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SRP Community RelationsSite Information ProgramHudson Chromate ProjectUpdate #28

Chrome Update 28 (June 1999)

MEMORANDUM

TO: Hudson County Chromate Waste Sites Mailing List

FROM: Ronald T. Corcory, Project Coordinator, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

SUBJECT: Hudson County Chromate Update #28, June 1998

The following summarizes significant developments, which have occurred between June 1998 and June 1999 regarding the Hudson County Chromate Waste Sites.

AlliedSignal, Inc.

Fieldwork for Phase II of the investigation for all the chromate waste sites under the AlliedSignal Administrative Consent Order (ACO) began in April 1998 and is still underway. Interim Data Deliverables for Phase I Remedial Investigation (RI) data have been submitted to the NJDEP for all study areas except Study Area 2 (chrome sites 144 & 166). Submission of the data for these two sites is pending resolution of surface water and sediment sampling issues. Interim data deliverables were approved for Study Areas 1 (chrome site 154), 3 (chrome site 071), and 4 (chrome site 155). The interim data deliverables for Study Areas 5 (chrome sites 079, 090,117,153, & 184) and 6 (chrome sites 073, 087, 088, 115, 120, 124, 125, 134, 140, 157 & 163) have been deemed unacceptable. It is anticipated that the first Remedial Investigation (RI) Reports will be submitted to the NJDEP for review in the fall of 1999.

The delineation of the College Towers Apartments site (chromium site 154) is near completion. AlliedSignal needs to obtain access to properties to the east of the apartments to complete the delineation and develop site specific cleanup criteria.

Ground water investigations for the Study Areas are under way.

Chemical Land Holdings (previously Maxus Energy Corporation)

Chemical Land Holdings (CLH) is in Phase II of their remedial investigation. CLH submitted a RI report and Remedial Action (RA) Workplan for four sites in May 1998 (chromium sites 052, 062, 145 and 170). The workplan entailed hot-spot removal on these sites. The NJDEP reviewed these reports and determined that sites 052, 062 and 170 were approved for delisting from the Chromium Database. In addition, CLH is currently in the remedial action phase for chromium site 040, 042 (lot 1), 047, 055, 056, 145, 149, 167 and 201. Remedial Action Reports for these sites will be submitted for review in the fall of 1999. The following CLH ACO sites have, to date, been given no further action (NFA) approvals and removed from the Chromium Database, 045, 052, 053, 062, 110, 148, 169, 170, 171 and 195.

PPG Industries, Incorporated

A Remedial Action Workplan has been approved with comments on PPG Groups 2 (chrome site 008), 4 (chrome sites 112A & 016) and 5 (chrome sites 002, 003, 004, 005 & 006). A developer is working with PPG to construct a golf course in the area around Caven Point. The golf course, as proposed, would include PPG Groups 3 (chrome site 112), Group 5 and part of Group 2.

Work accomplished at PPG Group 12 (chrome sites 063 & 065 a.k.a. Baldwin Oil) includes demolition and removal of the entire Baldwin Oil building. Prior to razing, soil samples were taken to determine the extent of the chromium residue under the building footprint. The chromium residue that was under the building has been removed. The remainder of the site has yet to be delineated.

A limited chromate waste sampling and removal action has been completed at the PPG Group 10 (chrome sites 107 & 108) site warehouse. This action was taken to eliminate chromate waste that could cause chrome blooms to occur in the warehouse.

July 2, 1993 AlliedSignal Directive Sites and Orphan Sites Groups 1 & 2

The Preliminary Site Characterization (PSC) soil investigations have been completed at a total of twenty-three (23) sites in the Allied Directive group, they include sites numbered 007, 015, 019, 067, 068, 069, 070, 091, 092, 093, 094, 097, 098, 099, 100, 101, 130, 165, 172, 175, 178, 183, and 185. The analytical data from these investigations is currently undergoing Quality Assurance/Quality Control review. The results and recommendations will be presented in the PSC Remedial Investigation (RI) reports. Monitor wells have been installed at sites 015, 068, 069, 070, 091, 092, 093, 094, 099, 100, 101, 130, 165, 172, 175, 183 and 185. Building inspections have been completed at nineteen (19) sites. PSC ground water sampling has occurred at site 007, 015, 068, 069, 091, 092, 094, 097, 099, 130, 165, 172 and 175. PSC surface water and sediment sampling has been completed at sites 015, 068, 091 and 165. Initial PSC soil sampling has been completed at all twenty-three (23) sites under the Allied Signal Directive category. Final site characterization is anticipated to begin in late summer 1999.

No additional work has been accomplished on the Orphan Group I sites. The loss of the laboratory contractor in June 1998 brought work on these sites to a halt. NJDEP has been working on the resolution of multiple issues concerning this contract and work is anticipated to resume in summer 1999.

Negotiations with potential responsible parties to assume responsibility for Orphan Group 2 sites did not result in agreement; therefore investigation of these sites will proceed under the NJDEP Division of Publicly Funded Site Remediation. The contract for investigation of the Orphan Group 2 sites is expected to be initiated in summer 1999. Three priority sites (chrome sites 192, 206 & 207) will be addressed first.

Droyer's Point a.k.a. Society Hill

The developer K. Hovnanian is presently proceeding with plans to remediate and develop the property under a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). Conceptual remediation plans include removal of chromate waste source areas and capping. The remediation effort is tentatively scheduled to take place during 1999 under a fast-track plan. The NJDEP is prepared to work closely with the developer (K. Hovnanian) and the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA) to help meet the development schedule.

Soil Cleanup Criteria for Trivalent and Hexavalent Chromium

The guidance for trivalent and hexavalent chromium cleanup criteria was issued in September 1998. These numbers are now in effect and were incorporated by reference into the Soil Cleanup Criteria List. The basis and background document and a chart of the criteria can be retrieved from the NJDEP web site at www.nj.gov/dep/srp/siteinfo/chrome/

Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Transit System

The Office of New Rail Construction (NRC) of the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) has initiated a series of transportation improvements to a 20-mile corridor along the Hudson River Waterfront through Hudson and Bergen counties. Referred to as the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Transit System (HBLRTS), a series of environmental investigations are being conducted in a phased approach under a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) executed with NJDEP in 1992. The proposed improvements and new alignments will Impact eight known chromate chemical production waste sites including, sites numbered 19, 67, 100, 107, 183, 185, 199 and 200. The eight sites include sites under the Allied Directive, NJDEP Orphan sites and PPG ACO. Hot spot delineation at sites 19 and 100 has been completed and NJDEP is still awaiting a report.

Enforcement Status

On March 24, 1999, Assistant Commissioner Richard Gimello issued a correspondence to all three (3) responsible parties regarding the status of their efforts to date. The following table illustrates this effort:

Now that the Department has issued the chromium cleanup criteria and guidance on their use, the Department believes that this obstruction to progress has been removed. The Department expects that the chromium responsible parties to use the criteria and procedures to complete their investigations and remedial actions without delay. It is time for the debate over criteria to end and for the remediation to accelerate. If the chromium responsible parties do not appropriately use the issued criteria and associated procedures to NJDEP’s satisfaction, the Department reserves the right to unilaterally take over the ongoing investigations and remedial efforts using public funds and the appropriate Department personnel.

Chromium Site List

Below is the "Chromate Ore Processing Residue Site Status" sheet which details the phase of all known chromium sites, sorted by responsible parties. A copy of the updated Chromate Chemical Production Waste Sites is also attached.

Chromite Ore Processing Residue Sites Status

May 24, 1999

Chromate Chemical Production Waste Sites

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