U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Minot ND Floods-2011 - Removal Polrep
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region VIII
|
|
Subject:
|
POLREP #4
Progress
Minot ND Floods-2011
Minot, ND
Latitude: 48.2329061 Longitude: -101.3042450
|
|
To:
|
|
|
From:
|
Paul Peronard, OSC
Marty McComb, OSC
|
|
Date:
|
7/24/2011
|
|
Reporting Period:
|
July 21-24, 2011
|
|
1. Introduction
|
|
|
1.1 Background
|
|
|
|
|
Site Number: |
|
|
Contract Number: |
|
|
D.O. Number: |
|
|
Action Memo Date: |
|
|
Response Authority: |
Stafford Act |
|
Response Type: |
Emergency |
|
Response Lead: |
FEMA |
|
Incident Category: |
Removal Action |
|
NPL Status: |
Non NPL |
|
Operable Unit: |
|
|
Mobilization Date: |
7/11/2011 |
|
Start Date: |
7/11/2011 |
|
Demob Date: |
|
|
Completion Date: |
|
|
CERCLIS ID: |
|
|
RCRIS ID: |
|
|
ERNS No.: |
|
|
State Notification: |
|
|
FPN#: |
|
|
Reimbursable Account #: |
|
1.1.1 Incident Category
Stafford Act/CERCLA
1.1.2 Site Description
In late June 2011 the Souris River overtopped its banks causing extensive flooding in Ward and McHenry Counties in North Dakota. In Minot, ND over 4000 homes and businesses were inundated with flood waters, with over 2000 structures completely submerged. The nearby towns of Burlington, Sawyer, and Velva were also impacted. FEMA has issued a Mission Assignment to EPA to accomplish four objectives: Remove household hazardous wastes from the impacted area; decontaminate and prepare white goods and e-waste for recycling; collect and process orphan containers; and to conduct environmental monitoring and sampling in impacted and work areas. Initial recon was begun on July 11, 2011.
1.1.2.1 Location
Minot, North Dakota
Burlington, North Dakota
Sawyer, North Dakota
Velva, North Dakota
Ward County, North Dakota
McHenry County, North Dakota
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
Due to extensive flood damage FEMA has tasked EPA to collect and managed household hazardous wastes (HHW), white goods, e-goods, and orphaned haz-mat containers. In addition EPA will be providing air monitoring/sampling support throughout the operational theater.
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
OSC Peronard, along with a START and ERRS contractor have been conducting reconnaissance since July 11, 2011. As the flood waters have been receding residents have begun cleaning out their homes. For the most part residents have been making an effort to segregate HHW, white goods, and e-goods from other debris. From initial assessment work it would be reasonable to expect 55 gallons of HHW per home, and 1-2 white goods per home. It is difficult to estimate the quantity of e-goods. Orphaned containers (predominantly propane tanks) have been observed strung along the temporary levies, in flooded hedge rows, and underneath river crossings.
|
|
2. Current Activities
|
|
|
2.1 Operations Section
|
|
|
|
2.1.1 Narrative
2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
The initial mobilization of contractor personel, construction of the waste processing area, and camp preparations are complete.
OSCs Mccomb and Nattis continued orphan container recon efforts. The assessment of the Minot and Burlington areas are complete, as well as, a rough assessment of the anticipated distribution of HHW. Areas with the highest concentration of HHW, white goods, and e-wastes appear to correspond directly to FEMA's depth of flood modeling. Several areas with numerous containers were identified. A link to a website http://react.nvs-inc.com/EPASilver/ contains a visual summary of the recon assessments, as well as other operational data. This website also has the ability to show a view of the extent of flood and depth of water information in an overlay format eith EPA recon data. OSC Nattis, along with ERRS personel, conducted a helicopter recon on the morning of July 24, 2011. The overflight effort included the acquisition of georeferenced digital photographs of orphan container areas. This information is currently being uploaded to the EPASilver website.
Air monitoring and sampling activities have been expanded accross the Minot area. To date air monitoring has not indicated any exposure issues. An automatic alarming system has been provided by ERT. If there are any excedences of the lowest threshold of concern for any monitoring parameter then notices are sent to EPA OSCs and the Minot Fire Department so a follow up investigation can be made. During this reporting period two sets of intermitent alarms have been sent, One involved a short-term increase in PM 2.5 particulates, the other involving VOCs. Follow up investigation indicated that the VOC readings were a result inthe lens of the multi-RAE being impacted by dirt and water. The instruments have been cleaned and this will be part of the regular maintenance of the air monitoring system. A website for displaying air sampling/monitoring results has been constructed by ERT. Work is now underway to push this information out to FEMA, the ACoE, and the Minot FD in real time. A map of the sample locations can be found here: http://www.epaosc.org/sites/7093/files/Minot_Air_Monitoring_Locations.pdf
The collection of HHW and e-goods by ERRS personnel continues, as does the processing of white goods. The HHW and e-goods collection crews have completed a first pass of collecting materials in Zones 1,2, 3, 4 & 5. The crews are currently working in Zones 6 and 9. The ACoE continues processing debris and delivering white goods from Zones 3 and 4. A link to the Zone map is provided here: http://www.epaosc.org/sites/7093/files/all%20debris%20zones.pdf A visual tracking, on a street by street basis, of the completed EPA collection activities can also be found on the EPASilver website. Here is a Summary of the quantities of collected material as of 1700 CDT on July 24, 2011:.
Total Counts
HHW
20161 Small Containers (< 5gal)
293 Containers (5-30 gal)
7 Drums (30-85 gal)
0 Tanks (>85 gal)
114 Propane Tanks
27 Other Gas Cylinders
White Goods
48 AC Units
349 Refrigerators
653 Inert Goods (stoves, washer/dryers, water heaters)
Electonic Goods
299 Cubic Yards*
Other Materials
43 Lead-acid Batteries
50 Fire Extinguishers
292 Light Bulbs
0 Ammunition / Fireworks
33 Small Engines
6 Other
*based on a visual estimate, a more accurate figure will be
tracked as the material is packaged for off-site shipment
2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
NA
2.1.4 Progress Metrics
N/A
|
|
|
2.2 Planning Section
|
|
|
|
2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
Orphan container collection efforts will start on July 25, 2011. OSC McComb will lead these efforts.
2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
Waste collection activities will continue through the duration of the project. Generally, EPA will coordinate collection activities with the ACoE, working in parrallel with them in each work zone. Recon and air monitoring will continue as well.
2.2.1.2 Next Steps
We shall continue on in good style.
2.2.2 Issues
None.
|
|
|
2.3 Logistics Section
|
|
|
|
NA
|
|
|
2.4 Finance Section
|
|
|
|
No information available at this time.
|
|
|
2.5 Other Command Staff
|
|
|
|
2.5.1 Safety Officer
NA
2.6 Liaison Officer
NA
2.7 Information Officer
2.7.1 Public Information Officer
NA
7.2 Community Involvement Coordinator
NA
|
|
3. Participating Entities
|
|
|
3.1 Unified Command
NA
3.2 Cooperating Agencies
NA
|
|
4. Personnel On Site
|
|
|
Staffing levels for the current reporting period:
EPA 5
R8 START 2
ERRS 39
SERAS 3
R4 START 1
|
|
5. Definition of Terms
|
|
|
NA
|
|
6. Additional sources of information
|
|
|
6.1 Internet location of additional information/report
NA
6.2 Reporting Schedule
NA
|
|
7. Situational Reference Materials
|
|
|
NA
|
|
|
