The staging area for handling HHW, white goods, e-wastes, and orphaned containers is complete.   All areas are in service and receiving waste.  Preparation and clean-up activities in the RV park continue to allow additional trailers to move in for EPA crews.   (FEMA personnel have requested space within the RV park area and EPA will provide services - water and wastewater removal.

Air monitoring and sampling activities have been expanded across the Minot area and stationary samplers and monitors provide real-time and time-weighted data.  Monitors and samples include volatile organics, particulates (PM 2.5) and fibers.  To date air monitoring has not indicated any issues.  Fiber sample detections analyzed for asbestos form fibers have shown no asbestos fibers have been detected.   A website for displaying air sampling/monitoring results is being constructed by ERT.  A map of the sample locations can be found here: http://www.epaosc.org/sites/7093/files/Minot_Air_Monitoring_Locations.pdf

Reconnaissance teams (START and SERAS contractors) under OSC direction have inspected areas between and including Burlington, Minot and Sawyer in Ward County, and the city of Velva in McHenry County.  Large areas in the areas outside of Minot remain inaccessible due to standing water and/or heavy mud conditions on roads.  Container and tank locations are being identified and logged electronically and downloaded each day.  Significant tank and container accumulations are being found in ox-bow areas disconnected from the main river channel.  The heavy vegetation limits visibility along shorelines.  Additional Recon is planned during the week of August 1^st.  A request for a boat and assistance in investigating the river banks will be submitted to the State wildlife agency.

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.  

Minot:  HHW and E-waste collection sweeps have occurred in all Evacuation Zones (1 – 9) a minimum of one time. A second sweep was made through Zones 1 through 5 in most areas as of July 28^th; and Zones 6 (west half), 7 and 8 were covered a second time on July 29.   The collection of HHW and e-goods by ERRS personnel continues, as does the processing of white goods.  (.http://www.epaosc.org/sites/7093/files/all%20debris%20zones.pdf)  

Orphan container recovery started in Moose and Oak Park(s) on July 25.  Various container types are located in canals and land, and operations require boat access and excavator equipment for recovery.   Completion of removal of land based containers is expected by July 30. 

Asbestos/Vermiculite reconnaissance and removal of loose, curbside vermiculite from residential property has been identified in 12 locations.  Two removals are complete.

Ward County:  HHW collection was started in areas between Burlington and Minot along Hwy 15.  Other areas were not accessible due to standing water

Velva, ND (McHenry County):  A Recon Team inspection was completed and determined that access was not adequate to mobilize collection crews. 

The collection of HHW and E-goods by ERRS personnel continues, as does the processing of the HHW and  white goods. The ACoE continues processing debris and delivering white goods from Zones..  A link to the Zone map is provided here: http://www.epaosc.org/sites/7093/files/all%20debris%20zones.pdf    

Below is a summary of the quantities of collected material as of 1700 CDT on July 29, 2011:.