public hearing is not scheduled at this time. If the public requests a public hearing in writing with a statement of issues to be raised at the hearing, EPA will conduct a public hearing and receive both oral and written comments.

BACKGROUND

The Harcros Chemicals facility is located at 2040 W. River Drive in Davenport, Iowa. The facility has served as a storage and distribution center for various types of agricultural, commercial, and industrial chemical products. Raw materials for these products were delivered to the facility by railway, tanker truck, or tractor trailer, and were stored primarily in bulk storage tanks and drums. A RCRA Section 3013 Administrative Order on Consent was negotiated between EPA and Harcros in March 2001.

Harcos Chemical Site Map

Investigation of the Harcros facility was conducted in two phases of field work to assess potential environmental impacts of historical chemical packaging operations. Investigations completed to date include evaluation of: surface, subsurface, and stockpiled soils; shallow and deep groundwater; indoor air; and potential non-aqueous phase liquids in the subsurface.

The following corrective action activities have been completed: removal and offsite disposal of stockpiled soil; excavation and treatment of contaminated on-site and off-site soils; initiation of a pilot-scale study of in-situ chemical oxidation using sodium permanganate; and indoor air sampling. The facility is continuing groundwater monitoring of onsite and offsite wells to monitor contaminant concentrations.

Surface and subsurface soil are no longer considered to pose an unacceptable hazard to site workers or construction workers since approximately 8,000 tons of contaminated soils (which were identified during investigation activities) were removed and treated to reduce contaminant concentrations to levels below remedial action objectives (RAOs) during soil treatment activities.

Groundwater beneath and adjacent to the Harcros facility is still impacted by contaminants. The primary constituents of concern requiring remediation are tetrachloroethene (PCE) and its degradation products (trichloroethene (TCE), cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-1,2-DCE), and vinyl chloride (VC)), toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes.

An assessment of health risk conducted in each area determined that PCE, TCE, 1,2-DCE, and VC present in groundwater at the facility pose a threat to human health if the contaminated groundwater is used as a drinking water source.

PROPOSED REMEDY

The proposed remedy for the site is outlined below:

On-site Groundwater:

  1. Injection of a chemical (sodium permanganate) that will break down contaminants in groundwater within the former source areas;
  2. Use of natural processes to further degrade contaminants and work with other remedy components to achieve drinking water standards throughout the area of groundwater impacts; and
  3. Institutional controls to maintain industrial site use, to prevent contaminated groundwater from being used as a drinking water source, and to prevent the installation of any groundwater wells.

Off-site Groundwater:

  1. Use of natural processes to further degrade contaminants and work with other remedy components to achieve drinking water standards throughout the area of groundwater impacts; and
  2. If necessary, injection of chemicals to stimulate microbial activity and form below-ground treatment areas to break down contaminants in groundwater.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

The proposed cleanup actions and alternate cleanup options were evaluated using the following criteria:

Based on this comparison, EPA has determined the proposed cleanup actions present the best balance of cost and protectiveness among the alternatives considered. Detailed information on this comparison is presented in the Statement of Basis for the site, and is available at the locations below.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Copies of the documents describing the proposed remedy for the Harcros facility are available to the public during normal business hours at the following locations:

Davenport Public Library
321 Main Street
Davenport, IA 52801
(563) 326-7809

EPA Records Center
901 N. Fifth St.
Kansas City, KS 66101
(913) 551-7166

If you have questions, or want to join the mailing list, please contact:

Beckie Himes
Community Involvement Coordinator
U.S. EPA, Region 7, Office of Public Affairs
901 N. Fifth St.
Kansas City, KS 66101
Phone: (913) 551-7253
or toll-free at (800) 223-0425

Joining the mailing list will allow individuals to receive any updated information related to this site.

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