A1262408406DnhzB - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Title: A1262408406DnhzB


1
Environmental Update on the Rivers, Creeks
Chesapeake Bay Pollution
1st in a series of local meetings each is on a
different environmental problem. This meeting
will focus on environmental issues of the
Patapsco River in Anne Arundel County. Hear their
findings, conclusions and questions on the real
problems that are being ignored.
2
About a year and a half ago Del Dwyer and Tom
Redmond with several other individuals who are
with us to night formed a group called PROPO
Protected the Rights of Property Owners.
because many citizens of Anne Arundel felt that
their property rights were being trampled on by
our government especially those folks living on
the waterfront and the critical areas of our
county. PROPOs membership quickly grew to
over 1,000 in a very short time and so did the
complaints we received about excessive fines and
bureaucratic nightmares especially for people
living in the critical area. The over zealous
enforcement of country regulation encouraged Del.
Don Dwyer and Tom Redmond to look at what is
really polluting our waterways.
3
Del. Dwyer and Tom Redmond dont consider
themselves environmentalists, just good stewards
of where they were born, raised and still live.
In the last 25 years over 6 billion dollars has
been spent on programs and studies of the
Chesapeake Bay and we have not seen any
improvement in the health of the bay, our local
rivers or creeks. We are attempting to bring
focus on what we believe are the real polluters
of the Chesapeake Bay. We dont believe that it
is the average homeowner that is hurting the bay.
Our government and certain elected officials
continue to over regulate the average homeowner
and make ridiculous claims. The Director of
Public Works for Anne Arundel County recently
stated, Marley Creek and Furnace Creek have
remain closed for 30 years because of failing
septic systems and dog poop.
4
In January, 2009 Del. Dwyer and Tom Redmond held
a press conference at the Furnace Creek Sewage
Pumping Station. The purpose was to expose the
real reason Furnace Creek and Marley Creeks have
been closed for 30 years. Anne Arundel County
does not have a backup power source for either
pumping station. Also, each pumping station has a
36 dump pipe that allows raw sewage to flow
directly into the creeks if there is a power
failure, a clog or a back up in the pipelines
going to Cox Creek Treatment Plant. Over the
years hundreds of thousands of gallons of raw
untreated sewage has been allowed to flow into
Marley and Furnace Creeks. Shortly after Del.
Dwyer and Tom Redmond exposed these pumping
stations, Anne Arundel County has stated that up
grades will be scheduled for both pumping
stations.
5
Furnace Creek Pumping Station
6
Furnace Creek Pumping Station
36 Dump Pipe
Furnace Creek at low tide
7
36 Dump Pipe into Furnace Creek
8
Marley Creek Sewage Pumping Station
9
36 Dump Pipe into Marley Creek
10
36 Dump Pipe into Marley Creek
11
Hawkins Point
12
Hawkins Point
It was 90 years ago January 1, 1919 that
Baltimore City annexed Brooklyn and Curtis Bay
from Anne Arundel County, which included Hawkins
Point. This whole area was an industrial boom at
the turn of the last century. When there was
little regard for the environment. This boom
will forever have a detrimental effect on the
health of the Chesapeake Bay.
13
Is the environmental history of the Hawkins Point
area with the zip code 21226 the reason it has
the highest cancer rate in the nation? We feel
that there are still many things going on in the
Hawkins Point area that may have a negative
effect on the environment and health of the
citizens.
14
This part of Baltimore City is nestled against
Anne Arundel County and borders the Patapsco
River. This area has become a huge dumping
ground for all types of waste, including several
medical waste incinerators. Nearly every parcel
of land is being used to dump something. The
environmental rules must be different in
Baltimore City.
15
Road Names inHawkins Point

• Chemical Rd. Quarantine Rd.
• Concrete Rd. Incinerator Rd.
• Carbide Rd. Laboratory Rd.

16
US Gypsum
GraceChem.
MES
B C Landfill
B C Landfill
BFI Med Waste
Millennium
BFI
Med Waste Incinerator
Kennecott Refinery
USCG
MPA Spoils Site
17
Operations in Hawkins Point

U S Coast Guard Yard

Two Medical Waste Incinerators

BFI operates a landfill and medical waste center

City of Baltimore operates a huge landfill

MES Maryland Environmental Service operates a
landfill

Millennium Chemical, U.S. Gypsum, and WR Grace
Chemical all have outdoor processing near the
edge of the Patapsco River
18
U S Coast Guard Yard
19
The US Coast Guard Yard in Anne Arundel County
was listed on the Superfund National Priorities
List in 2002. The 113-acre facility provides
support for the Coast Guard, including the
design, construction and repair of ships and
boats. During its peak use during World War II,
the yard was a fully operational shipbuilding
facility.Former site-related activities are
suspected to have contributed to contamination of
soils, groundwater, surface water and sediments.
Soil samples reveal certain areas with
semi-volatile organic compounds, metals,
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides and
dioxin. Sediment samples taken in Curtis Creek
have indicated elevated metals concentrations
suspected to be associated with dry-dock
operations.
20
Kennecott Copper
(Anne Arundel County)

• - Kennecott Copper Refinery opened
• 1986 - Sold to Cox Creek Refining Co.

(A Japanese owned company)
Do you remember the Japanese Flag flying for
years at this location?

1. - Maryland Port Administration bought this
   property for disposal of dredge spoils.

21
(No Transcript)
22
Cox Creek Refinery was a Japanese owned company.
In 1997 Cox Creek Refinery was sold to the
Maryland Port Administration for 1,600,000.
Less than they paid for it 11 years earlier. In
1986 Cox Creek Refinery had paid Kennecott a
little less than 2,000,000 for the 167 acre
site. This parcel is assessed at over 14 million
dollars. Why was this sold so cheap to the
State? Was it because of major environmental
problems with the land?
23
Land is Assessed at 33,800 per acre
Land is Assessed at 33,800 per acre
Total Assessment 15 million
Total Assessment 15 million
24
(No Transcript)
25
The question is not if this site was
contaminated, we know it was. The real question
is, How contaminated was the site? Should this
have also been a Superfund site? We may never
know because of state ownership.
26
Cox Creek Refinery inherited most of the
environmental problems from Kennecott Copper. In
other parts of the country Kennecott does not
have the best environmental record. In Utah they
operate the largest sludge pit in the nation. The
sludge comes from the processing of metals such
as copper. Similar to what was done here at
Hawkins Point for 30 years. So where did the
sludge go?
27
This is what the site looks like today.
28
MPA Dredge Spoils Site
29
Spoils Site Under Construction
30
Part of Spoils Site
31
We still havent answered the question Where did
the sludge go from the Kennecott Refinery?
We are going to take a pictorial history tour of
the site.
Dont know if it is going to answer the question
as to where the sludge went but, it is certainly
going to raise some questions.
32
1980
33
?
1970
34
1970
Is something flowing from the plant?
?
35
1962
36
150 acres of land appear in the Patapsco River
between 1962 and 1970.
We know that the State of Maryland used part of
this site for dredge spoils. Do you think
anything else may have been dumped in there
besides dredging spoils?
What do you think the possibility of highly
contaminated spoils going into that 150 acres?
37
The red line indicates the original shoreline
from 1962
38
1962
39
Part of 1954 Deed to Kennecott Refinery
40
Reference in Kennecott Deed
41
(No Transcript)
42
MPA Spoils Site Today
43
MPA Spoils Site Today
44
MPA Spoils Site Today
45
This is the part of the Presentation that sparked
our interest in Hawkins Point.
August of this year we were at a meeting in
Curtis Bay to hear Constellations presentation
on the proposal to place flyash at the Millennium
Chemical Property.
46
(No Transcript)
47
Major Points of Interest
1. Constellation planned to use a liner in the
Millennium landfill to prevent contamination of
the soil and water. 2. Constellation planned to
use Millennium Chemical to treat the leachate
collected from the landfill which would be
released into the Patapsco River.
48
Lets start with Constellations sincerity in
doing what is environmentally correct. In 1998
Constellation had the opportunity to do some
environmentally sound practices in the placement
of flyash but they chose not to. The Anne
Arundel Board of Appeals granted Constellation
the ability to place flyash on over 100 acres on
Solley Road with some environmental stipulations.
49
(No Transcript)
50
(No Transcript)
51
(No Transcript)
52
Constellation chose not to use the Solley Road
site. Instead they began to take flyash to a
Gambrills site. At this site many wells
surrounding the landfill were contaminated. We
realize that Constellation needs to dispose of
flyash. The Millennium site maybe the wrong
location for many reasons. It our belief that
most of Millenniums property is or should be
considered wetlands or critical area.
53
(No Transcript)
54
(No Transcript)
55
(No Transcript)
56
(No Transcript)
57
(No Transcript)
58
(No Transcript)
59
We believe that Millennium Property has many
unanswered environmental questions that need to
be addressed before a 100 acre flyash dump is
laid on top of land that may already be seriously
contaminated.
jc We are going to give you little history of
the Millennium property.
60
(No Transcript)
61
(No Transcript)
62
The millennium property has been used for
chemical, fertilizer storage and production since
around 1900.

• Difference Properties Owners
• The Chappell Chemical and Fertilization about
  1900
• Boston Iron Metal about 1927
• The Glidden Company 1954
• SCM Company
• Millennium Chemical
• Lyondell Chemical 2004

63
(No Transcript)
64
(No Transcript)
65
1943
Ft. Carroll
Ft. Armistead
66
1943
Millennium Site
BGE
Kennecott Site
CSX
67
After reviewing aerial photos from Google Maps we
thought something environmentally bad maybe going
on at the Millennium Site
68
(No Transcript)
69
(No Transcript)
70
(No Transcript)
71
(No Transcript)
72
(No Transcript)
73
Chemical Cloud
74
Both Pond Are Less Than 100 Ft. From The Patapsco
River
75
Chemical Storage Tanks
76
(No Transcript)
77
In August of this year several people took a
canoe ride from Ft. Armistead Park to
Millennium Chemical for a little tour and took
some pictures.
78
Chemical Storage Tanks noted in previous picture
79
(No Transcript)
80
(No Transcript)
81
Valves that allow flows into the Patapsco River
from Chemical Pond
82
Dump pipe flowing from Chemical Pond into the
Patapsco River
83
Dump pipe flowing from Chemical Pond into the
Patapsco River
84
Dump pipe flowing from Chemical Pond into the
Patapsco River
85
Note the similar colors from the Chemical Pond
End of Dump pipe from Chemical Pond
86
South Pond Note the wetland grasses
87
South Pond Note the wetland grasses
88
The day of the tour, the contents of one pond was
being pumped into the other.
89
The day of the tour, the contents of one pond was
being pumped into the other.
90
North Pond
91
North Pond
92
Drain from North Pond
93
Dont know what this is.
94
Sure looks nasty.
95
Note the color of the soil
96
(No Transcript)
97
Note the different colored stuff coming out the
pipes
98
The smell was an acid - chemical odor
99
Note the color of the soil
100
The nearly 2,000ft of shoreline at Millennium has
a reddish orange color. Has something been
leaking from behind that 20ft berm that has
discolored the beach?
101
20 ft Berm that holds Chemical Ponds
Note the color of the soil
102
Notice the shoreline at Millennium and how clear
the shoreline is at MPA.
103
A closer view of something in the water
104
At one time there was leachate system of wells
and pumps to grab sub surface liquid and pump it
back to Millenniums Treatment Plant. The wells
were installed on the shoreline about every 100
ft. From the following pictures that systems
looks to be totally non functional.
105
Old Well and Pump System
106
Old Well and Pump System
107
Non-Functioning Well
108
Non-Functioning Well
109
Non-Functioning Well
110
Non-Functioning Well
111
Non-Functioning Well
112
The Forgotten 39 Acres
After the annexation of Hawkins Point by
Baltimore City a lot of folks have been asleep at
the switch for the last 90 years
113
Anne Arundel County especially has been asleep at
the environmental switch in regards to 39 acres
of Millennium property. Anne Arundel County
denies having anything to do with the Millennium
Operation. But we beg to differ.
114
Millennium Chemical is in control of 3 parcels of
land in Anne Arundel County for a total of 38.75
acres. Tax records list Glidden Company as the
owner with 2 parcels having an address of
Chappell Farm, Baltimore and the 3rd has an
address of Curtis Bay, Baltimore
115
(No Transcript)
116
(No Transcript)
117
The 1919 annexation created the small parcels on
the Patapsco
118
(No Transcript)
119
Where on the Millennium site is this water coming
from?
120
Millennium parcels 1 and 2 are divided by a
pond and stream
Old stream now used as Outfall Pipes
Copy of old County Tax Map
121
1943
This pond is now the Chemical Ponds
122
(No Transcript)
123
There are no records of Millennium or Glidden
filing for or receiving any building permits for
any of their parcels in Anne Arundel County. No
records of Anne Arundel County participating in
any storm water discharge permits or industrial
discharge permits. Even though all of
Millenniums discharge goes into Anne Arundel
County waters, Swan Cove, Arundel Cove and the
Patapsco River.
124
Critical Area Map of Hawkins Point in Anne
Arundel County
Millennium Property
Green - RCA - Resource Conservation Area
Yellow - LDA - Limited Development Area
White - Building Foot Print
125
Do you think this would be allowed on the Severn
River or the Magothy River?
126
So Why has it went on here for so long?
127
Anne Arundel County has also been asleep at the
financial switch. The County has been losing
thousands of tax dollars every year because of
near zero assessment on the property that
Millennium owns in Anne Arundel County.
128
Millennium is being assessed 1,000 per acre for
their waterfront property, while the average
waterfront homeowner in Anne Arundel County is
assessed between 1.5 to 2 million dollars per
acre. Millenniums property in Baltimore City is
assessed at 42,000 per acre. The adjacent
Kennecott Property is assessed at 34,000 per
acre.
129
Still only assessed at 1,000 an acre ?
Parcel 3
130
Waterfront only assessed at 1,000 an acre ?
Parcel 2
131
Waterfront only assessed at 1,000 an acre ?
Parcel 1
132
33,800 per acre
133
42,000 per acre
134
Anne Arundel County has also lost thousands of
dollars in title transfer fees for deed
transactions that have never taken place.
The tax assessments still shows Glidden Company
as the owner with deed references 888-544 from
1954. Since that time the ownership has changed
3 times.
135
(No Transcript)
136
(No Transcript)
137
Action that needs to take place!
The EPA needs to do a total compliance review of
the Millennium operation. Especially, the Clean
Water Act, Section 404, which pertains to
wetlands.

EPA, MDE, all state and county agencies need to
do a serious investigation into the Millennium
site to see if it may qualify as a Superfund
Cleanup Site.

138
MDE needs to have total participation from Anne
Arundel County for any permits pertaining to
Millennium, mainly all discharge permits.

Anne Arundel County needs to require Millennium
to obtain grading and all environmental permits
as any other company or individual would have to
in Anne Arundel County

139
Anne Arundel County needs to question the
assessment on these 3 parcels owned by Millennium.

The state and county needs to question why the
deeds have never transferred on the Millennium
parcels. Ownership has changed 3 times. Title
transfer fees have been lost. Environmentally,
who will be responsible for any environmental
problems that might occur or that have occurred?

140
Anne Arundel Countys Departments of Health,
Environmental Programs and Soil Conservation need
to make frequent inspections of the 39 acres of
land that are in Anne Arundel County controlled
by Millennium.

Anne Arundel County needs legislation that will
limit or stop facilities from operating in this
manner.

141
We would like to thank everyone for attending
tonight. We will be holding another meeting in
the early part of January 2010 on a different
environmental problem. If you would like to be
notified of the next meeting, please give us your
contact information at the table by the door.