Passaic River Sediment Cleanup Phase 1

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Passaic River Sediment Cleanup - Phase 1

• Public Meeting on the Proposed Cleanup Plan
• December 2, 2008

Imagine the result
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About Tonight

• Thank you for taking the time to come
• Public comment is being taken on Phase 1 of the
  Passaic River contaminated sediment cleanup
  project
• Goals for tonights meeting
• The agenda
• Requests

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How the Cleanup Began..

• Spring 2008 Tierra Solutions, Inc (Tierra)
  proposed a cleanup in front of the Diamond Alkali
  site
• EPA and New Jersey DEP determined what work
  should be done
• June 2008 EPA authorized an accelerated form of
  sediment cleanup (the removal)
• Nov 19, 2008 Phase 1 engineering studies
  completed and released to the public

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Sediment Cleanup The Agreement

• June 23, 2008 Tierra Occidental Chemical
  agreed to pay for and perform the Phase 1 and
  Phase 2 cleanups
• 200,000 cubic yards of the most contaminated
  sediment will be taken out of the river bed next
  to the Diamond Alkali site
• Work will be done in two separate phases, each
  with its own engineering study and cleanup
  proposal
• Phase 1 construction is expected to begin in the
  fall of 2010

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Sediment Cleanup The Agreement

• Phase 1 digging up 40,000 cubic yards of the
  worst sediment, behind a barrier, transported
  out-of-state for treatment disposal
• Phase 2 digging up 160,000 cubic yards of
  lesser-contaminated sediment, behind a barrier,
  transported and placed in an engineered
  containment structure in the Newark Bay region

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Sediment Cleanup The Requirements

• Biggest source of dioxin to be dredged out of the
  river
• Work performed behind a barrier to prevent
  movement of sediment
• Process contaminated sediment on nearby land
• Transport contaminated sediment to a disposal
  facility in sealed containers to prevent spillage
• Restore the dredged work area

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Regional View

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Phase 1 Removal Area
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Sediment Cleanup

• What we hope to achieve through the cleanup
• Why were doing this now and why the accelerated
  form of cleanup
• Tierra performs the work
• EPA oversees all work in collaboration with New
  Jersey DEP
• EPA consults with public throughout

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Sediment Cleanup What It Is

• The first installment of a much bigger Passaic
  River effort (doesnt address all problems in the
  lower Passaic)
• Pulls out a large amount of the dioxin in the
  river along with numerous other contaminants

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Work Continues on Other Passaic River Projects

• Other companies are performing studies on the
  lower 17 miles of the Passaic
• EPA continues to develop cleanup options for the
  lower 8 miles of the Passaic

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Sediment Cleanup Future Decisions

• How the Phase 1 sediments will be transported out
  of the region
• Where the worst sediments (Phase 1) will be
  treated and disposed of
• How the sediments will be treated

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Major Considerations in Designing the Phase 1
Cleanup

• Minimize Impacts to Community
• Community Health Safety Plan
• Clean diesel
• Protect Structures During Cleanup
• Floodwall in front of Diamond Alkali site
• Bulkhead in front of Sherwin-Williams site
• Barrier surrounding dredging area

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Major Considerations in Designing the Phase 1
Cleanup (Cont.)

• Proper characterization and disposal of
  contaminated materials
• Minimize impacts to river outside of cleanup area

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Engineering Evaluation Summary

• Evaluated four options for removing the
  contaminated sediments
• Used proven and reliable technologies
• Used EPA criteria
• All four options have many common features

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Common Features of the Alternatives

• Work done within barrier
• Sediment/Debris removal
• Materials separation
• Material dewatering
• Water treatment
• Transport, treatment and disposal out of state
• Sediment replacement

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Work Area Barrier

• Walls will isolate dredging from rest of the
  river

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Sediment Removal - Mechanical

• Clamshell
• Mechanical Excavator

http//education.usace.army.mil/navigation/lessons
/6/dredgels6lv2.html
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Sediment Removal - Hydraulic
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Debris Handling

• Expect to encounter large small debris
• Will manage on-site and dispose off-site

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On Site Materials Separation

• Once dredged, need to remove the larger solids

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Materials Dewatering - Mechanical
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Materials Dewatering - Geotube
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Water Treatment

• Water produced during operations will be treated
  on-site
• Treated water to go to Passaic (must meet safety
  standards before discharge)

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Transport of Sediment Out-of-State

• Strong preference for rail or barge
• Transport of sealed water-tight containers

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Sediment Treatment and Disposal Out-of-State

• Incineration Landfill
• Landfill

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Possible Treatment/Disposal Sites

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Replacing the Contaminated Sediment

• Use dredging-type equipment
• Replace with similar material
• Look to restore surface

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We Looked at Four Cleanup Options

• Alternative A
• Hydraulic dredging with geotextile tube sediment
  dewatering
• Alternative B
• Hydraulic dredging with mechanical sediment
  dewatering
• Alternative C
• Mechanical dredging with mechanical dewatering
• Alternative D
• High-solids pump dredging with mechanical
  dewatering

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Alternative A Hydraulic Dredging With Geotextile
Tube Dewatering

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Alternative B Hydraulic Dredging With Mechanical
Dewatering

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Alternative C Mechanical Dredging With
Mechanical Dewatering

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Alternative D High-Solids Pump Dredging With
Mechanical Dewatering

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EPAs Preferred Cleanup Option
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How EPA Evaluates Cleanup Alternatives

• Analyze cleanup alternatives for effectiveness,
  cost implementability
• Compare alternatives for consistency with state
  and federal requirements

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Mechanical Dredging

• Clamshell
• Environmental Bucket

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Dredging Controls
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Mechanical Dewatering

• Filter or belt press
• Squeeze material to remove as much
• water as possible

Filter Cake out of Third Stage
Second Stage on Belt

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Overhead View of Work Area
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Cross-Section of Work Area
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Mechanical Dredging is Best Because

• Best-suited to dredging in areas containing
  debris
• Most likely to avoid major delays in the cleanup
  schedule
• Better control and more precise in areas with
  debris and near structures like the floodwall and
  bulkhead

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Mechanical Dewatering is Best Because

• Most effective for sediments like those contained
  in the river
• Most likely to avoid major delays in the cleanup
  schedule
• Requires less space on nearby land to do the
  dewatering

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The Communitys Role in Cleanup
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We Need Your Input

• Now, on EPAs proposal to use mechanical removal
  and mechanical processing of Phase 1 sediment
• Comment period on the Proposed Plan runs through
  December 19

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We Need Your Input

• Later, during the design of the Phase 1 cleanup
• Later, throughout the Phase 1 cleanup, which
  begins in 2010
• Later, on the Phase 2 cleanup plan selection and
  design of the Phase 2 cleanup

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Community Involvement Plan

• Draft plan developed by EPA companion plan to
  Lower Passaic River Restoration Project Newark
  Bay Study
• Based on community interviews (see handout)
• Guides public involvement during both phases of
  cleanup
• Plan finalized by February, updated as needed
  thereafter

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Some of the Ways to Inform and Involve You

• Web site _at_ www.epa.gov/region02/npl/diamondalkali
  
• Email
• Listserv (electronic group notices)
• Public meetings information sessions
• Fact Sheets
• Workshops on special topics

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Some of the Ways to Inform and Involve You
(Continued)

• Coordination with environmental community
  groups
• Project update meetings with agencies and
  stakeholders
• Technical assistance (grants and contracts)
• Media updates, tours, events
• Tollfree hotline _at_ 1-800-346-5009

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Some of the Ways to Inform and Involve You
(Continued)

• Updating federal, state and local officials
• Information repository (Newark Public Library
  New Jersey reference section)
• Public comment on selection of cleanup plans
• Educational outreach with schools

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Technical Assistance Support

• Passaic River Coalition received a grant from EPA
  to fund technical assistance support for
  communities
• Passaic River Coalition can be contacted at (908)
  222-0315 and at www.passaicriver.org
• Technical Assistance Support for Communities
  (TASC) an EPA-funded contract for hiring experts
  to assist on discrete products/issues

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Community Health Safety Plan

• A plan specifically devoted to protecting the
  local community during cleanup
• Developed during design with community input
• Anticipated timeframe for developing a draft plan
  is mid-2009

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Getting to Cleanup

• After public comment on Phase 1 cleanup proposal,
  EPA selects cleanup plan through Action Memo
• Tierra submits Removal Design Work Plan and
  schedule for work to EPA for review approval

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Removal Design Work Plan

• Describes the process and schedule for developing
  detailed design plans such as
• Sampling plans
• Health and safety plans
• Sediment excavation and enclosure plans
• Transportation plans for disposal out-of-state
• Water treatment plans

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Your Input is Crucial

• The Design Phase will answer many questions
• How the work will be done to minimize impacts to
  the local community
• How the sediments will be transported out of the
  region
• Where and how the sediments will be treated and
  disposed

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Anticipated Phase 1 Timeline
Oct. 2008Phase 1 EE/CA submitted to USEPA
Phase 1 Action Memo issued by USEPA (Anticipated)
2008
2011
2010
2009
Phase 1 Design (Anticipated) With Public
Involvement
Phase 1 Work (Anticipated)
Sept. 2008 Phase 1 EE/CA Work Plan Finalized
USEPA review and Public comment on Phase 1 EE/CA
(Anticipated)

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Questions?